Kelso each-way tip: Slugger primed to punch above his weight in wide-open handicap
Kelso racecourse
Our friends at Tipstrr landed us a tasty 16/1 winner at Sandown on Thursday, and we’re hoping for more of the same from their selection in this wide-open three-mile handicap hurdle.
14:55 Kelso: Church House Investment Management Handicap Hurdle (3 miles 51 yards)
With barely four betting points covering all but French raider Bois Guillbert, we could pretty much perm any three from seven to make the frame here, and even that relative outsider is no forlorn hope if able to bounce back to the form that saw him win over this course and distance in October.
Anthony Charlton’s six-year-old Ilanz is currently an uneasy market leader, and there’s plenty to like about this gelding who has won three of his five handicap outings (third in the other two), although this step in class and drop in trip might ask more questions than he can answer.
In such an even market, it probably makes sense to look at those runners who are priced highly enough to bring in some place returns, and that brings in the likes of Ip Up, Ginger Mail and Cracking Rhapsody, all of whom have enjoyed recent wins among a host of promising near misses and are likely to give another good account here.
However, the word in the Tipstrr camp is that the Iain Jardine-trained Slugger is capable of punching above his low weight in this company.
Suggested best bet: Slugger each-way in the 14:55 at Kelso
Eased in with four bumper outings during the first half of 2023, he enjoyed two runner-up near misses and another frame finish before being given a five-month summer break that included some required wind surgery.
That produced the desired effect as he hit the ground running to see off eight novice rivals on his hurdle debut over this course and distance in October.
Two subsequent trips to Musselburgh were less fruitful, including a below-par showing on handicap debut on New Year’s Day, although excuses could be made following a short break and he should be in better shape here, especially now refitted with a hood and tongue-tie..
Sean Quinlan retains the ride on his return to a happy hunting ground, with his previous 217 rides at Kelso yielding 36 winners (17% win rate, 35% place rate) that have kept him more than 80 betting units ahead of the bookies in terms of profit.
