14:20 Ludlow

Thursday 2 March 2017

All14:2014:5015:2516:0016:3517:0517:35

Three Counties Equine Hospital Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:22 | Winning time: 4m 6.60s

Be My Sea²²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Lee Edwards| T: A W Carroll

11/8

Winner on the Flat for current yard but well held on hurdles debut here last month and likely best watched at present.

Form: 3445/62-

Billy Hicks^h1¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: David England| T: S Drinkwater

6/1

Placed in a point-to-point in April 2015 for previous yard but well beaten in two hurdles outings for this yard and likely to fair better in time.

Form: 2/961

Coopers Square⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: T H Weston

16/1

Failed to complete on four of six point-to-point starts but placed in the other two. Likely to do better in time.

Form: 2F3P55-

Fulgus²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: C O'Farrell| T: R Hobson

33/1

Well beaten in all four starts to date and having his third run over hurdles in this.

Form: 5

Helmsley Flyer⁹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Josh Wall⁽⁵⁾| T: T Wall

66/1

Dual winner on the AW but pulled up on hurdling debut and probably best watched at present.

Form: PF

Mansion⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Charlie Deutsch⁽³⁾| T: Miss V Williams

9/4

Signs of ability in a hurdle at Newbury in December but pulled up at Exeter subsequently and a non-runner when due to run at Lingfield last month.

Form:

Sir Luke Arno⁷⁴³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: James Davies| T: C N Kellett

250/1

Beaten one rival home in two bumper outings to date, makes his hurdles debut here off a 12 month lay-off.

Form: 80/P

Sugar Mix¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: G B Watters⁽³⁾| T: C E Longsdon

25/1

Failed to complete on two of his last three starts for previous yard and tailed off at Uttoxeter when last seen in April. Makes his debut for current connections here.

Form: 05UU-05

Autum Rain⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-9| J: Adam Wedge| T: T H Weston

28/1

Finished runner-up on final point-to-point start in December but well beaten on hurdling debut here when 100/1 last month.

Form: 42037

Miss Williams¹³

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: C E Longsdon

8/1

Finished fourth in a selling race on her final start for her previous yard at Stratford last May. Signs of ability in her debut in a bumper in 2015 also and an interesting contender here.

Form: 6/9-4606

Non-Runners

Jamesgiftkeysandal²³

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: R Stephens J: Thomas Garner

Katara Bay³⁹⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 6

T: Miss V Williams J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Be My Sea (11/8), Katara Bay (7/4), Mansion (9/4), Billy Hicks (6/1), Miss Williams (8/1), Coopers Square (16/1), Sugar Mix (25/1), Jamesgiftkeysandal (25/1), Autum Rain (28/1), Fulgus (33/1), Helmsley Flyer (66/1), Sir Luke Arno (250/1)

MANSION looks the most likely winner of this opening event. The selection needs to put a poor run last time out behind him but a repeat of his hurdling debut appears to be the best form on offer here and he can take this at the expense of Billy Hicks who showed signs of ability in a point-to-point a couple of years ago and Miss Williams who is another to show ability in the past. 1. Mansion 2. Billy Hicks 3. Miss Williams