Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle – Kelso – Saturday 4th March

Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle @ Kelso – Preview & Betting Tips – Will Smith

It’s never usually wise to pay too much attention to outside influences, opinions, news articles or quotes from connections of horses, when assessing objectively as to whether that particular horse has a chance in a certain race, and indeed if the price available represents value.

However, sometimes a nugget or two of information can enlighten and inform, and that is certainly the case when it comes to this week’s WhichBookie Ante-Post selection – Colonel Mustard at 7/1 each-way with Bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes, Betfred, SkyBet or Boylesports for the Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso at 1.50 on Saturday.

When entries were first conceived for the race, Colonel Mustard was one of a number who caught they eye, and it was intriguing to see him confirmed at the 5-day entry stage.

So, with confirmation that the valuable race on one of Kelso’s big days is indeed the target, then it’s hard to find any reason to look any further than Lorna Fowler’s stable star, with regard to a bet in the race.

Kelso will be Colonel Mustard’s first port of call, but with the availability of the lucrative bonus for any horse winning the race and then going on to win any race at the Cheltenham Festival, this County Hurdle entry looks to have been the focus of a rejigged plan, after missing the Betfair Hurdle, on account of fast ground.

The ground will be much more suitable at the Borders venue on the weekend, and it is hard to find many horses in the line-up who either have the proven form of Colonel Mustard, or who have the potential profile to ramp up to his level at some stage.

That standout form is best represented by the County Hurdle bronze medal he gained last year, beaten only by State Man and First Street – most of the Morebattle Hurdle entries wouldn’t see which way those two went, let alone put it up to them competitively.

The balanced side of me suggested that two chase runs so far this season would perhaps not be an ideal preparation for some of the big spring handicap hurdles. But, when you consider the form of those chases (El Fabiolo anyone…?) then you can quite conceivably suggest that Colonel Mustard has come back this season as potentially an even better horse.

So, with the information garnered from the article linked here, then it is easy to presume that Colonel Mustard will be 100% ready and prepared for Saturday’s Bet365 Morebattle Hurdle at 1.50 at Kelso.

At 7/1 each-way with Bet365, SkyBet, Betfred, Boylesports, Coral or Ladbrokes, if you have one ante-post bet this weekend, then make it Colonel Mustard.