€320,000 ex Caldwell purchase bids to get off the mark for Harry Derham at Kelso - punting pointers for Friday

Dundalk: Keane back for more

Colin Keane landed a 45-1 treble at Dundalk on Wednesday and returns to the all-weather venue for six mounts. Brigadier Kakuru is the standout ride for Ireland's champion Flat jockey as the Danny Murphy-trained three-year-old goes for a hat-trick of course-and-distance victories in the 6f contest (6.15).

Keane steered Brigadier Kakuru to the first of those wins in December, before the son of Camacho followed up under Donagh O'Connor last month. The gelding's first run at the track in November, when he outperformed odds of 80-1 to finish fourth in a 7f maiden, also reads well as the runner-up has gone one better in a course maiden since.

Keane has also previously steered Crystal Luna and Tribal Moon to success at this track, and they line up in the 5f handicap (4.05) and mile claimer (4.35) respectively. Newcomer Galaxy Wonder is another Keane ride to keep an eye on in the mile maiden (5.10).

Fakenham: 40-1 winner bids to follow up

Elysian Knight was a 40-1 shot when getting off the mark at the fifth attempt last month, but the form of that Ffos Las maiden hurdle has worked out superbly. The second, fourth and sixth have all won maiden hurdles since, while the fifth-placed Followango was a respectable runner-up to a higher-rated rival on her next outing.

Elysian Knight was sixth in his final bumper at Newton Abbot in October and the first four home in that race have all won since, including at the Berkshire Winter Million meeting and in Listed company.

That suggests Elysian Knight should be capable of defying a 7lb penalty in the novice hurdle (1.38) over the same 2m4f trip as his last success.

The six-year-old's trainer Neil Mulholland and owner Jane Nuala Cartwright combined for a winner at Plumpton on Monday, but their runner here lacks the course experience of Escapologist and Aviation, who finished in that order over this track and trip last time.

"He's run well nearly every time," Mulholland said of Elysian Knight. "We're very happy with him and he should run another nice race. The track is a lot different to Ffos Las, but we want to get him qualified for the [EBF] final and this is a qualifier so this is where we've got to go."

Fakenham stat: in-form amateur

Heidi Palin has been successful on both of her mounts this month and bids to ride her third hunter chase winner in a row on Frere D'Armes (4.40).

Frere d'Armes16:40 Fakenham

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Jky: Miss Heidi Palin (3lb)Tnr: Dan Skelton

Kelso: can Imagine get back on track?

Imagine is the arguably the most intriguing member of Harry Derham's six-strong squad making the 700-mile round trip from Berkshire. He cost €320,000 from Andrew and Gemma Brown's Caldwell Construction dispersal sale last February, and had only two ahead of him in the betting when sent off a 6-1 shot for the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

However, the seven-year-old disappointed on that November stable debut for Derham at Cheltenham, where he was pulled up by Paul O'Brien. Imagine was then last of the five finishers when upped to 3m1½f in the Peter Marsh at Haydock, but is back down in trip here as he attempts to defy top weight in the 2m5½f handicap chase (3.20).

Imagine is winless since landing a Grade 2 Punchestown novice chase for Gordon Elliott in November 2023.

Kelso stat: course specialist

Escapeandevade, winner of the 2m1f handicap chase (4.20) last year, is 2-3 over course and distance.

Escapeandevade16:20 Kelso

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Jky: Brian Hughes Tnr: James Ewart

Newcastle: Pockley out to pocket hat-trick

Pockley goes for his third course win in the space of 14 days in the 5f handicap (8.00). The seven-year-old's productive fortnight began with him ending a 24-race losing streak in a 6f handicap, 15 months on from his last victory over 5f at this venue.

The sprinter justified 5-2 favouritism under Paul Mulrennan on that occasion, and the same rider helped him repeat the feat last Saturday in a classified contest over the same trip he will encounter for his hat-trick bid here.

A 4lb penalty may not be enough to prevent Pockley from winning again, but Mulrennan can't do the weight and rides Bryan Smart's last-time-out winner Castan, who is rated 8lb lower than when successful over this track and trip last March.

Pockley will instead be ridden by Joe Fanning, who will be aiming to do better than when last of 11 at Hamilton on the only previous occasion he has partnered Linda Perratt's runner.

Southwell: in-form mare up in trip

Rubellite would have won her last three starts had she not bumped into the progressive High Court Judge on her penultimate outing.

That rival has followed up at Lingfield and Wolverhampton since, and Rubellite advertised the strength of the form when landing a 1m4f classified contest at Southwell last month.

The five-year-old returns to the same track for the 2m½f handicap (4.00), by far the longest trip the daughter of Iffraaj has encountered, and is likely to put up another solid performance given she has made the frame on her last seven starts.

Jason Hart, who won on Rubellite last time, keeps the ride.