Piper calls the tune

Paddy The Piper extended his winning sequence to five in brave fashion in the Grade Two Tote Exacta Premier Kelso Hurdle at Kelso yesterday, but he will be giving the Cheltenham Festival a miss.

Tony Dobbin sent the Lenny Lungo-trained seven-year-old into the lead approaching the penultimate flight, but the race was far from over and in the end the 5-1 chance had to dig very deep to hold the persistent challenge of Steppes Of Gold by one and three-quarter lengths.