14:35 Ludlow

Thursday 18 January 2018

All13:0013:3014:0014:3515:1015:4516:20

Jubilee Restaurant Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 5m 24.53s

Call Me Sid⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: David Bass| T: J Mason

100/1

Irish point-to-point runner-up who has been well beaten in both a Newbury bumper (soft) and then when stepped up to this sort of trip at Wincanton for his hurdling debut in November. Significant improvement needed.

Form: 26-8

Darius Des Bois²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: S Bowen| T: N J Henderson

4/1

Made a reasonable debut at Ascot in November (good to soft) considering he was sent off at 33-1, though not quite so good back there last time. Kept to similar trip today and should be more competitive in this line-up.

Form: F5-57

General Malarkey²⁶⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

66/1

Best effort so far came on his debut in a Warwick bumper (soft) this time last year. Should be capable of showing more now going hurdling and stepped up in trip and market check is suggested.

Form: 856-

Gortroe Joe²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| BF

2/1

Made frame in a bumper and then on his hurdles debut at Cheltenham (2m½f, good) in October. Beaten just 3L at Listed level in November, though slightly disappointing when favourite here last time. Can be forgiven an off day and has claims.

Form: 3F3-354

It's Fine Wine⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Killahena & G McPherson

33/1

Sent off at 16-1 for his debut in a bumper at Plumpton (2m1½f, good to soft) last month. Ran with promise there, being green enough but staying on for fourth. Step up in trip looks positive and could get competitive if he can hurdle fluently.

Form: 4

Jersey Bean²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: Conor Shoemark| T: O Sherwood

12/1

Won an Ascot bumper (good) on his reappearance in November and improved on that when making frame behind a decent sort on his hurdles debut at Wetherby (2, soft). Can be forgiven latest spill and is very interesting upped to this trip.

Form: 213U

Luckime⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: R T Dunne| T: Miss V Williams

12/1

Looked promising when runner-up in a Carlisle bumper (good to soft) on debut in April and has gone reasonably well in maiden/novices' hurdles so far, both over 2m3½f on soft. Slightly longer trip positive and has each-way claims.

Form: 2-575

Lygon Rock²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: H D Daly

5/2

Left behind his bumper form when 50-1 and a 1L second of 11 on his hurdles debut at Huntingdon (2m3½f, good to soft) last month. Champion jockey now gets the leg up and both that and longer trip should make him a leading contender.

Form: 6-42

Marlais^p1⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Josh Wall⁽⁵⁾| T: A Whitehead| OR: 100

100/1

Has yet to improve on his second on his hurdles debut in a Worcester maiden (2m4f, good) last season. Well beaten in all starts since then in handicaps and now reverts to this grade. Likely to find a few too good.

Form: 60-67P0

Master Tradesman²⁵⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: R Mitford-Slade

20/1

Dual point-to-point scorer. Made rules debut in a hunter chase at Cheltenham (3m2f, good) in May, but pulled up there and probably best watched on his return from an eight-month break.

Form: 81142-P

No Hiding Place³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson

12/1

Placed in both his bumpers and improved on those efforts when fourth (beaten 20L) on hurdles debut at Huntingdon (2m3½f, good to soft) in November. Has to bounce back from disappointment at Fakenham last time.

Form: 3-244

Ofcourseiwill³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr

28/1

Won a maiden Irish point-to-point on debut and cost £20,000 to bring to this stable, for whom he made a satisfactory debut in a Bangor bumper (heavy) last month. Back over obstacles and upped in trip, he could go close.

Form: 13

Paul^t⁵⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss R Curtis

50/1

Won an Irish point-to-point (heavy) at the fourth attempt. Made slow start to rules career but returned from 13-month absence in November with better effort over hurdles at Hereford (2m3½f, good to firm). Should be capable of improving on that.

Form: 4718/7-4

Spin The Coin³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: W T Kennedy| T: D McCain Jnr| BF

33/1

Runner-up in an Irish point-to-point and bought for £27,000 in April. Has shown a bit of promise in novices' hurdles at Carlisle at up to 2m3½f. Longer trip a plus here, though may be more of a handicapping proposition.

Form: 2-54

Zebi Boy

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: Bridget Andrews⁽³⁾| T: D Skelton

66/1

Half-brother to 2m-3m4f hurdle/very useful chase winner Good To Know. Dam a 2m5f-3m hurdle winner out of full-sister to Scottish National winner Captain Dibble. Represents a top yard and should be capable of decent debut. Market check.

Form:

Forecasts

Gortroe Joe (2/1), Lygon Rock (5/2), Darius Des Bois (4/1), Luckime (12/1), Jersey Bean (12/1), No Hiding Place (12/1), Master Tradesman (20/1), Ofcourseiwill (28/1), Spin The Coin (33/1), It's Fine Wine (33/1), Paul (50/1), General Malarkey (66/1), Zebi Boy (66/1), Call Me Sid (100/1), Marlais (100/1)

The Nicky Henderson-trained pair Darius Des Bois and, in paticular, No Hiding Place are both respected here, though the latter has to bounce back from an ordinary run last time. Preference, therefore is for hurdling newcomer OFCOURSEIWILL, who will be well schooled and should very much appreciate the step up to this trip after a decent bumper run on his only rules start. Lygon Rock is feared along with Jersey Bean and Gortroe Joe.