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.
Lucinda Russell, now jointly-training with Michael Scudamore, has her eye on the £25,000 feature race at Perth on Wednesday with first-time blinkered Whistle Stop Tour.
The local Derek Fox-ridden raider from just down the M90, faces four rivals in the Paul Ferguson’s Jumpers To Follow David Whitaker Handicap Chase staged over nearly three miles.
Russell said: “He is a possible Grand National horse for next spring. He won three-mile chases either side of Christmas at Kelso and Ayr and his long-term plan was the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham but his race was as good as over when he was badly hampered at the first fence.
“He was probably over the top when only fifth at the Perth festival in April. We are hoping he will improve enough to win a big long-distance handicap chase this season.”
Opposition to Whistle Stop Tour includes 2023 winner Wasdell Dundalk and Statuario, who were fourth and fifth in last year’s renewal.
Gordon Elliott, by some way the leading all-time trainer at Perth with an incredible 227 winners, is double-handed with Mars Harper and Yeats Star.
The six-race card gets underway with the Harvest Of Hope PK Foodbank Novices’ Hurdle over two miles.
Three-time champion jockey Brian Hughes rides Tree Top Tyson, who returns from a breathing operation for Yorkshire handler Patrick Neville, who has enjoyed plenty of success already at the Scone track this season.