2.50pm Kelso Tips & Betting Preview 18/03/2015

Race Time: 2.50pm Meeting: Kelso
Distance: 3m 3f 
Full Race Name: Thakeham Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)

2.50pm Kelso – Channel 4 Racing Tips

Our tip for the 2.50pm Kelso live on Channel 4 is:

Free Tip: Racing Europe at 6/1 EW

Race Preview

Stamina seems to be the name of the game this afternoon and this twenty-seven furlongs will take some getting, especially with soft ground still anticipated.

Only three distance winners were declared at the four-day stage, headed by Samstown (12/1), the only course and distance winner in the field. Staying power is clearly his number one weapon which he may well get to deploy here, but he has never won off of a rating as high as the 136 he carries today, and more importantly was pulled up when last seen in action at Haydock when tailed off over this trip.

Hartforth (14/1)  is also a distance winner but not at this track, with his win at Ayr his best run ever, a fact reflected by a nine-pound rise in the weights. He would still get in here off a relatively low weight assuming one or more of the top weights run, which may be of some help (especially if the rains come), but I cannot help but feel that he has been unduly punished for one career highlight, and will struggle to shrug off that kind of weight rise against these rivals.

All the waffle above just seems to lead me to Racing Europe 6/1) who looks to have a lot in his favour and would be a sensible each way choice (if there ever is such a thing).  Still only a six year old, he has been competing with some success in similar standard races off this rating of 125, including when fourth to Shanroe Santos at Musselburgh and when filling the same position to Bygone’s Sovereign at Haydock.

A son of the legendary Kayf Tara, one of the better National Hunt sires, he is still a novice which is a concern but then again as this would only be his fifth race over hurdles, there is every hope he still has more to offer and he should be booked for a place granted any kind of luck in running for bang in form trainer Brian Ellison.