Heath Farm Meats Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:40 | Winning time: 3m 55.9s

Tornado In Milan³⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-13| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 136| CD

15/2

Veteran who has relished his visits to Ludlow in recent years; finished only fourth to Robinshill (beaten 8L) in this race in 2017, but was a gritty C&D scorer in March (beating Just Cameron); posted a solid comeback effort in a Ffos Las claimer.

Form: 32411-2

Robinshill^t³⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr Zac Baker⁽⁵⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 135| CD

4/1

2017 race winner who is 2-3 over this C&D (fences) - unfortunate not to be unbeaten; clearly ticks plenty of boxes, albeit not in the greatest shape during the course of 2018, including on his seasonal bow at Kempton (2m2f, good).

Form: 11P5P-7

Sternrubin^p²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-11| J: M G Nolan| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 134| D

9/4

Bolted up at short odds (1/5f) in a 2m2f match at Exeter in October before weakening tamely after taking on subsequent scorer Wenyerreadyfreddie for the lead at Ascot (2m2f+) latest; drop back in trip a positive move.

Form: 203-016

Poker School^p¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 11-8| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 131| D

7/2

Hasn't won since Boxing Day 2016 (2m4f+ Kempton), but has finished runner-up on various occasions, including when beaten 10L by Valseur Du Granval over C&D in April (good); posted a poor hurdles seasonal reappearance.

Form: U42-359

Atlantic Storm^t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-8| J: James Best| T: B R Summers| OR: 117| D

16/1

With David Rees when winning a 2m+ selling hurdle at Stratford in October, and didn't appear to stay the extended 2m3f trip on debut for this trainer (fences) back there 25-days ago; handicap mark high enough (owing to successes for Dan Skelton).

Form: 122315

Vivaccio²¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-1| J: Aidan Coleman| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 110| CD

7/2

Dual C&D scorer in late 2014 (on good-to-soft), but hasn't visited the winners enclosure since despite a gradual fall in the handicap; 2lb lower than when finishing 12L fifth to Hey Bill over 3m here in April; seasonal reappearance.

Form: 4/33345-

Forecasts

Sternrubin (9/4), Poker School (7/2), Vivaccio (7/2), Robinshill (4/1), Tornado In Milan (15/2), Atlantic Storm (16/1)

No shortage of Ludlow regulars in this race, including the 2017 winner Robinshill who can count himself as a shade unfortunate not to be maintaining an unbeaten C&D record (over fences). Vivaccio is another with a couple of C&D wins on his CV (back in 2014), whilst the veteran Tornado in Milan disposed of the talented Just Cameron when scoring here in March. However, although disappointing at Ascot (taken on for the lead by a subsequent winner), STERNRUBIN had hacked up in a match-race immediately prior. Still learning the ropes over fences, he looks just the type to be suited by dropping back to the minimum trip around a sharp circuit like Ludlow.