13:30 Ludlow

Thursday 3 March 2022

All13:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:00

Alan Bore Belated 50th Birthday Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 3m 57.6s

Hidor De Bersy⁶¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: Aidan Coleman| T: T Symonds| OR: 120| D

9/4

Huntingdon bumper winner who made it third time lucky over hurdles with plenty in hand at Fakenham on New Year's Day. Jumped notably well on that occasion and there's improvement still to come.

Form: 1-231

Knickerbockerglory³⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 120| C| D

2/5

Bumper winner here last term and opened hurdles account in good style at Taunton in January. By no means disgraced behind subsequent Grade 2 scorer Aucunrisque last time and this is easier.

Form: 21-4513

Bravethewaves^t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Fergus Gregory| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

125/1

Down the field both starts in bumpers and recent hurdles debut at Doncaster wasn't overly encouraging. More one for handicaps further down the line.

Form: 676

Mac Be Lucky²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams

200/1

Yorgunnabelucky half-brother to 5 winners, including bumper winner Mac Gregory, while dam was a 2m-2½m hurdle/chase winner. However, offered little on hurdles debut over this C&D last month.

Form: 50

Regal Pretender⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Charlie Hammond| T: M Young

200/1

Poor in bumpers and hasn't fared much better in 2 starts over hurdles here in recent months.

Form: 56P7

Tika Moon²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: R P McLernon| T: P R Webber

80/1

Fared better than previously when third in a 2m Worcester bumper last summer, but pulled up switched to hurdles back from a break at Bangor 20 days ago.

Form: 8-43P

Zucayan²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Slatter⁽⁵⁾| T: F O'Brien

8/1

Runner-up first 3 starts in bumpers and offered something to work on when fourth of 15 in a C&D novice starting out over hurdles last month. Each-way chance.

Form: 22264

Bashful²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Craig Nichol| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

66/1

Fairly useful Flat winner for Andrew Balding, but he didn't show much at all on hurdles debut at Doncaster.

Form: P

Reams Of Love¹⁷³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: J J Burke| T: D J Jeffreys| BF

33/1

Fair performer on the Flat for Mark Johnston, winner of 11.6f Bath handicap in September. Sold for £22,000 at the end of last year and worth a second look on hurdles debut for new connections.

Form:

Glance At Me

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Harrison Beswick⁽⁵⁾| T: Andrew Martin

100/1

Limited appeal on paper and, unless the betting suggests otherwise, she's probably best watched on debut here.

Form:

Non-Runners

Glen Again¹³²

Weight: 10-4| Age: 4

T: Ian Williams J: C J Todd

Danita¹⁰¹

Weight: 10-0| Age: 4

T: H Main J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Knickerbockerglory (2/5), Hidor De Bersy (9/4), Glen Again (6/1), Zucayan (8/1), Reams Of Love (33/1), Danita (33/1), Bashful (66/1), Tika Moon (80/1), Glance At Me (100/1), Bravethewaves (125/1), Regal Pretender (200/1), Mac Be Lucky (200/1)

This is likely to boil down to a straight fight between HIDOR DE BERSY and Knickerbockerglory. The latter is strongly respected having finished a respectable third behind a very useful and progressive novice at Wincanton last time, but Hidor de Bersy impressed with his slick jumping when landing the odds at Fakenham and he is preferred. Zucayan and Flat recruit Glen Again are each-way contenders.