14:00 Ludlow

Tuesday 24 April 2018

All14:0014:3515:0515:3516:0516:4017:15

Nick Jones Horse Ambulance Novices' Hurdle

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 3m 49.5s

Gumball¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 149| D

2/5

Impressive winner of two hurdle races in the autumn and highly tried since. Beaten 7L in a Grade 1 at Aintree (good-to-soft) last time and likely to prove hard to beat in this contest.

Form: 1122P2

Saxo Jack^t⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 120

10/1

Victorious over hurdles at Newton Abbot (good) last September and placed in this sphere since. Well held at Cheltenham last week and likely more needed in this.

Form: 212500

Zalvados^p,t⁷³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: Ross Turner⁽⁷⁾| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 128| CD

5/2

Broke his maiden over hurdles when winning on soft ground over C&D in January. Fair effort in first time blinkers (replaced with cheekpieces here) in a valuable handicap at Newbury subsequently and he reverts to novice company here.

Form: 524217

Blackjacktennessee²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: James Davies| T: S Flook

100/1

Placed in a Towcester bumper in October but struggled since including in three starts over hurdles. Probably best watched at present.

Form: 30R08

Daily Trader⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Dave Crosse| T: P D Evans

50/1

Victorious over 1m4f on the Flat at Wolverhampton in December. Held in that sphere since and interesting to see how he fares on hurdling debut.

Form:

Involve¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

50/1

Fair efforts in two starts in bumpers but well held on hurdling debut earlier this month and needs to step up markedly on that if he's to take this contest.

Form: 860

Veiled Secret^t³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: B S Hughes| T: David Dennis

7/1

Successful on good-to-soft ground on the Flat and improved on hurdling debut when finishing runner-up over C&D on soft ground last month. Interesting runner here.

Form: 52

Katebird¹⁸⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: David England| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

28/1

Four time Flat winner most recently over 1m2f at Ripon (good) last August when trained by Mark Johnston. Making her stable and hurdling debut on this occasion.

Form:

Forecasts

Gumball (2/5), Zalvados (5/2), Veiled Secret (7/1), Saxo Jack (10/1), Katebird (28/1), Involve (50/1), Daily Trader (50/1), Blackjacktennessee (100/1)

GUMBALL is dropping markedly in grade having contested Grade 1 contests the last twice and he can concede weight all round and in the process defeat his elders in this opening novice hurdle. Zalvados put in a decent performance in a highly competitive contest at Newbury last time out and he can get the better of Veiled Secret in the battle for second.