N.H. racing at Kelso, Newbury and Gowran Park (Ireland)

Three jumps meetings today, and arguably the best racing comes from the Scottish course of Kelso. The Grade Two novice chase here over 2 3/4 miles at 15.50 CET has attracted a good field, and 5 of the 9 runners are last-time-out winners, including Chief Dan George (Jimmy Moffatt/ Paddy Aspell) and Razor Royale (Nigel Twiston-Davies/ Paddy Brennan), who look the likeliest candidates. Role On (Nicky Richards/ Rose Dobbin) also has a chance, but for his rider the most important race is the bumper at 18.40, in which she saddles Kinharvie (Graham Lee), her first runner as a trainer. Nicky Richards´ stable jockey Davy Condon partners top-weight According to John in the 3 1/2 miles handicap at 17.35 and they should be good enough to outclass this opposition. A probable German-bred winner here is First Stream (Howard Johnson/ Denis O´Regan), who fell on his first attempt at hurdling, but can make amends at 18.10.

First Stream was Group One-placed for Mario Hofer, and on flat form has nothing to fear in this company. At Newbury, Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh should start off by winning the novice hurdle over 3 miles at 15.10 but may find Nicky Henderson´s tw runners too strong in the following maiden hiurdle for Fistral Beach, beaten favourite on all 3 starts so far over the sticks. Timmy Murphy rides Indian Blood for Nicholls under a light weight in the handicap hurdle at 18.00 and the partnership has most to fear from another last-time-out CD winner Secret Tune (Tom George/ Tony McCoy). Main evewnt at Gowran Park is the 2 mile handicap chase at 16.45. Top-weight Central House (Dessie Hughes/ Paddy Flood) is the class act here, but is not certain to be able to gve 6 lbs to Willie Mullins´ Jý Vole (Paul Townend), running for the first time since last June, or 21 lbs to Four Chimneys (Philip Rothwell/ Shane Jackson). Two interesting German-bred runners here are Arc Bleu (Tony Martin/ Rob bie Colgan), who has top-weight in the handicap hurdle at 16.10 but may need the race after a lay-off, and Arc en Ciel in the hunter chase at 17.55.