14:05 Ludlow

Thursday 4 March 2021

All12:3013:0013:3014:0514:4015:1515:50

Forbra Gold Cup Handicap Chase

Off time: 14:05 | Winning time: 6m 27.38s

Valtor⁶¹

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 142| D

11/1

Couple of good efforts last term and went with more encouragement than the result implies on his reappearance. Unable to build on that twice since but mark is easing.

Form: 532-068

Wandrin Star^t⁶⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 140| D

13/2

Enhanced good record fresh when runner-up on first start following a wind op at Ascot in November. In nothing like the same form in the Rowland Merrick a month later.

Form: 6/189-26

Champagne Mystery²⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 135

10/3

Wide-margin winner on chasing debut at Aintree (19.9f) last season but unable to build on that thereafter. Fell early after wind op in Caspian Caviar Gold Cup on return and then pulled up at Sandown.

Form: 122P-FP

Rocco⁵⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-3| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 131| D

4/1

Fairly useful hurdler/chaser who ran as well as he ever has when hitting the crossbar at Kempton (20.5f) in November. Failed to go with any fluency despite being upped to 3m at that venue latest.

Form: 32P-528

Ready And Able⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 129| D

17/2

Useful hurdler at best and also won 3-runner novice chase in July 2019. Heavy defeats completed starts this season raises questions, however.

Form: 133-69F

Calipso Collonges^t²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-0| J: Fergus Gregory⁽³⁾| T: O Murphy| OR: 128

4/1

Just one win to his name over fences. Sets a couple of stiff tasks during the turn of the year and offered more eased slightly in class when third at Sandown a month ago.

Form: 462-4P3

As You Like¹⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 10-13| J: W T Kennedy| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 127| D

20/1

Tends to peak during the summer, as he did last year when adding to his tally at Southwell in July. Little impact on last 6 starts but drying ground will help his cause.

Form: 60P48P

Head To The Stars²⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 10-11| J: T J O'Brien| T: H D Daly| OR: 125| CD

13/2

Landed this race a year ago and now finds himself 1 lb lower in the weights but that's but that's courtesy of 3 heavy defeats so far this season.

Form: 261-PPP

Forecasts

Champagne Mystery (10/3), Rocco (4/1), Calipso Collonges (4/1), Head To The Stars (13/2), Wandrin Star (13/2), Ready And Able (17/2), Valtor (11/1), As You Like (20/1)

Working out which of these will be on a 'going day' is no easy assignment, with CHAMPAGNE MYSTERY getting the very tentative vote up in trip. Calipso Collonges and Rocco are potential threats.