15:55 Ludlow

Thursday 24 October 2024

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:40

KLF Insurance Brokers Champion Stakes Handicap Hurdle (Div 1)

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 4m 54.10s

Prince De Juilley^p¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: J J Burke| T: A Ralph| OR: 100| D

8/1

Knocking on the door before getting off the mark at Warwick in May but it's been mostly downhill since and he again looks vulnerable.

Form: 2198P3

Image of Stars that are filled with the colour gold

Mac's Xpress^p³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Brendan Powell| T: C Ellam| OR: 96

66/1

Still looking for first success and he's hard to warm to on the back of a very low-key debut for this yard at Fontwell last month.

Form: 744759

Faerie Cutlass^t³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Thomas Bellamy| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 90

10/3

Successful at Worcester in May 2023 and hasn't done a great deal wrong since, most recently finishing third of 11 in a Warwick handicap (19f, good) last month. 1 lb lower now and she should make her presence felt.

Form: 3-362F3

Ginger Jonny^t¹⁸⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: David Bass| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 88| D

6/1

This point winner hasn't cut much ice under Rules so far and while it's still early days, a significant step forward will be needed if he's to play a leading role here.

Form: 1/6658-

Propelled^b1³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 86| BF

10/1

From a top yard and a reproduction of his second-placed effort at Stratford in July would give him a fighting chance. However, that was followed by a tame display at Fontwell and the first-time blinkers will need to work the oracle if he's to get his head in front.

Form: 586-52P

Absolutely Fine⁵³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: Kielan Woods| T: D Skelton| OR: 84| BF

9/4

Nothing to shout about in his qualifying runs but there was certainly improvement when third in an 11-runner novices' handicap back from a break/wind op upped to 23f at Worcester (good). Remains open to improvement for his leading yard.

Form: 7679-3

Newtonian^p¹⁴⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: Stan Sheppard| T: M Sheppard| OR: 82| BF

16/1

Belatedly off the mark when landing a handicap hurdle at Warwick (25f, good to soft) in May but followed that with an uninspiring performance at Bangor later that month. Absent since and it's probably safer to look elsewhere.

Form: 4443-1P

Pooch^p,t¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: William Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 80

11/1

Glimmers of ability in 4 runs for Harriet Dickin earlier this year but, having undergone a wind op during the summer, he hasn't troubled the judge in a couple of starts for his new yard.

Form: 435597

Rubys Reward^t³⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Ben Jones| T: Mrs D A Hamer| OR: 75

13/2

Just 1 lb higher than for her Worcester success last summer and she has acquitted herself well the last twice, latterly finishing fifth of 11 at Fontwell (25.8f, good). Place possibilities.

Form: 5-48525

The Last Melon¹³⁸⁵

Age: 12| Weight: 10-2| J: William Featherstone⁽⁷⁾| T: J Bennett| OR: 70

200/1

This veteran remains winless following 24 starts overall (Flat and jumps) and he can only be watched on the back of a long layoff.

Form: 757766/

Non-Runners

Maska Du Morvan¹⁴

Weight: 10-4| Age: 7

T: Joe Ponting J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Absolutely Fine (9/4), Faerie Cutlass (10/3), Ginger Jonny (6/1), Rubys Reward (13/2), Prince De Juilley (8/1), Propelled (10/1), Pooch (11/1), Newtonian (16/1), Maska Du Morvan (33/1), Mac's Xpress (66/1), The Last Melon (200/1)

If there is one of these who is better than their current mark it's surely ABSOLUTELY FINE, who shaped well when third on his handicap debut at Worcester last month and he can be expected to build on that here. Faerie Cutlass gets the nod for forecast purposes ahead of Rubys Reward.