12:30 Ludlow

Monday 26 November 2018

All12:3013:0513:4014:1514:4515:2015:50

Watch Racing UK Anywhere Maiden Hurdle

Off time: 12:30 | Winning time: 3m 48.9s

Bonjour Steve²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Benjamin Poste| T: R J Price

100/1

Modest sprinter on the Flat (50-rated) who has struggled for stamina over hurdles (0-3); safely look elsewhere.

Form: 805

Court In Matera¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: David England| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

50/1

Out of his depth last time on his second hurdles start at Carlisle (2m1f); brother to the 2m6f hurdle winner Shepherd's Bight; likely to find things happening a fraction too quickly for his liking around this sharp track.

Form: 2-005

Elite Garde¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: P R Webber

10/1

Cost €40,000 as a 3yo; started at 66/1 on hurdles debut at Sandown (2m maiden, heavy) 15-days ago when a well beaten tenth of 14 to Eldorado Allen; interesting to see how he handles a sounder surface.

Form: 40-0

Espalion¹⁴⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Matt Griffiths| T: J Scott

14/1

Half-brother to the smart 2m-2m5f hurdle winner Bleu Berry; showed some improvement in each of his three runs in bumpers for Tim Vaughan; possible pace angle on hurdles/stable debut.

Form: 5-55

Finalshot²¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: H D Daly

11/4

Ran a mighty race on debut at Doncaster (bumper) in February and although slightly below that level of form next time at Warwick (sixth of 17), he rates as a mildly interesting hurdles newcomer; every chance despite a 214-day absence.

Form: 26-

Foresee¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: N D Fehily| T: A W Carroll

3/1

Flat winner at Epsom (1m4f) in August, but 0-2 over hurdles so far. That said, he wasn't totally disgraced at big odds (100/1) behind Epatante at Kempton (2m novices) latest and this looks to be a more realistic assignment.

Form: 7/5

Khanisari¹¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

8/1

Cost £60,000 in May after finishing second in a Down Royal bumper (for Ellmarie Holden); on the premises - beaten approximately 6L on hurdles debut at Taunton (2m3f, good to firm) 11-days ago; drop in trip helpful.

Form: 204

Northern Bound³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: B Pauling

2/1

Runner-up in a Loughanmore maiden (3m) for Graham McKeever, prior to moving on for £55,000; 12/1 for stable debut in a hot Cheltenham bumper last month (finished mid to rear division); of interest on hurdles debut; stablemate of Raise Your Shades.

Form: 29

Raise Your Shades⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: B Pauling

33/1

Stablemate of Northern Bound; cost £10,000 in March; unseated his rider early on hurdles debut at Fontwell and didn't shape over encouragingly when turned out a mere eight days later at Uttoxeter (2m, good); improvement needed.

Form: 3-6U8

Stormy Blues¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: N J Hawke

33/1

Godolphin cast-off (knocked down cheaply for £8,000 in September 2017); not shown much in two starts over hurdles so far (off a break), and if anything looks more of a longer-term handicap project; not considered today.

Form: 5P

Forecasts

Northern Bound (2/1), Finalshot (11/4), Foresee (3/1), Khanisari (8/1), Elite Garde (10/1), Espalion (14/1), Raise Your Shades (33/1), Stormy Blues (33/1), Court In Matera (50/1), Bonjour Steve (100/1)

A race which probably won't take all that much winning, so the pair which deserve the closest scrutiny are the hurdles debutantes Finalshot (Henry Daly) and NORTHERN BOUND (Ben Pauling). The latter-named performed with credit on his sole start over fences in an Irish point-to-point before being sold for £55,000. In deep in a competitive Cheltenham bumper on his rules/stable debut last month, he should appreciate the ease in grade for his hurdles debut and is fancied to make a positive opening impression.