EMMET Mullins has a 100% record at Kelso. One for one. It was on this day two years ago that he took The Shunter to the Scottish venue to win the Morebattle Hurdle, then sent him on to Cheltenham to win the Paddy Power Plate and the bonus.

Much water has rushed under many bridges since this day two years ago, as evidenced by the fact that The Shunter’s rider at Cheltenham, Jordan Gainford, was claiming 7lb then, but The Shunter is back for more today, in the Premier Chase, one-third of a three-pronged attack that the Grand National-winning trainer has mounted on Roxburghshire.

All three runners are interesting in their own right, but McTigue probably shades it in terms of overall intrigue.

Paul Byrne’s horse didn’t win again on the flat for Jim Bolger after he won his maiden at Leopardstown as a juvenile, but he ran some big races in defeat, including when second in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap at the Curragh on Derby weekend last year, beaten a neck, and when a close-up third in a premier handicap at Killarney in August.

Battled on

He won his first two races over hurdles for Emmet Mullins, the latter a Grade 2 contest at Auteuil in October, when he battled on well to beat subsequent Grade 1 winner St Donats by three-parts of a length.

He was down the field himself behind the same St Donats in the Grade 1 contest, but that wasn’t his true running.

He is obviously a talented individual, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising if he were to go and win well today, but long gone are the days that the market did not operate defensively with an Emmet Mullins/Paul Byrne horse who crosses the Irish Sea, and the value may lie elsewhere.

Colonel Mustard is a player. Lorna Fowler’s horse has been beaten in his two chases this season, but he was a talented novice hurdler last season, he finished third in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival, and he was only beaten three lengths by State Man in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

This will be his first run over hurdles since he was beaten in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree in April, and a handicap rating of 143 is just 3lb higher than his County Hurdle mark.

More attractive

At a bigger price, however, Cormier is a more attractive betting proposition. Brian Ellison’s horse was six lengths behind Colonel Mustard in the County Hurdle, but he is 6lb better off today, and he is proven over today’s course and distance.

On this day last year, he ran out a good winner of this contest. Held up early on that day, he travelled like the most likely winner from a little way out, and he stayed on well to win nicely, in front early enough and probably not helped consequently by the fact that the last two flights of hurdles were by-passed.

His last two runs have been in chases, and he probably would have finished third behind Tommy’s Oscar and Boothill – both rated in the high 140s/low 150s – in the Grade 2 Lightning Chase at Doncaster last time had he not departed at the final fence.

He gets to race today off a mark of 136, just 2lb higher than the mark off which he won this race last year, when he probably won with more in hand than the bare winning margin. Good to soft or soft ground is ideal and, one for one at Kelso, over the course and distance, it is probable that his trainer – who has had two winners from his last five runners – has had this race in mind for a little while.

Newbury

Jay Bee Why could go well in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle at Newbury for horses aged eight or older.

A progressive hurdler towards the end of last season, Alan King’s horse took a nice step forward last time when, in cheekpieces for the first time, he finished third to Annual Invictus in a three-mile handicap hurdle at today’s track.

He moved into the race nicely that day early in the home straight, on the far side, behind the winner, who made all, but he got in tight to the second last flight, and he just tired on the run-in as his stamina started to ebb. He didn’t fully get home either over two miles and seven furlongs at Market Rasen in May.

He should appreciate the drop back down to two and a half miles today.

He goes well on this goodish ground and we know that he goes well at Newbury, and he looks potentially well-handicapped on a mark of 129, just 1lb higher than he was last time and 7lb lower than his peak.

Recommended

Cormier, 1.50 Kelso, 12/1 (generally), 1pt each-way

Jay Bee Why, 2.10 Newbury, 5/1 (generally), 1pt win

* Our Power (advised at 13/2), one of Donn’s two advised bets last week, won the Coral Trophy at Kempton.