15:50 Ludlow

Monday 25 November 2019

All12:3513:0513:4014:1514:4515:2015:50

Jennifer Beaumont Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 6m 31.10s

His Dream^b²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 12-3| J: Max Kendrick| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 106

6/1

Unreliable sort who isn't the most consistent and has turned in some laboured displays of late including at Chepstow last time. Saving grace might be that he's now back down to his last winning mark although he is hard to trust.

Form: 1P3P49

Artichoke Heart³²

Age: 4| Weight: 11-12| J: Lorcan Murtagh⁽³⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 101

9/2

Yet to break her maiden but has gone close on her last two starts taking the runner-up slot twice; bumped into an unexposed one both times. Now goes beyond 2m4f for the first time; leading chance if she stays this trip.

Form: 427422

Love The Leader^p¹⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-11| J: Luca Morgan⁽⁸⁾| T: J Farrelly| OR: 100| D

7/1

Good runs and wins tend to come in short sequences and he's one of those at the moment with 3m1f chase win at Wincanton being followed up by two good runner up efforts. Bold showing likely if transferring this spell of form back to hurdles.

Form: P94122

Urtheonethatiwant¹⁷³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Bryan Carver⁽³⁾| T: J Scott| OR: 94| BF

7/2

Progressed in handicaps earlier this year winning a couple of staying events at Kempton (2m5f) and Exeter (2m7f). Shaped as though he was still in good form when last seen (said to have finished lame); claims if back on song, still on a good mark.

Form: 4121-06

Our Delboy²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: C J Todd⁽³⁾| T: S Allwood| OR: 90

20/1

Yet to win a race and that looks an unlikely occurrence taking his first run for this yard as a guide (up in trip, 3m2f, first-time cheekpieces) going with very little encouragement. Would be a huge surprise were he to win this.

Form: 364/8P-P

Agent Westy²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Isabel Williams⁽⁶⁾| T: Evan Williams| OR: 87

11/4

Showed a big uplift on previous form when despite looking laboured he showed some real resolution to land a Fontwell chase in October. Hasn't had much good fortune over fences since; reverts to hurdles for a confidence builder over a staying trip.

Form: 8-51US7

Isla Di Milano^p¹⁵⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Ben Jones| T: J L Flint| OR: 78| D

13/2

Winner of a maiden point-to-point in May having previously shown very little over hurdles for Tim Vaughan. Gained market support when returning under Rules at Uttoxeter (2m7f) off a 2lb higher mark; even a repeat run leaves him something to prove.

Form: 99/F3-14

The Lion Man^p²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 10-0| J: Tabitha Worsley| T: R Dickin| OR: 72| D

33/1

Recent form looks more like a bad Scrabble rack with his first completion for five runs coming last time. May well have needed that run but nowhere near the form he showed for his sole win; stable are struggling, not hard to ignore.

Form: 7PUP-P8

Non-Runners

Bolton Boy¹⁷

Weight: 11-10| Age: 5

T: Tim Vaughan J: Charlie Price

Racing Spirit²¹

Weight: 10-4| Age: 7

T: Dave Roberts J: R Patrick

Forecasts

Agent Westy (11/4), Urtheonethatiwant (7/2), Artichoke Heart (9/2), Racing Spirit (5/1), His Dream (6/1), Isla Di Milano (13/2), Love The Leader (7/1), Bolton Boy (16/1), Our Delboy (20/1), The Lion Man (33/1)

Not a hugely appealing event for backers with all of the leading protagonists having something to prove. Love The Leader should have a say in the finish as he reverts to hurdles having been in good form over fences but its over four years since he defied a mark this high. Racing Spirit is hard to recommend given his overall record despite a reasonable run last time while Urtheonethatiwant has a plausible chance on form but does have a sizeable absence to overcome against some race fit rivals. ARTICHOKE HEART has knocked on the door of late finding just one too good twice and despite about her staying power she’s taken to go one better here as she presents the most solid option.