'Any further rain that falls would be in his favour' - who is hoping the heavens open for Kelso's valuable new race?

This new race is worth almost four times the race it replaced on this card, which has moved to earlier in the season. It's a shame the uptake has not been better. 

Matata and Gunsight Ridge would have been first and second in a similar, if less valuable, event at Cheltenham three weeks ago. The former won, and probably would have anyway even if Gunsight Ridge had not fallen at the last. 

They have been handicapped as if finishing upsides. Matata is the more straightforward ride, although Kelso is a course where plenty can change on the run-in. That might give Sean Bowen ideas on Gunsight Ridge, who suits being presented late.

The other five runners are by and large the old faces you would expect to see in any decent, northern, two-mile chase. There is one exception who might be the only horse to have this race as a specific target.

Traprain Law looked as if he might have been Lucinda Russell's Red Rum horse last season. He won here around Christmas and at Ayr in February, both on heavy ground. He skipped Aintree and went to Ayr, where he ran with credit behind Tommy's Oscar, whom he now meets on better terms.

On his reappearance over two and a half miles at Carlisle, Traprain Law matched strides with Colonel Harry for a long way before walking through the second-last. That horse ran well in last week's Coral Gold Cup before his stamina gave out. Both of them were passed by Marble Sands, who finished third in the Rehearsal Chase last weekend.

Traprain Law is likely to be more at home back around two miles, at least in the short term. A £75,000 race at Kelso in deep ground is ideal for him. His connections might well have circled this race as soon as the calendar was published.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

What they say

Ann Hamilton, trainer of Tommy’s Oscar
We’ve had plenty of rain up here and he can cope with soft, but if it goes heavy he would struggle, especially as he has topweight to carry. We’ll make a decision in the morning whether he runs or not.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to Nigel, trainer of Matata
He went up only 3lb for winning at Cheltenham last time, which gives him a chance, and Anthony Bromley, the owners' racing manager, spotted this race a while ago for him. It’s good prize-money and he’s versatile as regards ground, so won’t mind any further rain.

Peter Niven, trainer of Malystic
He’s ready to go and this looks like the race for him, but if they get the rain they say they’re going to get, the ground would be a negative for him.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Gunsight Ridge
We were disappointed he didn’t stay on his feet at the last at Cheltenham last time when in contention, but whether he would have won is difficult to say. He has come out of that in good shape, schooled well this morning, and any further rain that falls would be in his favour.
Reporting by David Milnes 

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