14:20 Ludlow

Monday 9 April 2018

All14:2014:5015:2515:5516:3017:0517:35

Heath Farm Meats Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:31 | Winning time: 5m 20.00s

Battle Of Ideas³³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: James Bowen⁽³⁾| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 120| D

3/1

Scored over almost this trip at Plumpton in December but has found life tough handicapping to date. Top conditional rider booked though and his 3lb allowance certainly helps the cause so has to enter calculations.

Form: 731P63

Big Difference¹⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling

10/1

Promise in two Irish point to points before pulling up last time on October. Rules debut eher and has joined good yard so any market confidence would be a positive sign.

Form: 3-3P

Cuban Pete³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: R T Dunne| T: Miss V Williams

66/1

Represents successful yard but has shown little so far in four outings including when distant third last time at Bangor. Will probably do better once he goes handicapping.

Form: 7673

Langness

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: B S Hughes| T: C E Longsdon

25/1

€35,000 Milan gelding making his racecourse debut here. Dam unraced half-sister to decent chaser. Yard going through a quiet spell and this gelding will likely be better for the experience.

Form:

Merry Milan³¹⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Matt Griffiths| T: Nicky Martin

25/1

Making debut for new yard and having his first start under Rules. Landed Irish point to point last summer but remains an unknown quantity. Yard without a winner for 135 days so may do better in time.

Form: 75-1

Midnight Trouble⁵⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Savage⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies

25/1

Bred to make a staying chaser. Satisfactory fourth in Warwick bumper in January on racecourse bow then stuck in the mud on hurdling debut at Ffos Las month later. Top yard won this race last year and are always respected.

Form: 45

Prince Carn^p1¹³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: S Flook

100/1

100/1 and tailed off when pulled up on debut at Hereford last month and has plenty to find once again. Wears first time cheekpieces but is impossible to recommend.

Form: P

Shalakar⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 118

3/1

Steps up 5f in trip having finished third in each of his last four starts, including threee at this track. Extra distance may help and amateur rider now replaced by decent jockey suggesting conenctions are hopeful of a good show.

Form: P3333

Touchy Subject¹²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: David Bass| T: Miss J S DavisWS

100/1

Very little to write home about in two starts over hurdles to date and has subsequently undergone wind surgery. That will have to make a massive difference if he is to be anywhere near at the business end of the contest.

Form: 209

Vetoncall⁵¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: J E Moore| T: A E Jones

33/1

Landed Irish maiden point to point in February and makes Rules debut for new yard not known for having them ready to roll first time out. On balance is likely to benefit from the experience.

Form: 3-521

Weebill²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: N D Fehily| T: O Murphy| OR: 123

6/4

Made very heavy weather of landing long odds-on in a poor event at Fakenham last month over 2m, but had been a fair runner-up at Warwick time before over 2m3f. Top jockey booked and should figure if he keeps his mind on the job.

Form: 43321

Lara Trot⁴⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-7| J: J M Quinlan| T: R Dickin

100/1

Maiden point to pointer who pulled up on Rules debut at Towcester in February. In touch until faded after three out over 3m here last time. Not without hope but likely to be seen to better advantage in due course in handicaps.

Form: 354P7

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to board prices only - deduction 5p in the pound

Non-Runners

Royal Magic⁸⁶

Weight: 11-6| Age: 6

T: S Thomas J: James Davies

Forecasts

Weebill (6/4), Shalakar (3/1), Battle Of Ideas (3/1), Big Difference (10/1), Royal Magic (10/1), Merry Milan (25/1), Midnight Trouble (25/1), Langness (25/1), Vetoncall (33/1), Cuban Pete (66/1), Touchy Subject (100/1), Lara Trot (100/1), Prince Carn (100/1)

Solid form is fairly thin on the ground in this event and the longer trip may finally bring about the necessary improvement for the consistent SHALAKAR. Battle of Ideas won't be far away but does have to give away his winner's penalty, as too does Royal Magic who will be better suited by this trip than 3m last time. Weebill won last time making heavy weather of it but a better show is by no means ruled out in this better race. Big Difference is an interesting recruit and won't have to be a world beater to figure while Midnight Trouble represents last year's winning stable.