AFTER two wins on the trot, Rapidolyte De Ladalka bids to complete the hattrick at Kelso on Saturday in another quality seven-race card, boasting an impressive £77,000 prize pot.
Trained at Bonchester by Simon Shirley-Beavan, the gelding was victorious on his last two outings at Catterick, where he had also won in January, and holds an entry for his local track in the feature handicap chase.
He carries the colours of the trainer’s wife, Phillipa, in the £25,000 feature Liz Adam Memorial handicap chase, sponsored by local businessman and racecourse director, Geoff Adam.
Other local entries include Netminder from Sandy Thomson’s Greenlaw stable, and former course victor Captain Americo from James Ewart’s Langholm yard.
John Wade’s Always Right gained his third course success in the Listed Premier Chase at Kelso’s last meeting and he is set to use this as a stepping-stone for another crack at the Scottish Grand National.
David Pipe saddled the first winner of his career at Kelso and he is triple-handed with African Broadway, Alderluck and Junior.
Another £25,000 contest is the handicap hurdle race sponsored by Bentley Homes, whose St Boswells-based chairman Paul Rooney is a real National Hunt racing enthusiast.
Imperial Vic, a winner at Catterick last time out, carries the hopes of Berwick owner John Stephenson, while James Ewart is represented by Beneficial Reform, third at Doncaster earlier this month.
George Charlton has booked Pardubice winning Czech jockey Jan Faltejsek for the ride on Knockara Beau who unseated Paddy Brennan early on in a chase at Cheltenham last Tuesday.
The opening Turf TV novices hurdle race - to celebrate the birthday of their Managing Director Adrian Ford - is at 1.55pm and has 31 entries, including Beyond the Creek from George Bewley’s Southdean stable, Border Phoenix from Sandy Forster’s Yetholm yard, and Ultra Special, owned by Alec Dawson from Jedburgh, and trained by Hawick handler Iain Jardine.
Yorkshire handler Ann Duffield, who is married to former top Flat jockey George Duffield, has pencilled in Ferndale, a filly owned and bred by Evelyn Duchess of Sutherland.
Brian Ellison has his horses in good order and Travis County could go well after a decent second at Southwell last month.
Alec Dawson and his daughter Katie Campbell also have a four-year-old newcomer in the concluding Mitie Property Services bumper – Galleons Way, while Selkirk trainer Stuart Coltherd pins his hopes on the six-year-old mare, Amethyst Rose.
Irish raider Hellesbelles, trained by Stuart Crawford, is worth keeping an eye on after her fourth in a hot Ayr bumper in January.
Rose Dobbin has some nice young horses in her Northumberland yard and three of them, Honourable Gent, Marrakech Trader and Politeness, are entered in this race.
Langholm trainer James Ewart again sponsors at the course – James Ewart Racing backing the two-mile handicap chase at 2.30pm.
Earlier in the year James installed the first Tapeta Gallop in the North of England.
Tapeta has been created and marketed by Michael Dickinson with huge success in the USA and Dubai.
The Ewart-trainedWilde Pastures bids to extend his winning sequence to four after recent wins at Ayr, Wetherby and Catterick.
Steve Gollings sends his Lincolnshire raider has Laterly back to the course, where he came third in a Novice Chase last February.
John and Lorna Irving, owners of the popular Jedforest Deer Park, kindly sponsor the 2m 5f Handicap Hurdle race.
Hawick trainer Willie Amos may be tempted to send Willie Hall back over hurdles while Scotland’s leading Flat handler Jim Goldie has entered both Spirit Of A Nation and Too Cool To Fool, neither of whom has appeared at Kelso before.
Douglas Pryde, proprietor of financial advisors D G Pryde Ltd,operating from Whitehall House near Chirnside, sponsors the sixth race on the card at 4.50pm.
Ueueteotl, bred by James Ewart’s brother William and named after an Aztec God, could tackle handicap company for the first time.
Milnathort trainer Lucinda Russell is represented by Imjoeking, who has been first or second in all six career starts in point to point, bumper and hurdle company.
Racing comes under orders at 1.55pm, with gates open at 11.55am.
The Party in the Paddock fixture features a DJ and live music from popular Border five-piece cover band Steel Horse, at no extra cost, in the Pavilion Marquee until 10pm – the perfect way to celebrate your success after a great day’s racing!