KELSO REVIEW - WEDNESDAY 20TH MAY 2009

Russell’s hurdler Corkage stars for Scarth Partnership

Lucinda Russell’s Corkage, backed from 10-1 to 5-1, lifted the £8000 Brown Newsagents Handicap Hurdle in gallant style under Peter Buchanan at Kelso’s final meeting of the season on Wednesday 20 May.

Buchanan, in the Scarth Racing Partnership silks, gave Corkage a cracking ride to beat Welsh raider Markington by three-quarters of a length to clinch Russell’s third winner of the campaign.

Haddington teenager Campbell Gillies rode Barry Murtagh’s veteran chaser Hollows Mill (5-1) to a convincing 9 length victory in the Hunter Property Fund Management Handicap Chase.

Martin Todhunter’s Nevsky Bridge (5-1) and James Halliday initiated a Cumbrian brace in the Stephensons Photographic Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, winning by a short-head.

The Shy Man (11-4) won the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Novices’ Chase for George Moore and Barry Keniry after the fall of 2-7 fav Coq Hardi and Robert Thornton five out.

Donald McCain’s 70,000 gns recruit Any Given Day (9-4) impressed under Jason Maguire in the Scott Coppola Novices’ Hurdle and Almost Blue (14-1) won the Charlie Brown United Border Hunters’ Chase for Fife brothers Nick and Jamie Alexander.

Kelso racegoers observed a minute’s silence in memory of former clerk of the course Jonnie Fenwicke-Clennell, who died on 9 May at the age of 61.

Rhona Elliot presented a cheque for £12,000 to the Borders branch of the M.S.Society in respect of last month’s fund-raising evening at Kelso.