Horse racing tips for Monday: Harry Allwood's three best bets at Kelso and Southwell

The performance of the week at the Cheltenham Festival? I have to say Rachael Blackmore’s incredible success over the four days was a joy to watch.

Having watched replays from the Cheltenham Festival again over the weekend, she always appeared to have her mounts in the right place during the race, and the way she controlled the pace aboard Sir Gerhard en route to success in the Champion Bumper was a stroke of genius.

Of the equine performances, there are too many standout victories to nominate one, but Bob Olinger did look something special when defeating two other above-average youngsters with ease in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, and the footage below shows just how impressive he was when quickening clear to win the Grade One contest.

One horse I would suggest adding to your Racing TV tracker that was defeated at the Cheltenham Festival is Gabynako who was sent off at 9-2 for the Martin Pipe but was badly hampered and unseated his rider at the first.

The six-year-old was well backed ahead of the finale, and the form of his third behind Bob Olinger at Naas in January looks even stronger now.

Having backed him at Cheltenham, I am hoping he gains compensation in one of the big handicaps at either Aintree, or Punchestown.

Onto Monday’s racing action, and I am siding with the two horses Michael Scudamore sends to Kelso. The trainer has a 33 per cent strike-rate with his runners at the track in the past five seasons, and there’s a good chance he will improve that figure on Monday. Best of luck.

Some Chaos has shown some strong form over fences this season, including when fifth in the Badger Ales on his final start in 2020, and is rated 142 over the larger obstacles.

He has only run four times over hurdles since embarking on a career over fences, and all of those have appeared to be pipe-openers for bigger targets, which is why I think it is best to forgive his run when returning from a 119-day break last time out.

The ten-year-old travelled well at Doncaster before he began to fade in the home straight, and that run should have blown the cobwebs away.

He was also dropped 2lb following his effort in that 0-145 contest, and this 0-120 handicap represents a big drop in class for Michael Scudamore’s charge.

He was a winner over this trip over fences at Kelso in October - and in 2019 - on good ground, and it will be disappointing if he is not capable of outclassing his rivals here.

It is easy to put a line through Akkapenko's latest effort which came on soft ground, and Tim Vaughan’s gelding was beaten five lengths on his previous start in a similar contest to this where he was too keen in the early stages.

However, it is his second behind Memphis Ball at Ffos Las in October which makes him of interest at a big price here.

Akkapenko travelled well in that three-mile contest before he possibly hit the front too soon, and the winner is now rated 108 over hurdles having won her next two starts.

That run came after a 66-day break, and Akkapenko also ran well on his seasonal return in June last year, which bodes well for him returning from a 109-day absence here.

He remains unexpsed over this trip, and I expect connections have been waiting to run him on better ground.

Although he remains 8lb above his last winning mark, Charlie Price, who guided his mount to victory in 2019, takes a useful 5lb off his back, and a better effort can be expected from the selection back on good to soft ground on Monday.

Court Master was a shade disappointing on his latest start, but something may have been amiss with him there as he has been given a break since and was also well backed on that occasion.

A reproduction of some of his efforts prior to that run would give him a big chance here, including when he was a narrow second behind Fidux off a 2lb lower mark in a valuable handicap at Market Rasen.

I don’t expect the 114-day absence to be an issue as he has twice scored on his seasonal debut, and it is surely significant Michael Scudamore sends him to Kelso for this 0-140 contest.

There are a couple of interesting contenders that also line-up, including Grade Two winner Mr Whipped, and the the classy Guitar Pete. However, it is hard to know what to expect from the former who returns from a 717-day absence, and the latter does not look as good as he once was.