FINALLY some runners after a frustrating few weeks with fixtures called off and desperate ground all round the northern tracks. Thankfully a break in the weather sees Kelso racing on soft tomorrow, so we’ve declared two.
WILD POLLY (2.30) needed the run when making her comeback in early January then ran with some promise next time out in soft conditions at Newcastle. We’ve run her twice on heavy since, at Ayr and then Hexham, with neither outing seeing her in her best light.
She’s run well here before so hopefully things can be a bit more in her favour. The handicapper has given her plenty of respite on the back of recent runs, allowing her to get into this class 4 event off second-bottom weight and with Dylan Johnston’s 5lbs claim also coming off, she’s certainly got that going for her.
We have decided to put a visor on her for the first time in the hope of sharpening her up but we really need to see more from her this afternoon.
IWA (3.00) makes his fourth start for us since moving to the yard from France. Although he’s been with us for a while before he saw the track, we have been getting to know him better over the last few months. We changed tactics on him the last twice, holding him up to teach him to settle better.
Both of those races were on heavy ground and on each occasion he wasn’t able to pick up the way he needed to in order to be competitive. He should benefit from better conditions underfoot. A winner on soft in France, he’s definitely better than what we’ve seen so far and the handicapper dropping him 10lbs so far has given us the chance to try him in this lesser grade.
He was a winner over an extended two-and-a-half miles in the past so the step up in trip here should be well within him so hopefully our patience plus Craig teaching him about our style of racing will pay dividends.