Premier win for Seldom Inn!

The victory also provided winning jockey Brian Hughes with the third leg of a 346-1 four-timer. An entry in the Scottish National at Ayr is now on the cards for the winner.

“I’ve always thought he was a decent horse but he has his own way of jumping and he wasn’t suited by us having to make a late change of jockey last time as Brian Hughes and Danny Cook know him best,” explained Sandy.

“The soft ground doesn’t really suit him, but they went so slowly that it didn’t matter,” added the Lambden-based trainer.

“He’s a horse that does best fresh and we might wait until Ayr next month. We’ll give him an entry in the Scottish National and there’s a novices’ handicap on the same day.”

Kelso owner, John Stenhouse, celebrated another victory at his local track when Reivers Lad posted a second successive success to land the opening novices’ hurdle race.

Reivers Lad – held in high regard by Cumbrian trainer, Nicky Richards – produced another impressive display, leading from pillar to post, to take the spoils by eight lengths.

“He is an exciting horse and he’s won even better than we could have expected,” enthused the winning owner. “I can’t wait for him to go chasing next year.”

The win also provided a victorious comeback for jockey, Brian Harding, who has been sidelined through injury since the beginning of the year, after a crashing fall at Musselburgh.

Brian Hughes was the man to follow thereafter, beginning his victory trail riding Clan Legend to head the novice chase. It was a poignant win for Leslie trainer, Nick Alexander, whose family sponsor the race.

“It’s very special to win father’s memorial race 25 years after he died with the last foal out of the last horse he bred,” he said. “We won this with Jet Master and I’m delighted to have won it again.

“Clan Legend loves the ground and the tongue strap we fitted him with for the first time was a big help.”

After completing his hattrick on Seldom Inn, Brian Hughes made it four on the trot, riding The Orange Rogue to head the handicap chase, to give Nick Alexander a double.

“I think the ground is the key to him,” said Nick, "though I was also a little worried about the course. I thought he would be better suited to Newcastle and Ayr where he could get into a nice rhythm, but clearly it wasn’t a problem.”

Hawick jockey, Blair Campbell, won the concluding handicap hurdle race aboard Sammy B, for Milnathort trainer, Lucinda Russell.

“I told the owner and jockey that Sammy B wouldn’t like the ground. I’m delighted to be proved wrong,” said Lucinda.

Kelso racecourse was celebrating being crowned Event of the Year at the Live Borders Celebration of Sport awards the previous evening.

At Doncaster, Thumb Stone Blues won the novice hurdle race for St Boswells owners, Paul and Clare Rooney, while at Newbury Northumberland jockey, Harry Reed, rode Remiluc to win the handicap hurdle race.

The Rooneys were back in the winner’s enclosure at Huntingdon the following afternoon when I Know U Too Well won the bumper.

Then, at Sedgefield, Northumberland trainer, Simon Waugh, won the handicap hurdle race with Dark and Dangerous, ridden by his daughter, Amie.

Selkirk jockey, Rachael McDonald, opened her March account with a winner when riding Buckled to win the three-mile handicap hurdle race at Musselburgh. The March 1 win was her second success since turning professional.

The 12-1 chance is trained at Greenlaw by her boss, Sandy Thomson. “I thought Buckled was dead when he fell here on New Year’s Day,” said the Lambden-based trainer, “and it’s taken a lot of hard work with the physios to get him back.

“I still view him as a chaser – he jumps well at home – but wanted to run him over hurdles to get his confidence back and the better ground suited him,” he explained. Sandy also praised the jockey: “She is so good at getting horses to settle and jump.”

Father and son, Nick and Kit Alexander, teamed up to land the hunter chase with Top Cat Henry. The 6-1 chance, trained at Kinneston by Nick and ridden by Kit, cruised home eight lengths clear.

Nick said 'the trip' was key to his charge, who was bought privately from Dr Richard Newland. “He was bought with the Fox Hunters at Aintree in mind, and that’s where he’ll go now,” he added.

Half-an-hour later, Lucinda Russell also had a 6-1 winner after saddling Alizee de Janeiro to take the concluding mares' handicap hurdle. Owned by Deborah Thomson, from Gullane, the seven-year-old was ridden to victory by Jedburgh's Grant Cockburn.

There was another 6-1 winner at Wincanton the same day, when Northumberland jockey, Harry Reed, rode Sleep Easy to victory in the handicap hurdle race.

On the all-weather at Newcastle on March 2, War Department justified favouritism with an eased down success in the opening seven-furlong handicap for Carluke trainer, Keith Dalgleish.

Minutes later, Stoneham headed the stayers' handicap for Iain Jardine. “She is in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, but it’s unlikely she’ll get in,” said Iain. “It was a fantastic run last time over hurdles and she seems to be flourishing and improving the whole time."

Iain was back in the winners the following day, when Fingal’s Cave was the 6-1 victor of the concluding seven-furlong apprentice handicap at Newcastle, in the hands of Langholm jockey Jamie Gormley.

Irvine jockey Danny Tudhope also rode Rock of America to win the five-furlong maiden stakes.

At Doncaster, Alnwick trainer Rose Dobbin saddled Monfass to a 12-1 success in the novice handicap hurdle.

St Boswells owners Paul and Clare Rooney ended February with a winner. Red Rising carried their colours to win the novice hurdle race at Catterick on February 28.