15:50 Ludlow

Wednesday 26 April 2023

All13:4014:1014:4015:1515:5016:2316:5317:28

Phillip Matthews Memorial Mares' Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 5m 7.91s

Presenting Belle^p,t1³⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-13| J: David Noonan| T: L Wadham| OR: 99

33/1

Had wind op before finishing second in a 7-runner Huntingdon maiden in February but pulled up on all 3 additional starts under Rules, including on subsequent handicap bow at Southwell. Now tried in a tongue strap.

Form: F/PP2P

Regal Renaissance²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-10| J: Alice Stevens⁽⁷⁾| T: H D Daly| OR: 96| CD

15/2

Looks awkward and opened her account with a fortunate success in C&D mares' handicap before Christmas, off bridle long way out and held in second when left in front last. Well held back here following a break/wind op this month, though, and others look stronger.

Form: 444616

Masked Dance⁵⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Alex Edwards| T: Mrs M Rowley| OR: 94

9/1

Made the frame both starts in bumpers and showed ability on hurdles bow when third of 11 in mares' maiden at Southwell in November. However, has failed to build on that since and needs to raise her game now upped in trip for this handicap debut.

Form: 44369

Noplacetobe⁵²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-5| J: Beau Morgan⁽⁷⁾| T: M Scudamore| OR: 91

7/2

Irish point winner who appeared to be getting her act together in this sphere when third of 11 in a heavy-ground Ffos Las handicap (2¾m) on penultimate start. Step in the wrong direction at the same course next time, though, and now has a bit to prove.

Form: 1-34430

Talkingthetalk^p1³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Sheila Lewis| OR: 89

66/1

Left hurdling debut form behind when third in a Wexford maiden on final run for Leonard Whitmore last summer but pulled up on 3 of her 4 starts (well beaten on sole completion) since joining present yard. Cheekpieces applied.

Form: 93PP5P

Jikala³³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-2| J: Ned Fox⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 98

9/2

French import who made it third time lucky for present connections when making all in a Hereford juvenile (16.2f, good to soft) last month. There wasn't much depth to that race but she at least appears to be going the right way and should be in the mix if coping with this step up in trip.

Form: 44251

Mrs Kinsella^t²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Caoilin Quinn⁽⁵⁾| T: R Potter| OR: 87

9/2

Modest ex-Irish maiden hurdler who showed nothing in 2 starts for Billy Aprahamian. Respectable third starting out for this yard back from a 3-month break at Hereford (19.7f, good to soft) and place possibilities here if able to build on that.

Form: 400-083

Whenthepennydrops^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Tristan Durrell⁽⁵⁾| T: D Skelton| OR: 86

11/2

Struggled in first 2 handicaps but was in the process of leaving those efforts behind when, fitted with first-time cheekpieces, falling 2 out at Southwell (20.4f, soft) a fortnight ago. Surely would've been placed (at the very least) had she remains on all fours and leading claims off the same mark.

Form: 64-075F

Passing Kate²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 10-12| J: Conor Ring⁽³⁾| T: G Harris| OR: 84

22/1

Just glimmers of ability so far and while improvement is possible now pitched into a handicap, it will certainly be needed.

Form: 50764

Eaton Lady^t¹⁶³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-9| J: Isabelle Ryder⁽¹⁰⁾| T: G Brown| OR: 81

20/1

Remains a maiden following 17 attempts and whilst she ran better than for a while when third at Leicester (15.5f, good to soft) in November, she'll need to step up again on that if she's to figure here.

Form: 3096P3

Damask³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: Benjamin Poste| T: T Symonds| OR: 86

18/1

Has looked pretty limited in 3 starts in juvenile/maiden company, safely held when fifth behind Jikala at Hereford last time. Another who needs to take a step forward now upped in trip for this handicap debut.

Form: 5U5

Tara Haze²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Isabel Williams⁽³⁾| T: P C Dando| OR: 75

22/1

Looks very limited judged on what she's shown in 2 bumpers and 3 starts over hurdles.

Form: 00-598

Non-Runners

Kalpaga¹

Weight: 12-1| Age: 6

T: Tim Vaughan J: Alan Johns

Forecasts

Kalpaga (5/2), Noplacetobe (7/2), Jikala (9/2), Mrs Kinsella (9/2), Whenthepennydrops (11/2), Regal Renaissance (15/2), Masked Dance (9/1), Damask (18/1), Eaton Lady (20/1), Tara Haze (22/1), Passing Kate (22/1), Presenting Belle (33/1), Talkingthetalk (66/1)

The most appealing of these is WHENTHEPENNYDROPS, who held every chance when falling at the second-last in a Southwell handicap 2 weeks ago and she will surely go close off the same mark here, provided her confidence hasn't been dented by that tumble. Jikala's stamina has to be taken on trust but she appears to be on the up judged on her Hereford success and, armed with a handy 4-y-o weight allowance now handicapping, a bold show could be on the way. Mrs Kinsella is best of the rest.