Nick’s Picks: Bold Plans for Newbury and Kelso

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck is on the lookout for a few pre-Cheltenham winners as he casts his eye over Saturday’s racing from Kelso and Newbury .

Kelso

BILL BAXTER is the opening selection on a card at Kelso that is getting the full treatment from ITV (1.15pm). In short, he’s turned inside out since his breathing operation and, having won at this track with some ease, was moving menacingly off this mark when falling four out at Hereford. Although without the firepower of a few seasons back, his stable has operated quite effectively this year and remains in form. This horse should go well again and is worth siding with at 7/2.

COLONEL MUSTARD can land a really superb edition of the Morebattle Hurdle, a completely revivified race since becoming a handicap and including a Cheltenham bonus (1.50pm). He’s a pretty fresh horse and remains nicely treated on his County Hurdle form despite carrying top weight here. Good-to-soft ground and a stiffish two miles should combine to provide a perfect test, and he’s a fair price at 13/2.

FERONILY can make a winning hurdling debut in the Premier Novices (2.25pm) at 4/1. He’s already showed stacks of ability in a point and two bumpers, latterly shaping second best behind the best bumper horse either side of the Irish Sea. Whilst I respect the Tolworth Hurdle form of Nemean Lion, the selection probably only needs to show high 130s ability to win this, and his bumper form strongly indicates that is within range.

NELLS SON hasn’t really read the script since winning on this card last year but can bounce back in the Class 2 handicap hurdle at 3.00pm. He shaped a good bit better back over hurdles at Cheltenham last time, has dropped down the weights a bit and has had a breathing operation. All that, plus a return to this track, should see him competitive again at 7/1.

LE MILOS can remain undefeated for Dan Skelton in the Premier Chase (3.35pm), and is currently favourite at 15/8. Kept back for post-National weights, he looks lucky to have escaped with a six-pound rise for his Coral Gold Cup success. This is a thin race for the money, and he’s likely to get the perfect trip with two front runners trading blows ahead of him early on.

Newbury

BOLD PLAN must have a very sound chance at 7/1 of backing up last year’s success in the Seniors’ Hurdle at Newbury (2.10pm). A pretty talented horse when the fancy takes him, he’s clearly been laid out for this all year, and showed easily enough at Uttoxeter last time to give plenty of encouragement.

SEBASTOPOL might offer some value in the Greatwood Gold Cup (2.45pm) at 11/2. He’s occasionally looked a bit tricky, but he’s pretty smart and got it all together when beating Stage Star here in the autumn. He’s been laid away for this, didn’t get punished by the handicapper for that, and will be well suited by a strong gallop and a return to this track, albeit against two superb course specialists in Zanza and Paint the Dream. Sebastopol is good enough to be feared in receipt of 11 pounds.