15:00 Ludlow

Wednesday 11 October 2017

All13:5514:2515:0015:3016:0016:3517:10

Rowles Fine Art Handicap Chase

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 5m 56.5s

Ozzy Thomas^p³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: T Scudamore| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 137| CD

8/1

Aside from a spill at Uttoxeter, he has been in cracking form since switching back to chasing, with wins over C&D in May and at Southwell last month. Up a fair-looking 4lb for the latter and should go well with conditions to suit.

Form: 242-1F1

Heist^p,t⁴⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: C O'Farrell| T: P Griffin| OR: 136| C| D

14/1

Won a 0-130 handicap chase here over 3m1½f (good to firm) a year ago when 11lb lower and scored again over fences a Hexham (3m, good) in June. A 9lb rise did for him next time, but a 3lb drop from there could bring him into it again today.

Form: 131403

Forever Field⁵⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 134

8/1

Handles fast ground, though all five wins have been on good. Won a Worcester novices' chase in June, though well held under a penalty at Fontwell (2m5½f, good to firm) last time. Same mark for this handicap debut and might find a couple too good.

Form: 35-2212

Always On The Run³²

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Mr N George⁽⁷⁾| T: T R George| OR: 134| BF

7/1

Won three races last year and is 1lb higher than the last of them, though the handicapper has just had the better of him on several occasions since. Will need to find some improvement to win in this field, but likely to be competitive.

Form: 52-3323

Cut The Corner¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-8| J: Alex Edwards⁽⁵⁾| T: A Ralph| OR: 133| D

10/1

Landed back-to-back Uttoxeter handicap chases in July over 2m4f and then 2m on good ground. Stays 3m and although now exposed, he is not ruled out from having a say towards the business end.

Form: 311254

Belmount^p¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 131| CD

7/1

Dropped back to the sort of mark from which he can win and duly did so at Warwick (3m1½f, good) last time. Has now gone back up 5lb to a mark from which he has not been capable of winning before, though 3lb claimer should help him get competitive.

Form: P52-341

Mont Royale³²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 131

16/1

Ran well enough from this mark when runner-up at Stratford last time (2m6½f, good), though there has to be some concern that he has never won on ground quicker than good, nor over further than 2m5f.

Form: 615662

Exxaro^b,t²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: B J Cooper| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 131

14/1

Both career wins were on good ground when trained in Ireland by Henry De Bromhead. Threatened to add to those on a few occasions for this stable last year, but couldn't do so. Needs to find a bit more to win from this mark.

Form: 422224

Super Scorpion^h⁶⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: T E Whelan| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 130| D

10/1

Won back-to-back Ffos Las handicap chases in the spring over 3m and on good, though the handicapper took a dim view of that and on what he has produced in two starts since going up in the ratings, he might just struggle here.

Form: 43-1154

Braqueur D'Or¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 129| BF

6/1

Another who landed back-to-back handicap chases, in his case at Stratford (2m6½f, good) and Newton Abbot (2m5½f, good to firm) in July. Has remained very competitive from this mark since and the same looks likely today.

Form: 211322

Bob Tucker^p¹⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 11-2| J: S Bowen| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 127| D

8/1

Remains 2lb higher than his most recent win, which was in the spring of 2016 at Kempton (3m, good). Has run some very respectable races in defeat since then, but looks very much in need of a favour from the handicapper before going in again.

Form: 4572P-4

Vikekhal^t¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Max Kendrick⁽⁷⁾| T: S Flook| OR: 123

33/1

Stays 3m1½f, though dropped right back to 2m½f on his first start for this yard in August and won at Worcester (good). Beaten from marks of 127 and 125 since and although dropped 2lb going into this, he may well find a few too good.

Form: 331357

By The Boardwalk^t¹⁵²

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 123| D

10/1

Scored at Market Rasen (3m, good) this time last year and at his best on good/good to soft ground. Has run well from today's mark on his last two starts (including over C&D) and should again be thereabouts.

Form: 42432-3

Forecasts

Braqueur D'Or (6/1), Belmount (7/1), Always On The Run (7/1), Ozzy Thomas (8/1), Forever Field (8/1), Bob Tucker (8/1), Super Scorpion (10/1), Cut The Corner (10/1), By The Boardwalk (10/1), Heist (14/1), Exxaro (14/1), Mont Royale (16/1), Vikekhal (33/1)

A tough race to call with plenty of exposed, though capable performers at this level and the suggestion is to go with top weight OZZY THOMAS. Admittedly, he does have to make some improvement to defy another 4lb rise, but he is in good form and is more likely than plenty of these to take another stride forward. Forever Field is respected on his handicap debut, while Braqueue D'or, Belmount, By The Boardwalk and Always On The Run are others to consider in an open contest.