Ludlow Racing Partnership Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 16:35 | Winning time: 5m 2.9s

Man Look^h²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 116

3/1

Very consistent performer who won in novices' and maiden company on good ground in the spring and has given best to just one opponent in each of three starts since. Sure to run his race, but may well suffer the same fate again.

Form: 8-11222

Tempestatefloresco^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 137

4/9

Reeled off a hat-trick over both fences and hurdles in the spring/summer, including a similar event to this by 13L. Beaten over 2m1f last time at Newton Abbot, but the return to this trip looks likely to pay dividends. Strong claims.

Form: 2-1112P

Asking Questions¹⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Ian Popham| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

16/1

Won a fast ground point-to-point in January and was not disgraced being runner-up to a wide margin winner on his sole bumper outing at Bangor in April. Has fitness to prove after a summer break, so probably one to watch this time.

Form: P58122-

Hands Of Stone³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| BF

14/1

Ran to a reasonable level of form in bumpers without getting his nose in front, but fell on his hurdles debut at Uttoxeter on Sunday (SP 8-1) when it was too early to say how he would have fared. Has to come back from that today.

Form: 342-F

Shadow's Boy³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-12| J: Robert Williams⁽³⁾| T: B J Llewellyn| OR: 110

20/1

Ended a poor run of point-to-point form when making the frame in a Newton Abbot maiden hurdle (2m2½f, good) in August and did better back over that C&D when last time. If he can improve again for a fence then he could pick up more prize money here.

Form: P/UPU-33

Forecasts

Tempestatefloresco (4/9), Man Look (3/1), Hands Of Stone (14/1), Asking Questions (16/1), Shadow's Boy (20/1)

Colin Tizzard looks to have found an excellent opportunity for TEMPESTATEFLORESCO to add another win to his CV, with the return to this trip looking much more suitable than the dro to 2m1f last time. He gets the confident vote. Man Look and Shadow's Boy may well emerge as his closest pursuers this time.