Lucky 15 Tips: Kelso stages attractive Friday card

I'm taking a chance on Friday that forecast snow showers don't scupper our chances of enjoying a seven-race card from Kelso, as that's where our Lucky 15 tips will come from.

Looks a smashing course; one I'd love to visit. Shades of Sedgefield for me - that kind of vibe. Jonjo Jr's here, Brian Hughes, Derek Fox, James Bowen, Sean Quinlan; top practitioners who have winners, and plenty of them, year in and year out. First race is at 13:30.

Horse Racing odds

15:00 - King Of Answers @ 5/2

Our first is a staying handicap chase, and a good one at that.

Lucinda Russell/Mike Scudamore, and jockey Derek Fox, know the time of day and then some with this kind of horse, and contest. They field a lightly-raced seven-year-old gelding who is already a course-and-distance scorer, and who is progressing very nicely.

King Of Answers is stepping up in class today from novice ranks and when last seen over Windsor's quirky contours four weeks ago was a never-nearer, staying-on fourth beaten 5.25l. The winner's a decent tool from the Twiston-Davies yard, now rated 137.

The selection is down a pound for that last run, to a mark of 130, and in early December came that course victory in a novices' handicap, off 127.

He's readily the youngest in the field and might have the scope to take this in his stride.

15:35 - Milcree @ 5/2

Trainer Nicky Richards had a good winner up at Ayr the other day, and he saddles an eight-year-old gelded son of St Leger winner Milan in this.

Milcree runs in the Hedgehunter/Many Clouds livery of the Hemmings family, and is very lightly raced; having just his sixth outing under rules today. He's fresh off a win last time at Ayr 42 days ago in a novices' chase, and looks to secure another here at a similar trip.

He's up 8lb for his trouble but it was an emphatic win and with so few miles on the clock he could really start to build upon that career-best. Horses in these silks win staying chases - it's just how it is - and there's still time for him to develop further into a very nice animal indeed.

Already knows how to win - a point, a hurdle, and that chase last time - so onwards and upwards, fingers crossed.

16:10 - Big Zouk @ 6/4

We're with the Greystoke yard of Nicky Richards once again, with evergreen former champ Brian Hughes this time having the riding assignment.

This is another very decent staying handicap chase, 3m 2f in fact, and will take some getting under the likely very testing conditions. Big Zouk is another son of the mighty Milan, has had five starts under rules, and his latest was the best - a ready success over 3m at Ayr 31 days ago.

That was off a mark of 96 and he's unsurprisingly hiked up 6lb for this afternoon. This is another who is on an upward curve though, and it was the selection's first foray over the larger obstacles last time out.

He looked tough and game on the evidence of that last spin and as it was achieved on heavy ground, anything similar today will probably inconvenience him less than some others, potentially, and might even suit a treat.

On a fascinating afternoon, this is another highly intriguing contest.

16:45 - Ar Ais Aris @ 9/4

The O'Neills saddle a likely warm fav in the shape of Lion Rose Sivola, who ran well at Chepstow last time back in November, but I'm looking for a little more value with another Russell/Scudamore conveyance in this closing bumper - Ar Ais Aris. The selection ran in a point 83 days ago, finishing a good second of 13, beaten 2l.

Now with a top yard the five-year-old Walk In The Park gelding tackles this 2m on his rules debut and though he'll in all likelihood be eventually aimed at big staying pots over fences in the years to come, this heavy ground will be a real leveller and that point run (over 3m) will surely mean there are no stamina doubts.

I hope to see him come into his own perhaps late in the piece for the fabulously-named owners Brahms & Liszt. We've all been there.

Grand National-winning pilot Derek Fox is once again in the plate.

We've enjoyed plenty of winners this week and fingers crossed that the elements give us a chance to improve upon that, on Friday afternoon.

If all four of our selections won, today's notional 50p win Lucky 15, at the prices indicated (they can of course fluctuate), would return around £150 for a £7.50 total stake. If you can improve upon my selections (of course you can) - then go for it!

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Lucky 15 tips with Betfred Insights.