Emerging talent Edgar Can Shine At Ffos Las

The name of Kieron Edgar won’t be familiar to many Saturday punters, but that might well change soon, and today looks an excellent time for the 10-lb claimer to announce himself as a coming talent. Originally from Hawick, a town more associated with rugby, but which has thrown up its share of jockeys including Wilson Renwick, Greg Fairley and the Cheltenham Festival winner Bruce Gibson, Edgar had some pony-racing experience before taking a placement with David Pipe in 2008. He returned to Pipe’s Nicholashayne  base late in 2010 as an amateur rider, and has shown enough promise to turn conditional this season.   There haven’t been many winners so far, but young Kieron impressed with the way he handled Home Run to win at Taunton recently, and it will be a big surprise if, under proper tutelage, he doesn’t make a bigger impact.

The crowded Boxing Day programme gives young Kieron the opportunity of a good book of rides at Ffos Las, and all 4 of his mounts are likely to go off as favourite. The pick, in betting terms, is recent bumper second Top Gamble (16:00), who has found a weak-looking event in which to go one better, and the defection of Rebecca Curtis’ newcomer Bob Ford looks to have presented the race on a platter to the Dai Walters-owned gelding. Edgar has already ridden Royal Mile (13:45) to victory at Chepstow this term, and the pair are reunited in the 21f handicap chase. Royal Mile flopped under Tom Scudamore last time, but that race probably came too soon for the fragile son of Bob’s Return, and he’s capable of bouncing back after a 7-week break.  Take Over Sivola (14:55) comes here on the back of a career-best effort at Lingfield, and looks to have a favourite’s chance in his follow-up bid.  If any of the quartet is a real betting opportunity, though, it’s Kusadasi in the second race at 13:10. A root through the formbook suggests that he’d bolt up if rediscovering the form he showed when winning a 2½m handicap hurdle at Cork by 30 lengths in March 2010. He’s lost his way since that win for Dusty Sheehy, but hinted at a return to form at Uttoxeter last month, when he was notably strong in the market. That second to Bathwick Brave looks enough to make him of interest, and sixth-placed Douglas Julian went on to land a decent chase at Kelso next time, while Hurraboru, who was fifth, finished an excellent second at Wetherby. It’s the latest run of the winner which is the key, though, as Bathwick Brave pulled miles clear of the field when pushing handicap blot Master of The Sea all the way at Aintree recently. That proves the Uttoxeter form to be solid, and makes Kusadasi look on a very attractive mark having been raised just 1 lb for his runner-up effort.