Lucinda Russell warms up for big weekend with magnificent treble while O'Neills make the most of Borders trek

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Lucinda Russell's horses are in decent form with an important weekend approaching, as evidenced by a treble headed by El Elefante in the feature 2m5½f handicap chase.

The mare was never headed and jumped smoothly under Patrick Wadge to defeat the 15-8 favourite Ned Tanner by two lengths. It was then up to the returning Derek Fox to steer home Myretown, who the jockey fell from at Windsor in January, in the 2m7½f handicap chase and Primoz in the 2m1f novice handicap chase.

"We believe they come into form at this time of year so it's very rewarding," Russell's partner and assistant Peter Scudamore said. "They're three novices we've bought, so it bodes well for the future.

"El Elefante will hopefully go for a mares' chase at Perth at the end of the season which Apple Away won last year as it's been her goal since Christmas, we'll see what we do with her before then. 

"Myretown was much more grown up today and that opens options up for us. I'd like to keep Derek on him so we wouldn't go for the Kim Muir or anything and we'll look at a novice chase at Uttoxeter after Cheltenham. 

"Primoz is one of the most talented horses we've dealt with and we've changed his training programme a bit. I don't know where he'll go next but he's a very talented horse if we can get some consistency into him."

Russell, who galloped Ahoy Senor after racing, will send Derryhassen Paddy and Apple Away to Haydock for lucrative contests on Saturday.

O'Neill double

Jonjo and AJ O'Neill sent two horses on the 300-mile plus trip from their base in Cheltenham to the Borders track and were rewarded with the winners of the first two races.

Stay If U Want To made most of the running in the opening conditional jockeys' handicap hurdle under Benjamin Macey before easing clear of his rivals up the final climb to the line.

Then useful prospect and fellow front-runner We're Red And Blue followed his lead by storming to an 11-length victory under Jonjo O'Neill jnr to land his third career success.

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