16:05 Ludlow

Thursday 26 October 2023

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:1117:1217:41

Vera Davies Mares' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 16:05 | Winning time: 5m 24.80s

Baby Sage¹⁹⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King

5/2

Made a winning bumper debut at Warwick in February. Not up to a Grade 2 at the Aintree Grand National meeting subsequently but remains a nice hurdle prospect.

Form: 10-

Caught A Vibe²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Christian Williams

300/1

Placed in points but more one for the longer term under Rules judged on her Bangor hurdle debut 3 weeks ago.

Form: P32-5

Crimson Ruby¹⁵¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: W Greatrex

80/1

Well beaten in 2 bumpers and a novice hurdle in the spring.

Form: 00-5

Faha Belle¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Daire Davis⁽⁷⁾| T: F O'Brien

14/1

Winning pointer who has shown a fair level of ability in bumpers 5 months apart. Hurdle debut.

Form: 51-52

Friars Island Lady^t1¹⁶⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: S Thomas

12/1

£16,000 purchase after winning at the eighth time of asking in Irish points in May. Betting should help guide to expectations now hurdling for new connections with a tongue strap added.

Form: 24P23-1

Kit's Coty³¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: Miss E C Lavelle

11/2

Cost £60,000 after being placed on all 3 starts in Irish points. Stable in good form so has to enter the reckoning, particularly if the betting vibes are strong.

Form: 332-

Melusine De Pail²³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: J J Burke| T: Noel Williams

28/1

Bought for £10,000 after winning on the last of 4 starts in points in March. One to note in the betting.

Form: 45F1-

Sparkling Bird⁸⁸⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Bannister| T: David Dennis

125/1

Successful on second of 2 starts in Irish points in May 2021. It's taken a while to get her to the track so probably best to look elsewhere unless the betting strongly hints otherwise.

Form: 31/

Victoria Milano²⁰⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: A Ralph

28/1

Fourth of 5 finishers sole outing in Irish points (Apr 9). A watching brief is advised now hurdling.

Form: 4-

Von Hallers²⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls

15/2

Presenting mare who is a half-sister to bumper winner/fair 19f hurdle winner Blue Hop. Winner of the second of her 2 starts between the flags and will be of interest on Rules debut if the market vibes are upbeat. Stable won this race last year.

Form: P/1-

Ann D'arabie

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R P McLernon| T: J & A O'Neill

50/1

Montmartre filly. Half-sister to fairly useful hurdler/useful chaser So Scottish and winning hurdler/chaser in France up to 21f Salsa d'Arabie. Needs checking out in the betting on debut.

Form:

Little Talks¹⁷²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: J M Quinlan| T: N B King

66/1

Runner-up only start in Irish points (May 7). Yet another in this race who is worth a second look in the market.

Form: 2

Sammy's Guarantee²⁰¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Stan Sheppard| T: T Lacey

33/1

Black Sam Bellamy filly. Dam (h95), bumper winner, half-sister to smart hurdler/useful chaser (stayed 3m) Thomas Brown. Runner-up sole outing in point bumpers. One to note in the betting now hurdling for a yard more than capable of readying one.

Form: 2-

Saunton Surf¹⁶⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: James Bowen| T: W Greatrex

5/1

Winner of a point bumper on debut in March and followed up in an Aintree bumper (for Bradley Gibbs) 2 months later. Interesting recruit to hurdles for new yard.

Form: 1-1

Star Of Hoiho²⁰¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero

18/1

Picked up for £40,000 after winning her second start in Irish points. Stable going well.

Form: 61-

Time In The Sun¹⁷⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: R Patrick| T: H D Daly

17/2

Much better effort in bumpers earlier in the year when close second here in May. Her pedigree points to this longer trip suiting now hurdling. Stable no stranger to success in this contest.

Form: 8-2

Forecasts

Baby Sage (5/2), Saunton Surf (5/1), Kit's Coty (11/2), Von Hallers (15/2), Time In The Sun (17/2), Friars Island Lady (12/1), Faha Belle (14/1), Star Of Hoiho (18/1), Victoria Milano (28/1), Melusine De Pail (28/1), Sammy's Guarantee (33/1), Ann D'arabie (50/1), Little Talks (66/1), Crimson Ruby (80/1), Sparkling Bird (125/1), Caught A Vibe (300/1)

Plenty with potential in a race where the betting is likely to be informative. The suggestion is SAUNTON SURF who has switched to the Warren Greatrex yard since her stylish Aintree bumper win in May. Alan King's Baby Sage is another who showed enough in bumpers to think she can make her presence felt in a race like this, while the likes of Von Hallers, who represents last year's winning yard, Kit's Coty and Star of Hoiho are interesting recruits from the Irish pointing field.