12:50 Ludlow

Thursday 9 November 2023

All12:1512:5013:2514:0014:3515:1015:4516:20

Rea Valley Tractors Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:50 | Winning time: 4m 3.62s

Fantastic Artist^t⁷⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: A Stronge

18/1

Poor maiden on the Flat so doesn't strike as an obvious one to make a winning start over hurdles.

Form:

Pivotal Sky^p1

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Lorcan Murtagh| T: M Hunt

40/1

Falco gelding. Dam, ran once in bumper/on Flat, sister to bumper winner/useful 2m hurdler Santia. Has cheekpieces fitted for debut. A watching brief is advised.

Form:

Right Now²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Sean Houlihan| T: Sheila Lewis

16/5

Fairly useful maiden on the Flat. Dropped away between the last 2 to finish sixth on his Cork hurdle debut (final start for Joseph O'Brien) but his Flat ability suggests he should be capable of better in this sphere. New yard acquired him for 10,000 gns last month.

Form: 6

Sao Timothy^h¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: C Gethings| T: R Stephens

4/1

Modest maiden on Flat but has shown some promise in low-grade AW handicaps in recent weeks. Hurdle debut.

Form:

Star Turn³³

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: A King

13/2

From a yard which does well in these events but he's looked limited in his 5 Flat starts.

Form:

Stray Bullet^t¹¹

Age: 3| Weight: 11-0| J: David Noonan| T: D Pipe

50/1

Half-brother to fairly useful hurdler Barrua. Fair winner on Flat in France but well held on his completed start over hurdles for this yard last month.

Form: P8

All Blues²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: James Best| T: T R Gretton

28/1

Modest form on Flat in Ireland and down the field on her C&D hurdle debut 29 days ago.

Form: 8

Mawada²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: Ben Jones| T: Sheila Lewis

10/1

Fair maiden on Flat (stays 7.5f) for Richard Fahey. Her stamina perhaps isn't assured now hurdling but she does start out in an ordinary race.

Form:

Saisissante^b,t1⁹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 10-7| J: James Davies| T: Noel Williams

7/4

Fairly useful Flat winner at up to 1¼m in France. Well held in a Newmarket handicap and Stratford juvenile hurdle since joining this yard but could be dangerous if the refitting of a blinkers/tongue tie combination she wore to good effect in France sparks her back to life.

Form: 7

Non-Runners

Balboa²⁶

Weight: 11-7| Age: 3

T: M F Harris J: Harry Reed

Book Of Tales⁵⁴

Weight: 11-7| Age: 3

T: C E Longsdon J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Saisissante (7/4), Book Of Tales (5/2), Balboa (5/2), Right Now (16/5), Sao Timothy (4/1), Star Turn (13/2), Mawada (10/1), Fantastic Artist (18/1), All Blues (28/1), Pivotal Sky (40/1), Stray Bullet (50/1)

This may develop into a fight between previous hurdle winners BOOK OF TALES and Balboa, with a narrow vote going to the former. It's possible the refitting of a headgear combination she wore to good effect on the Flat in France could see Saisissante leave her hurdle debut effort well behind so she's next on the list.