13:25 Ludlow

Wednesday 8 February 2023

All13:2513:5514:3015:0015:3016:0016:30

Racing To School Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race)

Age: 4| Weight: 11-7| J: J E Moore| T: G & J Moore| BF

Zarak gelding who looked a good prospect when landing newcomers race at Auteuil (14.9f) sole start for David Cottin back in April. Sent off 4/11, checked out tamely on British debut at Sandown but was possibly amiss and remains with potential.

Form: 1-3

Benjamin Bear⁶⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: A King

Dam half-sister to useful hurdler (stays 3m) Kashmir Peak: Fair on Flat, stays 1¼m, won in summer, well held last time. Never able to land a blow on December's hurdles debut.

Form: 6

Faded Fantasy¹¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams

Modest maiden on the Flat for Ger Lyons. Market should prove a good guide on his hurdling debut for new yard.

Form:

Greatness Awaits¹⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Kielan Woods| T: B Pauling

Fair handicapper on Flat (stays 1½m), won at Epsom last time. Has left Mick Channon (good source of jumps winners) and joined an in-form NH yard.

Form:

Jacks Profit¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: James Bowen| T: P D Evans

Half-brother to Kubali (2¼m-2½m jumps winner abroad, by Approve). Fair handicapper on Flat (stays 1½m), again ran creditably last time. Stamina no issue now hurdling.

Form:

Nadim^t1¹⁷⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Reed| T: M F Harris

Third foal, dam smart 1¼m-1½m winner in Germany. Modest form when winning 10.5f minor event on Flat at Mons-Ghlin for C. von der Recke in 2022, unplaced in handicap at Hoppegarten final start. That form is hard to weigh up as he now goes hurdling. Tongue tied.

Form:

Open Champion¹³⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| BF

Fairly useful form on Flat (stays 1¾m), won maiden in August before mid-field in 2 useful handicaps. Sold from Roger Varian £70,000 in October and joined another top stable. Has to be of interest.

Form:

Postmark^t⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Mitchell Bastyan| T: M F Harris

Useful on Flat, stays 1¼m, won twice in summer. Didn't display much aptitude for hurdling at Kempton in December but he's surely better than that.

Form: 7

Sous Surveillance¹²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Ffrench-Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: D J S Ffrench Davis

Poor maiden on the Flat for Alan King, so makes little appeal now going hurdling.

Form:

The Rebel Breen^p,t³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Kimber⁽³⁾| T: Katy Price

Modest maiden on Flat (stays 10.5f), mid-division in minor event last time. Headgear left on for switch to obstacles.

Form:

Feryl Beryl^p³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Chris Ward⁽³⁾| T: Deborah Cole

Scorpion filly. Half-sister to bumper winner Duke of Rockingham. Dam, maiden pointer, half-sister to unreliable but useful hurdler/chaser (stayed 3m) Ohio Gold. Minor promise only in a brace of bumpers, set a stiff task latest.

Form: 70

Forecasts

Bo Zenith (4/5), Open Champion (3/1), Greatness Awaits (7/1), Postmark (12/1), Jacks Profit (14/1), Nadim (20/1), Faded Fantasy (25/1), Benjamin Bear (25/1), Feryl Beryl (66/1), Sous Surveillance (100/1), The Rebel Breen (100/1)

Backing BO ZENITH clearly comes with risks attached given how tamely he checked out at Sandown but his win in France prior to that is solid form and he's in the right hands to get back on track here. Open Champion and Greatness Awaits could be the main dangers.