UK Horse Racing Tips: Kelso

Although ROCHEVAL finished a well-beaten fourth on his seasonal bow in a Grade 2 at Haydock in November, a handicap mark of 118 could prove lenient. The Kapgarde gelding boasts plenty of stamina in his pedigree and this step up in distance could be the making of him. Champ Royal returned to form with a solid third at Catterick a fortnight ago and the nine-year-old is feared most, ahead of recent Wetherby winner Paddy O'Mahler.
Prediction : 1st Rocheval 2nd Champ Royal 3rd Paddy OMahler

Penalised winner We're Red And Blue bled from the nose when pulled up on his handicap bow at Ascot in December and he's likely to be in the thick of the action if performing to his best ability. However, it could be worth taking a chance on MAITRE EN SCIENCE leaving behind his fourth-placed British debut in a Listed hurdle at Musselburgh 13 days ago, with a first-time tongue-tie an interesting addition. Burning It Up may fare best of the remainder.
Prediction : 1st Maitre En Science 2nd Were Red And Blue 3rd Burning It Up

WISE EAGLE supplemented a double over timber when finishing a good second off a rating of 102 on the Flat at Newcastle last month. Adam Nicol's charge looks nicely treated on his handicap bow over hurdles and he ticks plenty of the right boxes. A wind procedure worked the oracle for recent Musselburgh winner Bashful, although an 11lb hike in the ratings seems harsh. With that in mind, a bigger danger could be fellow last-time-out winner Ginger Mail.
Prediction : 1st Wise Eagle 2nd Ginger Mail 3rd Bashful

All four of the declared runners look to have some sort of chance, with narrow preference for EL ELEFANTE. A slick-jumping mare who likes to get on with things, she looked to produce a career-best performance when winning over an extended 2m4f at Ayr latest and could prove difficult to peg back if given an easy time of it out in front. Recent Haydock scorer Prairie Wolf has done well here in the past (won and placed in two visits) and looks an obvious danger, while Ned Tanner and the class-dropping Imagine certainly aren't out of it either.
Prediction : 1st El Elefante 2nd Prairie Wolf 3rd Imagine

GRAND ALBERT has a consistent profile and looks to have improved for switching to fences this season, building on his third-placed effort behind Caldwell Potter at Carlisle when slamming the opposition, including 25-length second Dare To Shout, at Wetherby. The seven-year-old remains open to greater improvement and is fancied to confirm his superiority over the latter, despite meeting on 10lb worse terms. Myretown still held a narrow lead when falling three out at Windsor and the likely pacesetter cannot be ruled out here, nor can the lightly-weighted Gaillimh A Stor.
Prediction : 1st Grand Albert 2nd Dare To Shout 3rd Myretown

PAY THE PIPER was far from disgraced in third in a stronger contest at Wetherby in December and goes off an unchanged mark. With two previous C&D victories in the book, the veteran is likely to prove very tough to beat. Primoz struck at this level at Wetherby in October and finished a fair third at Ayr last month, so he has to be respected. Escapeandevade sports first-time blinkers and will need to bounce back after his sixth at Haydock.
Prediction : 1st Pay The Piper 2nd Primoz 3rd Escapeandevade

KOOL RAOUL stayed on to finish second on his debut at Musselburgh in November and is likely to have plenty of improvement in him. This looks like a winnable assignment and even a repeat of that display might be good enough to get off the mark. Miss Friday Lions finished a respectable fourth at Newcastle last month and with normal progression, she could have a say. Any market support for newcomer Japetus would be interesting.
Prediction : 1st Kool Raoul 2nd Miss Friday Lions 3rd Japetus