Morebattle Hurdle 2023: Tips, Runners & Prediction for Bonus Race at Kelso

The highlight of the season at Kelso is the £100,000 bet365 Morebattle Hurdle and has predominantly been won over the years by some very good horses.

It’s roll of honour has certainly provided implications with a view to the Cheltenham Festival with the likes of The Shunter, Simonsig and Peddlers Cross all winning this race and at the Cheltenham Festival at some point, with the former completing a huge bonus two weeks later at the Festival.

With 16 runners due to line up, it should prove to be informative. Let’s take a look at this year’s runners and conclude the analysis with some tips.

Morebattle Hurdle 2023 Runners 

Colonel Mustard

• Trainer: Lorna Fowler
• Jockey: Kieran Buckley
• Form: 23372
• Odds: 6/1

 

Colonel Mustard was unfortunate to bump into El Fabiolo last time out but ran well to finish second and it’s interesting to see connections switch him back to hurdles to contest this race. He remains well-treated off a mark of 143 and is technically two pounds lower than when third in the County Hurdle last term if you take his rider’s valuable claim into account.

Let alone that smart performance behind State Man, he has lots of other smart form in the book. That said, that piece of Cheltenham Festival form gives him a chance in this easier race despite shouldering top-weight and therefore he could give Kieran Buckley, who claims five pounds, a great spin. He must have a good each-way chance in an open renewal.

Tritonic

• Trainer: Alan King
• Jockey: Adrian Heskin
• Form: 140098
• Odds: 25/1

 

Tritonic developed into a smart juvenile a few years ago for Alan King and this very smart Flat performer shaped as though he was returning to form last time when eighth of 16 in the Betfair Hurdle.

He is now four pounds lower than when winning the Grade 3 Betfair Exchange Trophy at Ascot in 2021, so he is well-handicapped if he can build on his latest performance. He merits plenty of respect at double-figure odds.

Cormier

• Trainer: Brian Ellison
• Jockey: Sean Quinlan
• Form: 17U63U
• Odds: 14/1

 

Brian Ellison’s team are starting to hit a bit of form of late and last year’s winner Cormier is only two pounds higher this time around. He has been limited to just three starts over hurdles since and whilst his two recent chase starts haven’t been good, he remains on a handy-enough mark back in this sphere.

He finished a creditable seventh of 16 in last year’s County Hurdle off 134 and given he is only two pounds higher with winning form in this race, he is respected. It is worth noting last season's win in the race was on soft-to-heavy ground and conditions this weekend will be quicker. He cannot be ruled out.

Nayati

• Trainer: Donald McCain
• Jockey: Peter Kavanagh
• Form: 131615
• Odds: 25/1

 

Donald McCain has his team in great form of late, as he’s been amongst the winners, and he has Nayati in the race, who is only three pounds higher than when scoring two starts ago at Musselburgh and is enjoying a productive campaign, as he has won three of his six starts this season.

He is a reliable sort but was found out off this mark last time and could only finish third of four at this course on his last visit to the venue as well. He needs to find improvement to win this race, though it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see him run above market expectations.

Benson

• Trainer: Sandy Thomson
• Jockey: Ryan Mania
• Form: 462221
• Odds: 16/1

 

Benson resumed winning ways in emphatic style at Musselburgh last time but is back up six pounds and has been found off this mark in the past. The eight-year-old does seem rejuvenated by Sandy Thomson though with three seconds and a win from his last four starts and if he’s ridden positively here, he could run a big race from the front.

Whether he has the ammunition to defy this mark at this level remains to be seen but he could be suited to this course and has a squeak given the form he’s in at the moment. I can’t see him winning this race but he could reward each-way supporters if he can keep up his good work.

Luttrell Lad

• Trainer: Tom Lacey
• Jockey: Sean Bowen
• Form: 412220
• Odds: 20/1

 

Luttrell Lad was well beaten in the Swinton on his last start over hurdles and ran poorly when last seen on the flat, finishing last of nine. He needs a massive turnaround if he’s to have some sort of a chance in this contest.

He has displayed some decent form as a novice and could be thereabouts but wouldn’t be for me though, as better value appears to be elsewhere with horses who arrive into the race in a lot better form. He is passed over.

McTigue

• Trainer: Emmet Mullins
• Jockey: Donnagh Meyler
• Form: 1169
• Odds: 9/2

 

Emmet Mullins and owner Paul Byrne landed the £100,000 bonus with The Shunter in 2021 and they have a good chance with McTigue this time around. He was pretty highly rated on the Flat but was well beaten behind Lossiemouth at Leopardstown in December.

A mark of 142 looks pretty high based on what he has actually achieved. He is plenty short enough in the betting but it would come as no surprise if he improved from his latest display and was involved at the business end of the race.

L’Eau Du Sud

• Trainer: Dan Skelton
• Jockey: Harry Skelton
• Form: F12143
• Odds: 11/2

 

This race has alluded trainer Dan Skelton, who has yet to win it, but he could change that this year with L’Eau Du Sud, who caught the eye in defeat at Kempton on his latest start. It will be interesting to see how he copes with this deeper race on better conditions.

All of his best form has been on testing ground when trained in France. Again, like the former, he seems really short in the market and this is a big jump up in grade from last time, so he’s not for me at the prices.

Wajaaha

• Trainer: Patrick McKenna
• Jockey: Liam McKenna
• Form: 12322
• Odds: 33/1

 

Wajaaha is another Irish raider, who ran well when second last time and has quite a lot of useful form in this sphere in the book. I don’t think that the latest form would be good enough to trouble a few of these and he was beaten in a weak race back in December.

He was third in a Grade 3 back in 2020 but this race seems a step too far to the ladder now and he would be a surprise winner if he did succeed in my opinion.

Teddy Blue

• Trainer: Gary Moore
• Jockey: Caoilin Quinn
• Form: 021313
• Odds: 6/1

 

Gary Moore’s Teddy Blue finally settled better last time and that saw him produce a good showing in the Betfair Hurdle to finish third. He has only been raised two pounds for this race, which seems lenient, and he is open to further improvement as well.

His form has much more substance than what his market rivals have achieved in their races of late, so out of those towards the front of the betting, he would be the one I would side with. He has rock-solid each-way credentials.

Lebowski

• Trainer: Michael Scudamore
• Jockey: Richard Patrick
• Form: 11P019
• Odds: 28/1

 

Lebowski has won half of his hurdle starts, three of his six starts but has been found out in the other three when stepped up in grade, so he still needs to prove himself at this level. His latest effort at Musselburgh wasn’t exactly great either as he finished ninth of 10.

He is only five pounds above his last winning mark but he might again be out of this depth at this level so at the moment he is best watched until he shows more against better-quality horses.

Collingham

• Trainer: Donald McCain
• Jockey: Charlie Maggs
• Form: 612321
• Odds: 14/1

 

Donald McCain’s other representative is Collingham, who comes into the race on the back of a good performance when collecting the Scottish County Hurdle last time.

A four pound ride for that win seems lenient and connections have kept Charlie to ride, who offsets 10 pounds. This will be his toughest test to date but he is going the right way and has each-way possibilities from a tiny weight.

Deere Mark

• Trainer: Sam Thomas
• Jockey: Adam Wedge
• Form: 312811
• Odds: 9/1

 

Sam Thomas relies on Deere Mark, a winner of his last two starts and he sneaks into his possible hat-trick bid off a low weight from a mark that’s not excessive. He is up six pounds for winning on his handicap debut but he has more to offer.

Adam Wedge has been booked to ride as well, which is a positive. His two hurdle wins have been on soft ground but he did win on good ground in a bumper, so there’s a lot to like about his chances, it’s just whether he can handle the rise in grade.

Clear White Light

• Trainer: Adrian Keatley
• Jockey: Jack Hogan
• Form: 135131
• Odds: 25/1

 

Adrian Keatley’s Clear White Light has three wins from his six starts over hurdles to his name but the seven-year-old does need to improve on the bare form to be competitive in this race.

He only had a head to spare in winning at Newcastle last time and a five pounds rise seems harsh. He is lurking on a nice weight but others have stronger profiles and he has a tough task on his hands.

El Muchacho

• Trainer: Milton Harris
• Jockey: Mitchell Bastyan
• Form: 432112
• Odds: 28/1

 

Milton Harris is a trainer not to be underestimated in these types of races and he sends El Muchacho to tackle this race. A winner of two starts over hurdles with three placed efforts to his name, he was only beaten half-a-length at Catterick last time.

That form is only moderate when put in the context of this race, so he will need another personal best to make the frame let alone win it. He has improvement to come though, so he could outrun his odds.

Thereisnodoubt

• Trainer: Lucinda Russell
• Jockey: Derek Fox
• Form: 654313
• Odds: 50/1

 

At the bottom of the weights is Lucinda Russell’s Thereisnodoubt who won over track and trip two starts ago but was well held in a much easier race than this last time.

His trainer and jockey have enjoyed plenty of success at this course but the 10-year-old has lots to find with quite a number of these and is impossible to fancy on his latest display, which isn’t strong form.

Morebattle Hurdle Tips & Prediction 

Although we have a lot of runners for this year’s edition of the Morebattle Hurdle, I don’t think it’s a deep renewal and I like the claims of two participants.

I was really drawn to the run TEDDY BLUE (best price 6/1) produced when third in the Betfair Hurdle. He has only been raised two pounds, which seems lenient, and he should have more to come. He is a major each-way contender with most firms paying four places.

At an even bigger price, I advise backing TRITONIC (best price 25/1) each-way, who is a Grade 3 winner off a four pounds higher mark and shaped well when eighth in the Betfair Hurdle last time.

I am keen to trust the quality of that form, so being Alan King’s only runner on the card with Adrian Heskin having his only ride of the day, this talented six-year-old makes plenty of each-way appeal with four places generally available.