17:50 Ludlow

Thursday 22 March 2018

All14:3015:0015:3516:1016:4517:1517:50

G C Rickards Standard Open NH Flat Race

Off time: 17:50 | Winning time: 3m 44.75s

Herecomestheboom⁹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 123| D

5/4

Posted a decent effort on his rules debut to win one of these at Cheltenham (good) in October, though could not get in a blow in Listed company at Ascot (good to soft) in December. Taken out of Champion Bumper last week and has claims under penalty.

Form: 210

Ballinahinch³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: R Johnson| T: S Durack

12/1

Didn't show a huge amount in a couple of Irish bumpers last season, but posted a better effort on stable/British debut at Lingfield (AW) last month. Will need to improve again, but champ now assigned and can't rule him out.

Form: 56-4

Best To Come

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: T R George

15/2

€7,800 foal who sold for €64,000 at three. Second foal of a mare unplaced in bumpers/2m-2m4f hurdles, half-sister to bumper/2m4f-3m hurdle winner. Nice enough pedigree and stable 3-21 in bumpers this season. Market check.

Form:

Hey Bud⁷²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Scott

10/1

11-1 but outperformed those odds when a 3½L runner-up on debut in a Taunton bumper (soft) in January. Not rushed back to the track and could benefit from that and again be a contender today.

Form: 2

Looks Frozen³⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland

6/1

Made a promising start at Huntingdon (good) in November and looked the winner until being collared close home at Fontwell (heavy) last month. Steps up from 1m5½f here, which should help and is short-listed.

Form: 32

Rouge Vif

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: G Sheehan| T: H Whittington

9/2

Full-brother to French winners Rouge Et Sage (2m2f-2m3f hurdle/chase) and Rougeburg (2m1f hurdle/2m2f chase) and half-brother to two other winners out of dam placed over 1m7f hurdle. Stable 19% in bumpers this season. Market check.

Form:

Terezaz Nimrod

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Ben Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: R Brotherton

100/1

First foal of a point-to-point winner who was well beaten in 2m4f-3m hurdles and a half-sister to 3m chase winner The Venetian. Nothing special on pedigree and yard 0-10 in bumpers over past five seasons. Watching brief.

Form:

Topofthecotswolds⁹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| BF

10/1

Improved on his Towcester debut effort when runner-up at Hereford (2m, soft) in December. Beaten favourite on both those starts and while not ruled out, he clearly carries risks.

Form: 32

Non-Runners

Inheritance Thief¹¹⁹

Weight: 11-0| Age: 6

T: Miss V Williams J: Charlie Deutsch

Forecasts

Herecomestheboom (5/4), Rouge Vif (9/2), Inheritance Thief (9/2), Looks Frozen (6/1), Best To Come (15/2), Hey Bud (10/1), Topofthecotswolds (10/1), Ballinahinch (12/1), Terezaz Nimrod (100/1)

Topofthecotswolds has been well regarded enough to head the market in both starts so far, though has failed to justify that. A win would not surprise, but another dual-placed runner in LOOKS FROZEN makes more appeal this time. Neil Mulholland's four-year-old almost broke his duck at Fontwell last time and on this slightly less testing ground he can go one better. Herecomestheboom is respected under his penalty, while Hey Bud and Inheritance Thief can both get involved and newcomer Rouge Vif should be closely monitored for market confidence.