Racing Review - The bet365 Scottish Cheltenham Trials

Scottish-owned The Kalooki Kid, trained by Nicky Richards, was an impressive winner of the £100,000 bet 365 Scottish Champion Chase at Musselburgh.

Running for just the third time over fences the well-backed 2/1 favourite led four out before beating pacesetting Saint Segal by nearly three lengths in the colours of Kirkcaldy businessman Eddie Melville.

“He travelled so well that I found myself in front sooner than I wanted,” reported winning jockey Danny McMenamin. “He’s a proper horse alright and I really enjoyed that.

“It’s a lovely prize to win and the pace seemed to hold up with the leader keeping on for second. I’d say he might more a type for Aintree in the spring but we’ll wait and see what Nicky and his owner say.”

Welsh Charger was a game winner of the Scottish County Hurdle for Bridgnorth-based Alistair Ralph as he saw off last year’s winner Afadil by a length.

“That’s the third time I’ve won on him and he won over 2m 4f at this meeting last year,” said successful jockey David Noonan. “He’s a horse that travels and seems to enjoy tight tracks and he found plenty for me today.”

St Pancras, the first runner at the East Lothian venue for Surrey handler Toby Lawes, sprung a 33/1 upset in an eventful Scottish Triumph Hurdle.

“They had a couple of false starts and it was messy on the third attempt when he got shuffled to the back,” Lawes said. “We will have a bit of fun with him and he’s a big that will be a chaser one day.”

The Scottish Stayers Novices’ Hurdle went to to 5/4 favourite Intense Approach - an entry in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at Cheltenham - ridden to an all-the-way victory by James Bowen for Irish handler John McConnell.

“If it’s not too testing he could go to the Festival but he’s been a great horse this season,” McConnell said. “He doesn’t have to make the running and his form is starting to look quite smart.”

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