15:45 Ludlow

Thursday 18 January 2018

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

Racing UK Winter Season Ticket Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 6m 6.72s

Deauville Crystal^t,v1³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-13| J: James Bowen⁽⁵⁾| T: N J Hawke| OR: 126

20/1

Goes into this 5lb higher than when landing a Warwick handicap hurdle (2m, soft) in March. Not been quite as good over fences this term and pulled up back over hurdles last time. Stays 3m. Drops in class and now visored. Not ruled out.

Form: 5-6334P

Crucial Role¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: H D Daly| OR: 125

5/1

Won a Towcester maiden hurdle (2m3f, good to soft) in May and has improved since. Ran well on handicap debut at Uttoxeter (2m4f, heavy) last time. Same mark today and bred to get this far, so could produce better still. Claims.

Form: 4-P1422

Capote^t1⁴⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 11-7| J: Killian Moore⁽³⁾| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 120| D

16/1

Won first two starts over hurdles in 2014 and after a lengthy absence he had a troubled time over fences last season. Now reverts to hurdles with tongue tie on. Well handicapped if any of his old ability is there so check the market for clues.

Form: 114/FFF

Vinegar Hill^t²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: Brendan Powell| T: S Edmunds| OR: 118| D

14/1

Stays 3m in soft ground and got off the mark over fences at Market Rasen in November when landing a handicap chase off 116. Pulled up last time and now reverts to hurdles from just 2lb higher. Enters calculations.

Form: 164-81P

Three Star General^b,t¹²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 117

16/1

Enjoyed a good spring/summer last year, during which he won at Worcester (2m4f, good) in a novices' maiden hurdle. Out of sorts in handicaps on last two runs and a bit to prove back after a break. Drops 2lb. Market check prudent.

Form: 4-2127P

Allbarnone⁶¹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Mitchell Bastyan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Hanmer| OR: 116

16/1

1-25, his sole success being at Cartmel (2m6f, good) in handicap company in 2016 when 3lb lower. Has run well from higher marks than this since and showed signs of better form again last time. Decent claimer up and has each-way claims.

Form: 253-575

Jennys Day²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-2| J: Benjamin Poste| T: Katy Price| OR: 115

16/1

Won a Listowel maiden hurdle (2m, heavy) in 2016 and was 3L behind Vinegar Hill (now 5lb better off with him) at Kempton over 3m½f later that year. Is on a good mark if he can return to his best, but last three runs leave him plenty to prove.

Form: P0-2778

The Sweeney¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 114

9/2

Ran well in his first two starts over hurdles at around 2m4f, but disappointed in desperate ground at Chepstow last time. If you can forgive him that then he looks fairly treated for this handicap debut and step up in trip looks positive.

Form: 3-637

Gamain^b⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: Chester Williams⁽⁷⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 107| D

15/8

2lb higher here than when scoring at Newton Abbot (3m2½f, good to soft) by a nose in September. Handicapper has been in control since, but he ran well over C&D when reverting to hurdles last time and has claims from the same mark.

Form: 613353

Pennywell^p³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: R Johnson| T: W Greatrex| OR: 106| D

6/1

Took him a couple of runs to get going this season, but won at Uttoxeter (2m7½f, heavy) in November from a 6lb lower mark and was just 2L shy of following up from 1lb lower at Fakenham last time. Needs improvement, but couldn't rule that out.

Form: 5/3-5F12

Boxer Beat²⁵⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 10-3| J: Alain Cawley| T: Lady S Brooke| OR: 102

100/1

Not seen over hurdles since 2014. Made the frame in a couple of point-to-points last season, but best form on better ground than this and looks one of the least likelier winners in this race.

Form: 4/7532-U

Forecasts

Gamain (15/8), The Sweeney (9/2), Crucial Role (5/1), Pennywell (6/1), Vinegar Hill (14/1), Jennys Day (16/1), Capote (16/1), Three Star General (16/1), Allbarnone (16/1), Deauville Crystal (20/1), Boxer Beat (100/1)

A tricky race for punters with a few of them switching back from chasing to hurdling and others who have points to prove and the suggestion is to side with PENNYWELL, who backed up her Uttoxeter win with another good effort last time and should remain very competitive. Allbarnone enters calculations with his useful claimer assigned, while handicap debutante The Sweeney should be checked in the market and can go well from this mark. Crucial Role, Vinegar Hill and Deauville Crystal are others with claims.