It’s a busy weekend of action with the Go North Series finals ahead of the Scottish national meeting at Ayr next weekend and then onto Aintree for the Grand National. The sun is shining, and the ground is drying up, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for a jump jockey!
I look forward to a good book of rides at Kelso on Saturday, a track I have enjoyed plenty of success at.
Bak Rocky was very good at the start of the season but for whatever reason his form has dipped a little bit. He is a very big horse and a young horse, and I suppose he is going to take a bit of time. If he got anywhere near to where he was at the start of the season, he would have a right chance but the ground drying up would be against him. He’d need more like three miles on better ground rather than 2m 4f. Whatever he does here will be a bonus as he is a real three mile chaser in the making for next year.
Joke Dancer is very well handicapped, and this looks a very winnable chance. He should beat these two and although he won’t want the ground as quick as it will be, he will handle it. I don’t think he would have to be at his best to beat the opposition although stranger things have happened, and this should be a confidence booster for him. The owner wants to run him in the Topham at Aintree and that was suggested as the aim. He certainly needs to get a win under his belt and his confidence back to where he was at the end of last season.
He will be ground dependent whether he runs or not but as long as the ground is safe he will take his chance. I wanted him to go to Aintree for the 3m handicap before the Grand National but there is a good pot on the doorstep and he is unbeaten at Kelso and brilliant around here.
He would benefit from the ground being easier but as long as it's safe he’ll be ok. He should near enough win this race as there isn’t much strength in depth in it. Big River would be the biggest danger but he didn’t run all that well last time and has had a busy season so I would favour Empire Steel to do the job.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
