2.40pm Kelso Tips & Betting Preview 25/03/2017

Despite a lack of history to this race with just the three renewals there is no lack of interest from the trainers with a list of classy entries if a small field. Reve De Sivola (16/1) is getting on a bit at the age of twelve but doesn’t appear to be going backwards too fast despite a below standard seventh of thirteen last time out at Exeter. His earlier form has seen him taking on much stronger company with runs behind the likes of Unowhatimeanharry three times but he has been dropped another fie pounds for his last effort and is well in at his best even if that was as long time ago. Running off of 142 this afternoon he has won off of 166 at his peak and although expecting him to repeat that is more than naïve, he still retains some of his old abilities and could run in to a place on a good day.

Bryden Boy (11/2) won a shade cleverly at Doncaster last time out and was value for further than the official winning margin after being held up and brought with a winning run. After the race Alan O’Keeffee said “Bryden Boy goes well on this ground. Sean (Quinlan) rode a fine race there as they went for home a long way out and he had the confidence to sit and wait” and that has seen the handicapper put him up a mere four pounds, and that may not be enough to stop him following up this afternoon with the same jockey on board for the Jennie Candlish stable who are hitting a 33% strike rate of late and will be hoping to add to that here.

Trainer Lucinda Russell has her string in great form with four winners for her last seventeen runners for a healthy 24% strike rate and a level stakes profit of nine points and she has Big River (5/1) entered here who could well have each way chances. Less experienced than the majority of his rivals here with just the five starts over hurdles, he has scored over two miles here as well as over two miles five at Ayr and finished second last time out over two miles seven furlongs at Haydock. He will need to improve again to take a hand here but is getting better all the time and could be the dark horse here representing a stable at the peak of their powers.

Poor Seeyouatmidnight (4/1) has to carry top weight here for trainer Sandy Thomson but he is a good horse on his day as three wins from six starts over hurdles prove. Rated 149 this afternoon he returns to the smaller obstacles after eight runs over fences since a seventh to Cole Harden in the 2015 World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He is a few pounds better weighted over hurdles than fences and could be the suprise package here as long as he remember how to jump his hurdles at speed and doesn’t balloon them as some do after a period over fences.

Venetia Williams has the honour of ending the preview with Eminent Poet (5/1) who has won three of his last four starts at distances ranging from less than two and a half miles to three miles and a furlong. Last time out he showed surprising speed at Lingfield to beat Disputed by three lengths but ahs been put up another five pounds now which may well be his undoing.