Kelso Racecourse

Kelso Races

January 15th 2023

Yet another object lesson (not that I appear to do any learning) in the utter folly of gambling this afternoon, as my short visit to the first Kelso Race Meeting of 2023 left me £55 out of pocket - and the bookies that same amount richer.

Acknowledging I know feck all about horses in general, horse racing in particular and, most pertinently racing form, I decided for this visit I would put my faith into the arms of an expert: to whit Lucinda Russell OBE, no less.  For not only had I read in the meeting programme that the extravagantly curled Ms. Russell is "Kelso's leading trainer", I also noted she had entered a horse into each of the races on this afternoon's card.

So: In Lucinda We Trust (or least, I should have)

Race One did seem a race bristling with opportunities - just five horses in the field, with Lucinda's Clovis Boy, despite this being the horse's first ever outing (if I heard things correctly), listed as 6/4 favourite.  Sounded good to me, so on went my wee tenner to win.  But, after leading early on, the gee-gee seemed to lose interest and ambled in third for my first disappointment of the afternoon.

Race Two had Lucinda's It's a Midnight running and, as this mare was one of the outsiders at 12/1, I felt an each-way bet was perhaps judicious here.  Not that it made much difference, for the horse, as befitted the bookie's predictions sat in middle-of-the-chasing pack obscurity for much of the race, eventually finishing in 8th place.

Kelso Racecourse has hosted horse racing since 1822 (sez Wiki)

I did wonder if my little two-wheel drive
would get out of this car park afterwards.

Kelso Racecourse

I liked these wee heater thingies, for it was COLD.

The rear of the Tweedie Grandstand.

Probably the most important bit of kit in the place.

Clovis Boy

I think this was my choice for Race Two:  It's A Midnight.

The Tweedie Grandstand

Race Three:  Remaining faithful to Lucinda, Race Three found me repeating the process above (but with a different bookie) of a £10 each-way bet on another outsider: Well Above Par at 16/1.  I have to say I rather did like gazing at the £170 Return Win estimate on the betting slip.  Which was, with grim predictability, the closest I got to seeing the sum in reality.  Well Above Par, ridden by former Grand National winner Derek Fox, looked to be up with the leaders for much of the race before dropping back into a modestly creditable fourth place finish.  Not quite close enough for me to see any notes however, as this being a ten runners race only the first three horses placed returned any dosh.

Race Four (and my final one, I had decided).  Lucinda had two horses in this one: Traprain Law and Thistlebuffs.  Traprain Law was such a hot, hot favourite for this race (10/11), a bit of metal arithmetic told me, to recoup my £50 losses thus far, I would have to put £55 on to win.  Did I consider this?  Not really.  So, I stood up the blameless Lucinda here, and decided a modest £5 to-win on the second favourite might - just might - allow me to recoup some of my losses, without going silly,

But, of course, Lucinda's Traprain Law romped home................and I limped home £55 lighter.  

 

The runners in the Race Three parade themselves, hoping to catch the punters' eyes.

Derek Fox.....

.....atop Well Above Par

Dillian Hurst had a bit of trouble getting Velasco to behave himself,

Hirst eventually tamed the wild beast, but may have wished he had not bothered
 as he pulled the horse up (I believe the term is) mid-race. 

Carrots for the winner of the Third Race!

In this case Fortified Bay.

The Bookie Bit

I was intrigued by the look of this rickety wooden balcony atop the Grandstand, 

...and wondered if just anyone could climb the steps and on to it.

So, up the steps I went (one did get a great view of the parade ring from halfway up)...

...and also into the stable areas.

And, by using that time-honoured tactic of pretending to folks around you that
you know where you are going, I clambered to the top to watch Race Four.

...won, of course, by the Lucinda Russell trained Traprain Law, ridden by Patrick Wadge.

A view towards the Younger Stand from the roof of the Grandstand.

😒😒😒😒

As I headed for the car, with an empty wallet (I have thus far refused to resort to my debit card for betting), had I but known it, Lucinda's entry to Race Five (Thereisnodoubt) was trotting around the display arena, prior to presenting the lady with her second win of the day.  I really should learn to be more faithful.  

I was unable even to pick a winner here!