Racing Preview - Day one of the bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials

Scottish-owned The Kalooki Kid heads the betting for the £100,000 bet365 Scottish Champion Chase on the opening card of Musselburgh’s prestigious Scottish Cheltenham Trials weekend.

The Nicky Richards-trained gelding, who carries the colours of Kirkcaldy businessman Eddie Melville, has been raised 7lbs for an impressive strike at Doncaster in December.

“He did the job nicely at Doncaster and he’s got in this race on a nice weight,” Richards said. “It’s a valuable prize at one of Eddie’s local tracks and he’s great owner, who has had horses with us at Greystoke for 50 years.”

Last year’s winner Corrigeen Rock defends his crown with trainer Lucinda Russell also set to saddle Traprain Law.

Minella Drama, trained by Donald McCain, is top-weight on a BHA mark of 150 while Marble Sands, the winner of last year’s Frodon Novices’ Chase, represents joint-trainers David Killahena  and Graeme McPherson.

Paul Nicholls, who has a tremendous record at the SCT, is set to be to have runners from his Somerset stable on both days of the £430,000 extravaganza.

The 14-time champion trainer is bidding for a hat-trick of wins in the bet365 Scottish Triumph Hurdle and he relies on once-raced €135,000 purchase Nardaran, who is prominent in the market along with Maitre En Science, trained by his nephew and former assistant Harry Derham.

Nicholls, who enjoyed five winners over the two days last year, could again be the one to beat in the bet365 Scottish County Hurdle with Afadil, a previous winner of the Scottish Triumph Hurdle, bidding to repeat his victory of twelve months ago.

A wide-open race sees Dundee United director Jimmy Fyffe double-handed with Florida Dreams (Nicky Richards) and Maghlaak (Adrian Keatley).

For more information contact Gordon Brown on 07850 258063 for Scottish Racing.