Flight A Fancy For In-Form Trainer

Season Set To Start With A Win For Talented Novice

Gloucestershire trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies is known for his successful raids at Perth but is almost as adept at producing a winner at another Scottish course, Kelso.

He has a 38% win rate at the Borders venue, though BLUE FLIGHT accounts for two of them.

The six-year-old collected the wins on his debut season over fences last year when he ran six times, culminating with a fourth in the Scottish National, an outstanding achievement for a novice.

He starts this season in the three miles two furlongs Paxtons Exclusively Kverneland Chase and a winning outcome is anticipated, though the race is a hot one with some talented individuals who will win a lot of races.

Blue Flight’s mark went up from 121 to 148 last year and he goes off 151 in this event but certainly looks up to the task, with staying clearly not a problem.

The gelding has won on soft to good ground and Twiston-Davies is in fine form with nine wins from 34 runners in the last fortnight.

Jockey Callum Bewley has been on board on both occasions the horse has been successful at the course and can make it three today.

DANDY DAN is next best rated on BTO figures and should go extra well at a course where the progeny of his sire Midnight Legend win at a rate of 30%; he wears his usual tongue-tie and the cheekpieces worn when second last time are discarded.

He has won five races without them.

Michael Scudamore’s MYSTEREE will be a big danger if back from his lengthy absence fit and well, while there are no fitness worries over Amalfi Doug and he is another danger despite a mark 12lb higher than he has raced off before.

At around 6/4 Blue flight can launch a successful season.

G Lees

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