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.
After a close fourth last year, Prince Des Fichaux attempts to go even closer in the feature race at Kelso.
Trained just down the A7 at Hawick by Ewan Whillans, he is set to line up for the £15,000 Ashleybank Investments Reg And Betty Tweedie Handicap Chase.
The eight-year-old, who carries the colours of borders owner John Elliott, was an honourable fourth in the last month’s Eider Chase at Newcastle having been pipped by a neck in the same stamina test in 2024.
His conqueror that day, Brian Ellison-trained Anglers Crag, is among his rivals the 2m 7f contest.
Two other local runners are Ganapathi for Greenlaw-based Sandy Thomson and Breakdance Kid saddled by Selkirk’s Stuart Coltherd, both owned by Aberdeen-based Wilma Duffus.
Just touched off by a short-head at Musselburgh in February, Ganapathi was also a close second in the valuable 2m 4f Go North Series Final at Carlisle recently.
Breakdance Kid also went close that day Carlisle, in his case in the three-mile Go North Series Final and one of his three wins over fences came at Kelso last November.
The card starts with the Join Racing TV Now Novices’ Hurdle while, for many, the most prestigious race of the afternoon is the Weatherbys Hamilton Buccleuch Cup, a maiden hunters’ chase over nearly three miles that has thrown up the odd future Aintree and Scottish National winner in the past.