14:25 Ludlow

Thursday 23 March 2023

All14:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:50

Balfours LLP Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:25 | Winning time: 3m 56.72s

Welsh Charger²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: J J Burke| T: A Ralph| OR: 111| BF| CD

10/11

Just minor promise in bumpers but much more like it over hurdles, confirming debut promise when landing a C&D maiden in February. Similar form when second under a penalty to Jacks Profit back here 3 weeks ago without looking the finished article. Leading claims.

Form: 6-5212

Fuji Rocks^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

6/1

Travelled well when third in 2 bumpers in the autumn and promise without threatening in a couple of hurdle outings, midfield in 15-runner C&D maiden won by Welsh Charger back from 13 weeks off in February. Very much the type to do better.

Form: 3367

Gallopade^h²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-5| J: H Cobden| T: W Greatrex| D

4/1

Schiaparelli gelding who won both bumper starts last season and left hurdles debut effort behind when third in a first-time hood behind Jacks Profit and Welsh Charger in C&D novice 3 weeks ago. Needs to settle better if he's to make a greater impact in this sphere.

Form: 11-63

Happy Sanchez²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-5| J: James Best| T: M Young

150/1

Unplaced sole start in points and more one for handicaps over further based on 2 hurdle runs 8 months apart (trained by Declan Queally in Ireland first occasion).

Form: 770

My Boy Grizzle⁷²⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-5| J: Benjamin Poste| T: C Ellam| BF

80/1

Fame And Glory gelding. Dam unraced half-sister to fairly useful hurdler Supreme Huntress. Hooded and very strong in the betting in a Tipperary bumper in March 2021 but ultimately held back by inexperience. Off since and has left J. D. Motherway.

Form: 4/

Jacks Profit^t⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: R T Dunne| T: P D Evans| CD

3/1

Fair handicapper on Flat (stays 1½m). Proved different proposition to hurdling debut when landing 12-runner C&D novice from Welsh Charger at the start of the month and continued good work to add to his tally back on Flat at Wolverhampton (12.2f). Got to be in the mix returned to timber.

Form: 01

My Virtue^h¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Alex Edwards⁽³⁾| T: Mrs M Rowley

150/1

Off the mark in points at the third attempt (match) but showed nothing in a bumper at Aintree (sole outing for Katie Ayres) and again in pair of maiden hurdles for new yard in recent months.

Form: 9S1-907

Sawpit Samantha⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: S Drinkwater

150/1

Debut effort in a bumper wasn't completely devoid of encouragement but has shown little both starts over hurdles. Needs this for a handicap mark.

Form: 6-76

John The Baptist^h,t²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-9| J: Liam Harrison⁽³⁾| T: F O'Brien

25/1

Fairly useful at best on Flat (stays 1m) but essentially on the downgrade in that sphere. Never involved but not knocked about when eighth behind a number of these on yard/hurdles debut over C&D at the start of the month.

Form: 8

Forecasts

Welsh Charger (10/11), Jacks Profit (3/1), Gallopade (4/1), Fuji Rocks (6/1), John The Baptist (25/1), My Boy Grizzle (80/1), My Virtue (150/1), Sawpit Samantha (150/1), Happy Sanchez (150/1)

WELSH CHARGER finished 2¾ lengths second to re-opposing Jacks Profit when the pair met in a C&D novice 3 weeks ago but gets a 7 lb swing at the weights on this occasion and could well be up to reversing the placings. His old rival is a clear threat following his subsequent success on the Flat, with Fuji Rocks also worth keeping an eye on.