12:25 Ludlow

Friday 5 January 2024

All12:2513:0013:3514:1014:4515:2015:55

Ludlow Junior 'National Hunt' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 12:25 | Winning time: 4m 5.96s

Catboy¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Jack Tudor| T: Christian Williams

66/1

Has shown a bit but might be further down the line before he starts to reveal his true potential.

Form: 753

Hill Spirit²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: Nick Scholfield| T: A Watson

9/2

Fair form when in the frame in 3 bumpers. Should be up to making presence felt in a race like this now hurdling.

Form: 324

Kadiwo

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: N F Houlihan| T: G & J Moore

20/1

Half-brother to 4 winners, including smart hurdler Lucky One (15f-21f winner). Dam 11f-13f winner on Flat in France. Makes paper appeal for his in-form stable. One to monitor closely in the betting.

Form:

Love Tree¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: James Bowen| T: James Owen| CD

4/6

Readily saw off the reopposing Dameofthecotswolds by 7½ lengths on her C&D hurdle debut 16 days ago. Open to improvement and should make a bold bid to defy the penalty.

Form: 221

Ravanelli⁴³

Age: 4| Weight: 11-0| J: G Sheehan| T: J Candlish

25/1

Dark Angel gelding who showed clear signs of ability when third of 7 in bumper at Newcastle (1¾m, good to soft) in November, fading in the closing stages. Whether he possesses the stamina for hurdling remains to be seen but this is a sharp test.

Form: 3

Dameofthecotswolds¹⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| BF

4/1

Had Love Tree behind in second when winning her bumper but proved no match for James Owen's filly when second on her recent C&D hurdle debut. 7 lb better off with her old rival now but it may not be enough.

Form: 512

Speiriuil²²

Age: 4| Weight: 10-7| J: Lorcan Murtagh| T: N J Hawke

40/1

Half-sister to 2 winners on Flat. Sent off at 125/1 but did show ability when 15 lengths third in a 2m Taunton juvenile hurdle on debut. May do better.

Form: 3

Non-Runners

Alduni's Girl⁴¹

Weight: 10-7| Age: 4

T: Deborah Cole J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Love Tree (4/6), Dameofthecotswolds (4/1), Hill Spirit (9/2), Kadiwo (20/1), Ravanelli (25/1), Speiriuil (40/1), Alduni's Girl (50/1), Catboy (66/1)

LOVE TREE and Dameofthecotswolds meet for the fourth time this season. The former took the score to 2-1 in her favour when comfortably seeing off her old rival on their respective C&D hurdle debuts 18 days ago and is taken to come out on top again. Gary Moore's well-bred newcomer Kadiwo could pose a big threat to both if the betting suggests he's fancied.