17:05 Ludlow

Thursday 2 March 2017

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

George Jones Memorial Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 17:07 | Winning time: 5m 21.7s

Nickname Exit^p²⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien⁽³⁾| T: J Ridley| OR: 118

20/1

Winner of a handicap hurdle at Navan in February 2016 for previous yard but only limited signs of appreciating fences since and well beaten on debut for this yard in a hunter chase last month.

Form: P-P3P0P

Sam Cavallaro²²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-6| J: Mr Joe Hill⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss H Brookshaw| OR: 112

11/1

Twice a winner of the 2m hunter chase at Cheltenham in April and finished second over C&D at a huge price in 2015. Has a bit to find with a few of these on running here last month but likely to have come on for the run.

Form: 354F3-2

Mr Moss^p1,t³²

Age: 12| Weight: 12-2| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: S Rea| OR: 106

40/1

Runner-up in a handicap chase at Southwell in August but pulled up in three point-to-point starts for this trainer including over this trip last time out and best watched at present.

Form: PPP7P7-

Persian Snow^t²²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-2| J: Mr D Maxwell⁽³⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 130

1/2

Comfortable winner of a C&D hunter chase last month under today's rider and a useful handicapper on his day. Yard has been in the winners recently (4/21 in recent weeks) and likely to prove hard to beat here.

Form: 7963/11

Colbert Station^t²⁰

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr J J O'Neill⁽⁵⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 121

11/4

Run respectably in three hunter chase outings for current yard including when third in a small field at Bangor last time out. Last win came over four years ago however and likely to find two or three too good once more.

Form: 6432U2-

Free World¹⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss L Brooke⁽³⁾| T: Lady S Brooke| OR: 88

50/1

High class chaser on his day but only appears to retain a limited amount of ability these days. Finished third at Fontwell in January but pulled up subsequently and much more needed here. Regular jockey in the saddle once more.

Form: 3P3766-

Invisible Man^t²²

Age: 12| Weight: 11-12| J: Miss Josephine Banks⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs D Ralph| OR: 112

8/1

Made some eye-catching progress when finishing fourth behind Persian Snow here last time out. Was making his seasonal debut on that occasion and finished runner-up in this race last year. Likely to run well once more.

Form: 33451-2

Mr Syntax²⁴⁹

Age: 13| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Alex Ferguson⁽³⁾| T: Miss M Bentham| OR: 109

25/1

Pulled up on final outing for previous stable at Cartmel in June. Ran to a decent level of form when younger but probably best watched on debut for a new yard here.

Form: 2P8F41-

Non-Runners

Moscow Chancer²²

Weight: 12-2| Age: 11

T: A Campbell J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Persian Snow (1/2), Colbert Station (11/4), Invisible Man (8/1), Sam Cavallaro (11/1), Nickname Exit (20/1), Moscow Chancer (20/1), Mr Syntax (25/1), Mr Moss (40/1), Free World (50/1)

PERSIAN SNOW looks likely to prove very hard to beat as he chases a second success here. The selection would qualify for the big races in this category at Cheltenham and Aintree should he finish in the first three here and he can give his experienced amateur jockey a second win in the last week in this sphere. Invisible Man ran well last time out and is a regular in these races around here and can repeat last years second while Sam Cavallaro can claim third over a trip that likely stretches his stamina. 1. Persian Snow 2. Invisible Man 3. Sam Cavallaro