Horses to note across the £544,000 Go North weekend - including a chaser who finished second to Jagwar this season

The Ladbrokes Go North weekend, supported by the Racing Post, takes place from Friday to Sunday, with £544,000 in prize-money over the three days at Musselburgh, Kelso and Carlisle. Here we pick out five horses to note from the entries . . .

Heart Above 

Race Racing Post Go North Sea Pigeon Hurdle Series Final (5.00 Musselburgh, Friday)

Trainer Dianne Sayer 

Dianne Sayer has won two of the last three runnings of this 2m1½f event and has a leading contender in Heart Above.

This seven-year-old entered handicap hurdle company this season and has been progressive, winning a novice handicap at Perth in September and a qualifier for this race at Musselburgh in November.

Those efforts were split by a second in another qualifier at Kelso, with the winner Old Gregorian now rated 18lb higher. He most recently finished third in the Morebattle Hurdle.

Dianne Sayer: well on course to have her best season since 2015

Heart Above, who is also entered in a 2m4f handicap on the card, should be sharper for a third-placed effort at this course on the back of an 80-day layoff last time and appeals off a nice weight for Sayer, who is one winner away from having her best jumps season since 2015.

I Am Max

Race Ladbrokes Go North Cab On Target Handicap Hurdle (2.25 Kelso, Saturday)

Trainer Sandy Thomson

A chasing campaign was aborted with this lightly raced seven-year-old after a fall at Wetherby in October, but he has since run two excellent races in defeat over hurdles.

I Am Max finished second over a furlong and a half further than this 2m5f trip at Kelso on his penultimate start and backed that up when beaten a short head by the in-form Solar System at Haydock.

He recorded a Racing Post Rating of 121, suggesting his revised official mark of 118 is workable, although the lack of forecast rain is a concern.

They’re Chancers

Race Racing Post Go North Jodami Series Final Open National Hunt Flat Race (4.45 Kelso, Saturday)

Trainer Nicky Richards

Owners Paul and Clare Rooney enjoyed a first jumps winner since February 2021 when They’re Chancers made a successful debut at Ayr in January.

Nicky Richards: trainer of bumper debut winner They're ChancersCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The five-year-old is closely related to Irish Gold Cup winner Edwulf and scored by three lengths under Danny McMenamin.

He recorded the same RPR of 100 as Castle Carrock in winning a bumper at Ayr. His former stablemate has since been sold for £100,000 and joined Alan King, for whom he beat Mares' Novices' Hurdle third Diva Luna at Sandown before finishing third in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso.

Five Dollar Fine

Race Ladbrokes Go North One Man Series Final Handicap Chase (2.45 Carlisle, Sunday)

Trainer Ann Hamilton

Ann Hamilton has a 36 per cent strike-rate (9-25) at Carlisle in the last five seasons and has entered course-and-distance scorer Five Dollar Fine in the 2m handicap chase series final.

If he lines up it will be Five Dollar Fine's first run for 113 days, but he defied a 144-day break when a ready winner at this track in October.

Ann Hamilton: has an excellent record at CarlisleCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

The ten-year-old has finished in the first three in six of his 11 chase starts and has a 3-5 record in chases over the minimum distance.

Half Shot

Race Ladbrokes Go North Monet's Garden Series Final Handicap Chase (3.55 Carlisle, Sunday)

Trainer Iain Jardine

Half Shot finished a half-length second to Plate winner Jagwar at Wetherby in October and was not disgraced in 0-145 company when third in the Auld Reekie Handicap Chase at Musselburgh last time.

A return to a sounder surface will suit, and Brian Hughes is already jocked up. Half Shot has form figures of 1123 when ridden by the three-time champion jockey.

Read more . . .

'The racing is competitive and compelling' - northern tracks primed for Ladbrokes Go North finals weekend 

Watch out for these horses next time - they lost any chance at the start at Cheltenham last week 

Looking for free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.