Alan Dudman is going with two big prices on Scottish Borders National Day at Kelso and he has picked out a 314/1 each-way double to consider using the extra place...
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Sunday's focus at Kelso with the feature staying handicap
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Alan is backing trainer Katie Scott to end her cold spell
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Alan Dudman is playing a huge 314/1 Sportsbook double each-way on Sunday at Kelso
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Stay faithful to Lucinda on home patch
Back Buddha Scheme @ 21.020/1 in the 13:05 at Kelso
The Scottish Borders National over 4m at Kelso lights up a Sunday, hot on the heels of a brilliant Saturday in terms of jump racing, and this contest was the one that Sandy Thomson won four times on the spin in recent seasons with Harry The Viking and Neptune Equester.
The usual batch of Scottish trainers are well represented here; including Thomson. But Lucinda Russell could hold all 52 cards in the deck with last year's winner Big River (and a Chairman's Cup winner here) and Buddha Scheme, and I am going to chance the second each-way at much bigger price.
He's priced at 20/1 on the Sportsbook and won a gruelling 3m2f Amateur Jockeys' Handicap over fences at the track last term in heavy conditions - and slammed his stablemate Prince Dundee by 7L. He landed that from 110, and he clearly has to improve to be a player here, but he looks a young stayer on the up.
Back in 2020, he finished second over 4m at Hexham behind Nakadam, and considering he was only a 6yo then, it shows he has been earmarked as a long distance horse.
His record at Kelso is a win from two starts, and his comeback run for the campaign last time out was over 3m at Ayr, and even that trip looked on the sharp side. From a low weight in this and Stephen Mulqueen on, we can use the each-way angle and four places as it's an Extra Place Special on the Sportsbook.
We won't be crying if Evita wins
Back Evita Du Mesnil each-way @ 15.014/1 in the 15:15 at Kelso
Some small sized fields on the day in Scotland doesn't entirely lend itself to an each-way bet, but we can go that way for the double in the closing 2m Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle as we have nine runners, and the smooth-travelling Evita Du Mesnil is of interest.
She went through her race nicely when returning for the season over CD in October when finishing second to Well Educated on decent ground, and hit 1.392/5 in-running to highlight how close she got to the winner.
Kelso and Hexham seem to suit her, and while it's puzzling she ran so poorly last time at Musselburgh, a return to the Borders venue could suit her with a slight drop in class from that. The good to soft conditions also are amenable to the 8yo, who runs from 100 and that's about within range as she has winning form on officially soft, and I think she's better with a bit of cut in the ground.
Her trainer Katie Scott is on the cold list without a win in 37, but the price of 14/1 on the Sportsbook does factor that in.
October/November singles winners:
Sleeping Satellite 15/8 Won
Lifetime Ambition 9/1 Placed
Rebellious Gale 9/2 Placed
Lunar Discovery 2/1 Won
Favour And Fortune 11/2 Win and Place
Halsafari 9/1 Placed
Tagabawa 4/5 Won
Documenting 7/2 Won
I See You Well 17/2 Placed
Eva's Oskar 8/1 Placed
Sea Gifted 11/4 Won
Sweet Will 9/1 Won and Placed
Vaynor 7/4 Won
Magical Vision 10/1 Won and Placed
De Legislator 9/10 Won
Captain Quint 2/1 Won
Fiston Du Mou 5/2 Won
Rickety Gate 5/2 Won
Warren Point 9/4 Won
Pennymoor 17/2 Won and Placed
Tarhib 5/1 Won
Hoganville 3/1 Won
Sole Pretender 9/1 Placed R4
Maximilian Evens Won
Another Odyssey 5/4 Won
Magnetic North 16/1 Placed
Mr Alan 4/1 Won
Bright Diamond 13/2 Placed
Hurtle 2/1 Won
Good Impression 3/1 Won
Soft Whisper 2/1 Won