A cracking day of horse racing is ahead of us at Kelso as they host their flagship Morebattle Hurdle Day.

Dan Skelton has brought up a strong team of challengers headed by last season’s Turners Novices’ Chase winner, Grey Dawning, and an interesting raider has made his way over from Ireland.

Let’s get straight into the action and find you the next horse racing winner.

Get all the best Kelso Morebattle Hurdle Day odds and promotions with the best online horse racing bookmakers here.

Kelso 1:10 bet365 Handicap Chase – 2m1f (5yo 0-135)

Helnwein, the current favourite, comes here with a bit to prove after two back-to-back short-price turnovers. He would obviously be a big danger if running better, but you are hoping that happens rather than being hopeful.

The Dan Skelton-trained REAL STONE bounced right back to form last time out with a change to front-running tactics at Wetherby and is the one I want to be with today.

He had the race in the bag from a long way out at Wetherby, and if adopting the same tactics here, the extra 6lb he has to carry may not be enough to prevent Real Stone from following up here.

Netywell would be a strong contender if he can rediscover the form that saw him win two last season.

• Selection: Real Stone 2/1
• Danger: Netywell 8/1

Bet on Real Stone with Betfred

Kelso 1:45 Listed bet365 Premier Chase – 2m7½f (5yo+)

Iroko was the subject of a stewards enquiry when last seen at Cheltenham, and it’s easy to see why.

It’s been no secret that they have had their eyes firmly set on the Grand National all season, and now that the Grand National weights have been released, it wouldn’t be a shock for Iroko to be fully trying today.

But, even if he is, he will have to be on top of his game to get the better of GREY DAWNING.

This dashing grey won the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, where he had Iroko over 14 lengths off him on the day.

He started the season with gallant 2nd to Royale Pagaille in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase, and that race seemed to have left its mark when running no sort of race Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton.

This race marks a massive drop in grade and is a far cry from the Cheltenham Gold Cup that was earmarked for him at the start of the season.

Grey Dawing should be more than capable of giving weight to all his rivals here and should get the win.

• Selection: Grey Dawning
• Danger: Iroko

Bet on Grey Dawning with SBK

Kelso 2:20 bet365 Handicap Hurdle – 2m5f (4yo+ 0-150)

Ace Of Spades comes in here on a hat trick, and as the short-price favourite, and with more progression to come, he could end up being hard to beat.

But I want to take him on and take a chance with NAB WOOD.

He didn’t get far when unseating at the third hurdle at Haydock, but he was coming there on the back of a head defeat to Ginger Mail at Ayr off just 2lb higher.

This two-time course winner is very lightly raced for his age, and with the distinct possibility that we have yet to see the best of Nab Wood, he could spring a surprise in his own backyard.

• Selection: Nab Wood 7/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Ace Of Spades 2/1

Bet on Nab Wood each way with talkSPORT BET

Kelso 2:55 Grade 2 bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle – 2m2f (4yo)

There has been a big turnout for this Grade 2 event, and more interestingly, the UK and Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins has sent over a soul representative in CHART TOPPER. He may not have had any luck in three bumpers, but Chart Topper has made no mistake in his two hurdle starts to date, winning his maiden by 25 lengths, and backed that up with an easy four-length win at Wetherby in January.

We know he has no issue with travelling over from Ireland, and with so much more to come, this can end up being yet another successful UK raid for the master of Closutton.

Dedicated Hero took full advantage of an underperforming Royal Infantry to take the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock, and further improvement would see him bang there again.

• Selection: Chart Topper 9/2
• Danger: Dedicated Hero 13/2

Bet on Chart Topper with bet365

Kelso 3:30 bet365 Morebattle Handicap Hurdle – 2m (4yo+)

As expected, we have a max field of 18 lining up today, with Dublin Racing Festival winning mare Vischio sitting at the top of the betting market.

She comes here searching for a hat-trick and has every chance to do so, but she may find this tougher than what she faced at Leopardstown.

Top weight Favour And Fortune is the class angle in the field. He finished 6th in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and 2nd in a Grade 1 hurdle behind Jango Baie. He put a rather dismal display on his seasonal return behind him when running well to finish 4th to Joyeuse at Newbury in the William Hill Hurdle, and if he is to claim the prize today, he will need to come forward again.

PETROL HEAD was part of a lot of controversy when trained in Ireland by Ronan McNally and Miss Kathy Brown, and is of interest here on his first start for Neil Mulholland.

He hasn’t been seen for 238 days, but given that he has bolted up twice on the back of breaks, there is every reason to believe that now, with the switch to Neil Mulholland, he can improve further.

He now runs off a mark of 130, which is 13lb higher than his last winning mark in Ireland, but it would be a surprise if he can’t kick on for his near yard today.

• Selection: Petrol Head 12/1 (e/w)
• Danger: Favour And Fortune 7/1

Bet on Petrol Head each way with Paddy Power

Kelso 4:04 bet365 Juvenile Hurdle – 2m (4yo)

Maple has had five tries to get off the mark over hurdles but did go very close to turning over the 2/9 favourite, Turn And Finish, at Catterick last time out. He is respected, but he is vulnerable to an improver.

That improver comes in the shape of flat winner MINERS GAMBLE.

Having lost ground after a mistake at the fifth on debut, Miners Gamble did well to gather himself and run on into 3rd. With the expected improvement from the first to the second run, he can find the required improvement to get off the mark today.

Elforleather is another one who ran a big race on hurdles debut and can also prove a big danger to all.

• Selection: Miners Gamble
• Danger: Elforleather

Bet on Miners Gamble with Betfred

Kelso 4:39 bet365 Cyril Alexander Memorial Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase – 2m5½f (5yo+)

A cracking limited handicap chase to close out Morebattle Hurdle Day at Kelso, and you can make a case for all five runners here.

Hashtag Boom was sent off as an odds-on favourite to win a similar contest at Ayr in January but could only manage a 3rd-place finish. He hung to his left that day and lacked fluency over his fences, so returning to a left-handed track should be in his favour.

WALK ON QUEST has been transformed since going chasing and comes here in the form of his life searching for a four-timer.

He has done nothing but improve for a fence with an unblemished record and warmed up for this with a facile win over Artic Row at Ayr.

There is every reason to believe that Walk On Quest has more to offer over fences, and off this lightweight, he may be able to bag his four-timer.

Leader In The Park is another who has taken well to fences, winning two out of his last three, and can prove the main danger to the selection.

• Selection: Walk On Quest
• Danger: Leader In The Park

Bet on Walk On Quest with SBK

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