'He should run a massive race' - could it be another big day for local trainer Sandy Thomson?

It’s less than half an hour’s drive to Kelso from Sandy Thomson’s yard and the local trainer landed the two biggest prizes when the ITV cameras visited the track three weeks ago.

Thomson won the Morebattle Hurdle with Benson and the Premier Chase with Empire Steel that day and he saddles two runners in this contest in a bid for further terrestrial television riches.

Ryan Mania partnered Benson and Empire Steel to their wins and he rode Hill Sixteen to finish seventh in the Becher Chase at Aintree last time. However, he switches to take the mount on Doyen Breed, who ran his best race of the season when second at this track on his last outing.

Mania has ridden Doyen Breed on 13 of his 20 starts and Hill Sixteen only twice, so maybe it’s not wise to read too much into the fact that Craig Nichol is on Hill Sixteen. He has, after all, partnered him four times and it might just be that he knows the horse better than Mania.

However, Doyen Breed appears to be the one who has been trained for this race and Hill Sixteen is being aimed at the Grand National. Mania’s booking serves only to confirm that impression.

In contrast to Thomson, Anthony Honeyball couldn’t be based much further from Kelso. He sends Forward Plan on a 400-mile trip from Dorset and he is the big improver in the race.

The seven-year-old has won three of his last four starts and two in a row at Southwell. He is 10lb higher than for his last win, but was strong at the finish and had plenty left in the tank.

Ben Godfrey gets on well with Forward Plan and is back on board claiming 3lb. If the northern prize-money is to find its way down south, it’s likely to be courtesy of Forward Plan.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Way to go for man in form

Having last week achieved his lifetime ambition by winning a race at the Cheltenham Festival, John McConnell might be forgiven for taking it easy this weekend.

He said after landing the Plate with Seddon that he had been dreaming of success at the festival since he was five, so there will probably have been no skimping on the celebrations at his County Meath yard.

But the trainer would probably also have won with Mahler Mission two days earlier, had he not fallen two out, so his chasers are clearly in fine form.

That bodes well for Clonguile Way, who will be his only runner anywhere on Saturday when he lines up for this £35,000 contest.

The ten-year-old was second in the Borders National from out of the handicap here in December, runs and has finished fourth in a decent race over the banks course at Punchestown in the interim.

"He's in great form but the handicapper hasn't been too kind to him on the basis of his cross country run at Punchestown as he's up to a mark of 125 now which seems harsh," McConnell said.

"All he does is stay so hopefully it's a test of stamina and he should run a big race then. We've a very good claimer on him, he likes Kelso and the ground should be no problem so we are looking forward to it." 

What they say

Sandy Thomson, trainer of Hill Sixteen and Doyen Breed
Hill Sixteen has had his issues but it's full steam ahead for Aintree. This is a prep run but he should run very well. I was delighted with Doyen Breed last time, he was back to form and should run a massive race.

Nick Alexander, trainer of Elvis Mail
He was third in the Sky Bet Chase, staying on at the end, and we want to find out whether he is in an out-and-out staying chaser.

Lucinda Russell, trainer of Big River and Mighty Thunder
I wouldn't want any more rain for Mighty Thunder, who showed a return to form in the Eider. This wouldn't be his ideal track but I hope he'll run well enough to go back to Ayr for the Scottish National. Big River is having a resurgence and is in great form at home so I hope he'll run a good race.

Anthony Honeyball, trainer of Forward Plan
He's thrived of late and I think the key has been three miles on a flat track on good ground. This is a big step up in terms of the quality of horses he's taking on but it doesn't look like anything is in red-hot form. He's handy enough to go round Southwell, which is a fairly sharp track, so I'm hoping he can sneak round Kelso efficiently. I can't see many negatives, but one would be if the rain came and the ground went soft.

Iain Jardine, trainer of Half Shot
He's stepping up in trip and there's a question mark over it but he's bred to stay and he wasn't stopping last time. He's in really good form and if he gets the trip he'll run a massive race.
Reporting by David Carr

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