Racecards
16:00 Ludlow
Old Wolverhampton Book Club Handicap Hurdle (Class 4)
- 17 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f
- Going: Good
- Surface: Turf
- £7,000 added
Blaeberry
19- Form 34-1463
- Age 6
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 114
- Trainer Miss E C Lavelle
- Jockey B Fenton
held up towards rear, headway 7th, led after 8th, headed last, no extra
- Form 5-735F5
- Age 7
- Weight 11-11
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey Jimmy McCarthy
tracked leaders, ridden and weakened 3 out
The Grey Man
105- Form 821/517
- Age 6
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer J W Mullins
- Jockey R Young
led, jumped left 3rd, headed and weakened after 4 out
- Form 7P-5910
- Age 8
- Weight 11-8
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey S Thomas
towards rear, headway 8th, ridden to chase leading trio and weakened 2 out
- Form 20-2170
- Age 5
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer H D Daly
- Jockey M Bradburne
mid-division, headway after 7th, ridden and every chance when hit 2 out, led last, all out
- Form 024
- Age 6
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 102
- Trainer P & M Bowen
- Jockey P J Brennan
tracked leaders, ridden 4 out, soon weakened
- Form 3P-B3P1
- Age 8
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 105
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
in rear when fell 3rd
- Form 6-487
- Age 6
- Weight 11-2
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Tony Evans
tracked leaders, mistake 6th, ridden and weakened 4 out
Hoh Nelson
29- Form 13/P74-6
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer Mrs A Price
- Jockey L Stephens
in rear when fell 5th
- Form 324252
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Official Rating 102
towards rear, short lived effort 7th
- Form F07-P89
- Age 5
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer Miss S J Wilton
- Jockey N D Fehily
in touch, tracking leader when hit 7th, weakened next, pulled up before 3 out
- Form 23645
- Age 5
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer P Hobbs & J White
- Jockey T J O'Brien
always in rear
- Form 436255
- Age 9
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 95
- Trainer J Groucott
- Jockey D A Jacob
in touch, ridden and lost place 6th, tailed off 4 out
- Form 7P-5002
- Age 5
- Weight 10-5
- Official Rating 93
- Trainer Miss V Williams
- Jockey P C O'Neill
held up towards rear, slow jump 6th, headway 4 out, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
- Form 3P08-6P
- Age 8
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer S A Brookshaw
- Jockey J Huet
mid-division, weakened 8th, tailed off from 3 out
- Form P5-P783
- Age 8
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 91
held up, ridden from 7th, stayed on
In depth
Verdict
Blaeberry can defy topweight at the expense of Island Light, River Ripples, Golden Feather and Farmers Lad to name but four in a wide-open contest. There are many in with claims here, and so only the most modest of votes goes to Blaeberry who had the class to beat subsequent dual winner Minella Tipperary under topweight on good ground at Exeter in October. Since then, Emma Lavelle's six-year-old has contested better class contests on softer ground, and so this drop down in grade, and return to more suitable conditions will hopefully work the oracle. Certainly, using the Minella Tipperrary form as a yardstick, he has a great chance at the weights, racing today off a mark of 114. Island Light scored on his debut for Alison Thorpe here in October, and is another that will go on the drying ground. He is also weighted to reverse form with Hot Lips Page who finished ahead of him when they met here over a shorter trip on softer ground in December. Fellow course-and-distance winner River Ripples in contrast may not find conditions to his liking, and will no doubt be going back over fences in due course. Golden Feather showed improvement last time and hails from the stable that won this last year with Gan Eagla, while Farmers Lad is yet another to note, with his stable still in form. Add the likes of The Grey Man and Ordre de Battaile and you have the makings of a competitive affair, but we remain loyal to Blaeberry.
Formwatch
Huckster (ZIM) 16-1 (11-2) Towards rear, hit 6th, ridden and headway 9th, weakened after 3 out, 12th of 17, 44l behind Mikado (11-8) at Ascot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Dec.
Michabo (IRE) 5-1 (11-4) In touch, slow jump and lost place 3rd, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 16, 29l behind Shannon Springs (11-4) at Ludlow 3m mdn hdl (4) gd in Feb.
River Ripples (IRE) 15-2 (10-13) In touch, led 3 out, ridden 2 out, ran on well, won at Ludlow 2m 5f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gs beating Warpath (11-12) by 3l, 10 ran.
Beat The Boys (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Mid-division, closer order 4th, led 7th, headed after 4 out, soon ridden and weakened 3 out, 7th of 16, 41l behind Shannon Springs (11-4) at Ludlow 3m mdn hdl (4) gd in Feb.
Hot Lips Page (FR) 9-2 (11-6) Held up, headway 3 out, chased winner 2 out, no impression, 2nd of 8, 5l behind Cusp (11-4) at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) sft.
Farmer's Lad (IRE) 6-1 (11-3) Left in lead 1st, headed 3 out, weakened after 2 out, 5th of 11, 15l behind Wise Owl (11-3) at Taunton 2m 1f mdn hdl (4) gs in Feb.
Golden Feather 7-1 (11-5) Mid-division, smooth headway 4 out, soon chasing leaders, ridden to lead before 2 out, headed and no extra flat, 2nd of 19, 1 1/2l behind Wotashambles (10-10) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) sft in Feb.
Island Light (USA) 5-2 (11-5) Held up, headway after 6th, led, hit 3 out, headed, no extra flat, 4th of 16, 3 1/2l behind Tora Petcha (11-2) at Ludlow 2m hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gs in Dec.