Gordon Brown – Race Reporter
Gordon has a wealth of experience of racing through his background in the written and broadcast media. His current principle role is reporting and supporting the scene in Scotland on Racing TV and relaying the latest news with Scottish angles.
Dianne Sayer has her eye on the £25,000 2m 5f feature race at Kelso for the third time in five years as the borders venue stages its opening fixture of the autumn.
The Cumbria trainer was success in back-to-back renewals in 2021 & 2022 with Iolani and The Navigator, who runs off bottom-weight this time in the Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow Handicap Hurdle.
“The Navigator has actually won twice over course and distance as he was also successful at Kelso’s early October meeting last year,” Sayer said. “He’s down to a basement mark these days and it will probably be his last chance to run in such a good race at this stage of career.
“Charlie Maggs seemed to get on well with him when they won at Cartmel August and his claim of 5lbs might be crucial. He’s in good heart and hopefully they will click together again.”
The opposition to The Navigator is headed by Here Comes Georgie and Divilabother, winners at Perth and Hexham last time for Patrick Neville and Tristan Davidson respectively.
Half Shot and Pay The Piper and both bidding to wind the clock back as they try to land the races they won on the corresponding card twelve months ago.
The former, trained by Iain Jardine, goes again for the RBC Brewin Dolphin Handicap Chase while the Ann Hamilton-trained latter shoulders joint top-weight in the Belhaven Brewery Handicap Chase
Paul Robson, now operating out of Rose Dobbin’s former premises, has hit the ground running in the early exchanges of the new jumps campaign and Away She Goes bids to follow up her runaway course win earlier this month.
She led her rivals a merry dance right from flag fall and a 7lbs rise may not stop a repeat performance in the Molson Coors Handicap Hurdle.