{"id":12053,"date":"2025-02-27T14:04:51","date_gmt":"2025-02-27T14:04:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bettingsitesreviewed.co.uk\/?p=12053"},"modified":"2025-02-27T17:14:49","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T17:14:49","slug":"kelso-races-preview-1-march-morebattle-hurdle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bettingsitesreviewed.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/02\/27\/kelso-races-preview-1-march-morebattle-hurdle\/","title":{"rendered":"Kelso Races Preview for 1 March – Race by Race Analysis of Morebattle Hurdle Card"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Kelso<\/p>\n

Saturday, 1 March is the big day for Kelso races in the Scottish Borders. It’s the Morebattle Hurdle card also featuring Listed action over fences and the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A \u00a3100,000 bonus for any horse successful in the feature handicap who follows-up at the Cheltenham Festival only adds extra intrigue. The supporting card also contains a juvenile hurdle, two handicap chases and another handicap hurdle.<\/p>\n

Kelso’s Premier Chase has the coup of Dan Skelton runner Grey Dawning declared to race. That is the biggest indication yet that he won’t contest the Cheltenham Gold Cup just 13 days later and instead has the alternative aim of the Aintree Bowl on 3 April.<\/p>\n

The stable did see Le Milos turned over in the Scottish Borders, but main market rival Iroko has an entry at Newbury races<\/a> in the Greatwood Gold Cup. If jockey bookings are anything to go by, however, then Kelso is the first preference.<\/p>\n

A full field of 18 runners goes for the big betting race, meanwhile. Last year’s winner Cracking Rhapsody is back to defend his Morebattle Hurdle crown. Other in-form past course and distance scorers are in the line-up, though.<\/p>\n

It’s the kind of puzzle that punters love having a flutter on horse racing betting sites<\/a> to keep things interesting. Our experts have their say on all the action taking place at the Scottish Borders track. See the horses they say to keep an eye on…<\/p>\n

Kelso Races Preview for Morebattle Hurdle Card<\/h2>\n

1:10 – 2m 1f Class 3 Handicap Chase (0-135)<\/h3>\n

A trappy opener where it may be worth giving another chance to\u00a0HELNWEIN<\/strong>. Alan King’s seven-year-old is the youngest in the line-up and has had wind surgery since his last run. Helnwein chased home the now-148 rated mare Telepathique on his bow over fences around Warwick when trying to give that one 12lb.<\/p>\n

If replicating that effort and his breathing operation has the desired effect, then he could be the one here. Topweight Real Stone<\/strong> hasn’t backed up a race in his career yet, so a 6lb higher mark down in trip around a sharper track comes with concerns. Lucinda Russell runs two, but Netywell<\/strong> isn’t in form right now.<\/p>\n

Bollingerandkrug<\/strong> likes Kelso, meanwhile, and the choice of stable jockey Derek Fox. He has dropped in the weights to 9lb below his last winning mark over course and distance. It’s hard to make much of the case for the other two runners. Gallic Geordie is a 12-year-old and Kidman 2lb out of the handicap.<\/p>\n

1:45 – Listed 2m 7.5f Premier Chase<\/h3>\n