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Escape to victory at Kelso

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Escapeandevade should be capable of following up his fair Wetherby second by going one better in the Johnston Smillie Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso.

A point-to-point winner, the James Ewart-trained six-year-old stayed on strongly to win a minor event at Ayr on his novice hurdling debut, and was not beaten far by a decent type in the unbeaten Bold Endeavour at Wetherby.

He shows plenty of speed, so this drop back to two miles may work in his favour.

Elvis Mail was a beaten favourite over course and distance last time, but may go one better in the Get Expert Tips At timeform.com Handicap Hurdle.

Nick Alexander's eight-year-old has been highly-tried over fences and while he has won just one of six in this sphere, he is 2lb better off with Stainsby Girl, who lowered his colours last time by a length and three-quarters.

Bruce Lynn is again able to claim a valuable 5lb, which could make all the difference in this tight-knit handicap.

Pay The Piper can snap his recent run of second places with victory in the Racing's Best Ratings With Timeform Handicap Chase.

Twice a winner over fences this term, he has come up against some stiff opposition in defeat – not least Bravemansgame at Haydock in November.

He most recently found Kiltealy Briggs a bit too sharp at Musselburgh, when his jumping was not quite as slick as it could have and perhaps cost him more than the half-length margin of his defeat.

Pay The Piper is thoroughly consistent though and another good run appears on the cards.

At Lingfield, My Dubawi is on a hat-trick for Mark and Charlie Johnston, following successive victories at Kempton and Wolverhampton.

Up in class, the progressive three-year-old may be able to keep his unbeaten record on all-weather surfaces by plundering the Watch Racing Free Online At Coral Handicap.

This seven-furlong trip clearly suits the son of Dubawi, who was eased down towards the finish after staying on well to score when last seen. He is also entitled to come on for that outing, which was his first for 111 days.

Plenty went against Criollo on her last run at the Surrey track, yet she overcame a slow start and a wide berth to justify favouritism.

The daughter of Dark Angel, trained by William Haggas, will clearly have learned plenty from her neck success and is fancied to follow up and take the Coral Proud To Support British Racing Fillies' Novice Stakes over the same course and seven-furlong distance.

Though she takes on a couple of older rivals for the first time and is in receipt of weight as a result, Cieren Fallon's mount looks the pick of her age group.

Atrafan has been a standing dish of late and rattled up a hat-trick before seeing his colours lowered at Southwell.

Yet Alan Brown's eight-year-old may well get back to winning ways and earn a third win in four when he steps back up to seven furlongs for division two of the MansionBet Beaten By A Head Handicap.

Though not ideally drawn in stall 12, he is down 2lb and should again be competitive against several out-of-form opponents.

In division one of the same Class 6 handicap, Amelia R merits plenty of respect.

Owned and trained by Ray Craggs, the six-year-old mare was beaten two and a half lengths on her first run back from a 168-day break over a mile here last time.

That would have put her straight for this slightly sharper test and she is expected to give another good account.

SELECTIONS:

DUNDALK: 3.50 Collective Power, 4.25 Bradesco, 5.00 Hypernova, 5.30 Pandemic Princess, 6.00 Holy Divine, 6.30 Final Fantasy, 7.00 Coviglia, 7.30 Acquiescent.

KELSO: 1.00 Franks Fancy, 1.30 ESCAPEANDEVADE (NAP), 2.00 Elvis Mail, 2.30 Sounds Russian, 3.05 Pay The Piper, 3.35 Jett, 4.10 Ain't No Sunshine.

LINGFIELD: 1.10 Fast Beauty, 1.40 Hooves Like Jagger, 2.10 Criollo, 2.40 Aljaryaal, 3.15 Shoot To Kill, 3.45 My Dubawi, 4.20 Storm Asset, 4.55 Conducive.

SOUTHWELL: 4.45 Mykonos St John, 5.15 Boulivar, 5.45 Amelia R 6.15 Atrafan, 6.45 If You Dare, 7.15 Flaming Dawn, 7.45 Charlie Arthur, 8.15 Reticent.

DOUBLE: Escapeandevade and My Dubawi.