Morebattle Hurdle tips: Alex Scott is sweet on a 12-1 chance

Run for the sixth successive year as a handicap, the bet365 Morebattle yet again boasts a hugely competitive field and is Scotland’s most valuable hurdle race with £120,000 up for grabs.

The winner of this race for the past two years, Cracking Rhapsody, is bidding for a hat-trick. A four and a half-length winner in 2024 off a mark of 119, he landed last year’s renewal by a length and a quarter off 132, and now returns at his favourite track as market leader, up another 4lb on that most recent success.

However, the value may lie elsewhere, and the well-supported QUAVISTE remains of interest at a best-priced 7-1 for Dan Skelton. The yard have had Faivoir, L’Eau du Sud and Skycutter all place in this race recently without winning, but that frustrating run could definitely end courtesy of this unexposed six-year-old, who ran well without ever threatening at Kempton last time.

In receipt of 23lb from the current market leader, he arrives here in good form despite being a maiden in four runs over hurdles and I would be surprised if he did not prove better than a mark of 113 in time.

He has done all of his racing on flat tracks so far, but the stiffer test at Kelso ought to suit him well and the ground looks ideal.

The Morebattle is almost always strongly run and one that could benefit at double-figure odds is SERIOUS CHALLENGE for Fergal O’Brien. He won cosily at Haydock last time in a race which has worked out well on the whole, with the third-placed Brentford Hope winning next time out before finishing third in the Unibet Hurdle, whilst the fourth has also won his only start since.

Still largely progressive since being sent over obstacles, he had excuses the time before that in the Greatwood when losing his action and running too freely, and I expect this race to be run to suit this in-form six-year-old.

Ambitious punters may want to throw in Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore’s 25-1 chance SERIOUS OPERATOR  to complete their reverse tricast.

The nine-year-old is unlikely to have as much improvement in him as the selections, but he beat Serious Challenge at Aintree in October and ran another fine race last time either side of a stylish win at Newcastle.

The yard is now in much better form and should be staying on strongly at the finish. It would be no surprise should he land some place money.

Win: QUAVISTE at 7-1 with William Hill

Win: SERIOUS CHALLENGE at a general 12-1

Reverse tricast: Serious Challenge (5), Serious Operator (9), Quaviste (16)