By Anita Chambers
Brucio can make her trip to Kelso pay dividends with a valuable Grade Two success in the bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle.
Stuart Crawford’s charge is no stranger to Britain, having made three previous visits, with two unsuccessful forays followed by her coming of age with a 10-length verdict at Catterick in January.
The form of that race itself is nothing special, but Brucio’s subsequent run at Leopardstown marks her as a live challenger to Jango Baie here, powering to a six-length win in a Listed mares’ handicap hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
While she was off a light weight that day, there was plenty to like about the way she accelerated away and the 9lb pull she has with the Nicky Henderson-trained favourite could prove important.
Under Control can ensure the Seven Barrows team goes home with a winner by landing the main prize, the £120,000 bet365 Morebattle Hurdle.
Hugely disappointing on her seasonal return back in December, a subsequent wind surgery appeared to have worked the oracle as she chased home Cheltenham-bound Ashroe Diamond in a Doncaster Grade Two last time out.
Getting 1lb from the Grade One-winning victor, Under Control finished two and a half lengths down at the line in what was a career-best effort.
Deep ground scuppered her planned Betfair Hurdle run, but conditions should be good enough for her here.
There would surely be no more popular winner of the bet365 Premier Chase than Aye Right.
The 11-year-old has placed on each of his three runs in veterans company this year, just getting run down by Sam Brown in the final of the series at Warwick in January.
Saddled with top weight on two of those runs, he finally has race conditions that favour him here and his race-fitness is a positive against likely market leader Monbeg Genius, who has not run since the start of December and has the Grand National as his target.
Some Scope hacked up at Doncaster last time and a Town Moor double is on the cards in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase.
Richard Hobson’s charge has won two of his three chase starts, with the trainer opting to skip the novice ranks entirely so far with this six-year-old.
An initial fifth has been left long behind, with a Catterick win followed by his seven-and-a-half-length victory over three miles here, staying on strongly to suggest an extra two furlongs in this heat will cause little concern.
A 10lb rise is certainly not ideal, but Some Scope appeared to win with plenty in hand and might not have finished improving yet.
Kandoo Kid can regain the winning thread dropped back in trip for Newbury’s BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase.
The eight-year-old had been performing well over two and a half miles, finishing second at Warwick and Newbury before securing a December victory at the latter venue in a competitive handicap chase.
Upped to Grade Two company at Ascot over Christmas, he chased home Djelo in game fashion, but tried at three miles in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster, Kandoo Kid began to weaken with four to jump and was eventually pulled up before the penultimate obstacle.
It may be Paul Nicholls’ charge was not at his best that day, as well as the longer distance stretching him, so back at a familiar track and trip, he is worth another chance.
Copperhead has been running well enough and is off his lowest mark ever over fences in the Get Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor Veterans’ Handicap Chase.
Rated 155 at his peak as a novice, Copperhead has not won since February 2020 but he remains capable of making an impact in a race like this.