Lucinda Russell’s William Hill blog: Corach heads to Kelso

Corach Rambler

We’re going to head to Kelso’s Edinburgh Gin Chase (2.50pm) for Corach Rambler’s first run of the season. We could have gone to Cheltenham but we just thought with this being a limited handicap it was the better option. He doesn’t have to give quite as much weight away and it should suit him nicely.

He’s in really great form at home and everything he’s shown us so far suggests he’s still going as well as he did before the Grand National. You can never be sure how much these races take out of a horse, but he seems really well in himself and we’re looking forward to getting him going. He doesn’t take an awful lot of work to get fit and we took him for a racecourse gallop at Ayr which will have hopefully brought him forward too.

He owes us absolutely nothing and he’s just a real joy to have in the yard.

Carlisle, Thursday

We kick off with Killybegs Jet Lady in the novices’ hurdle (1.40pm). She’s a really nice type who I expect will be running over three miles later in the season. We thought starting her off over 2m4f at a staying track was a good way to go and we’re looking forward to running her. If she can run well here, it will set her up nicely for the season.

Her schooling has been really good and it’s like she’s been doing it her whole life which is always encouraging. Hurdles certainly won’t be a problem for her.

Readysteadybeau runs in the 2m4f handicap chase (2.45pm). He ran well over fences first time and then lost his confidence a little bit. It took him a little bit of time to get it back, but he was good on his last run at Perth and has schooled well recently. He’s a horse that does stay, but 2m4f should be a nice starting point and the conditions won’t bother him.

We run Thereisnodoubt in the 2m1f handicap hurdle (3.20pm). He’s a 10-year-old now so knows the game and we all know the formula for him – two miles on very heavy ground. He’ll stay all day and the more rain the better for him. He’s one of those horses that whenever we have a winners’ photograph, we’re always wearing waterproofs!

We’ve got plenty of horses to look forward to this season and one of them is certainly Giovinco who goes in the novices’ chase (3.50pm). We was very progressive last season and found everything very easy. Since he’s come back in, I think he’s a much stronger and better horse, while he seems mentally in a better place too.

We’ve done plenty of schooling with him and while he’s not an extravagant jumper, he gives his fences respect which is never a bad thing. It’s his first start over fences, but we’re hopeful he’ll go very well providing he has a clear round.

He’s got masses of ability, but he does need handling carefully so that’s why we’ve come here with a view to stepping him up in trip after it. It won’t be a walk in the park, but we think he’s very exciting.

The Brown Advisory looks the logical long-term aim. He’s certainly got the profile for it and ability-wise it looks well within his parameters.

Inis Orr takes his chance in the novices’ handicap chase (4.30pm). He unseated Derek [Fox] last time, so we’ve done plenty of schooling with him which will hopefully help tighten up his jumping a bit. He’s got a lot of weight in this race which doesn’t make life easy, but he’s a big horse who should be able to handle it and he seems in good form in himself.

In the handicap hurdle (5.05pm), we’ve got Torosay and Clovis Boy.

Torosay will likely have this run and then head over fences. She’s related to plenty of good staying handicap chasers, so that’s where her future lies.

Clovis Boy got some good experience under his belt last season and has had a wind operation over the summer. I’m not too sure about his handicap mark, but this run should tell us where we stand with him.