Rory Delargy and David Massey return with three selections on today's card at Ludlow.
1pt win Extra Cover in 12:28 Ludlow at 6/1 (General) - min 9/2
1pt win Ip Up in 2:03 Ludlow at 11/2 (General) - take no lower
1pt win Found On in 2:35 Ludlow at 25/1 (General) - take no lower
This is weak, with The Midwife just about setting the standard, but it’s hardly a high bar. You can make some sort of case for Kazontherazz now that Martin Keighley is back among the winners. She's capable if ready after a break, but it's the two unexposed EXTRA COVER that make the most appeal.
Extra Cover is a half-sister to the classy Grade 1 hurdler Thyme Hill, so I don’t need to tell you that this marked increase in trip from two miles to three miles should bring about a whole heap of improvement on her handicap debut today.
The excellent Alice Stevens rides, and Extra Cover looks to have been brought along with staying handicaps in mind, with one run in a bumper followed by the requisite three runs at inadequate trips, and she is starting off on a plater’s mark.
Jolyjump did the job well enough at Southwell a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn’t much of a race, and a 9lb rise looks a little on the steep side. He did jump well, which will stand him in good stead around here, but we prefer the claims of a couple of others.
Ostrava Du Berlais took second in a fairly incident-packed race at Warwick on her chase debut for Venetia Williams at Warwick, but the form is decent enough, with winner Paddy In The Caddy going in again since. She looked straight enough for that run, however (when are they not for that yard?) and preference is for Dromlac Jury.
Dromlac Jury might get a soft lead here, as was the case at Bangor last time out and she looked all over the winner until run down late in the day. In retrospect, the closing sectionals show she’d probably done a bit too much in front and was picked off by one given a more conservative ride.
A hurdles winner around here in March, trainer Tom Symonds continues to find winners and as long as this slightly quicker ground isn’t a bother, I think she can make all.
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Panic Attack is going to gain a lot of the attention on her first start for Dan Skelton and she's undeniably well treated, but she’s been off for 22 months and will surely need the run, one that looks like a means to an end with chasing surely back on the cards sooner or later.
Brenda’s Asking is effectively 13lb higher than when winning two starts back and looks vulnerable after being put in her place by Asian Spice last time, and Not Now Nathaniel has been beaten twice at short odds since winning a weak affair at Bangor in June.
Tour Ovalie scraped home last time and is vulnerable even after a small rise, and Evan Williams has had just one winner from 40-odd runners in the last few weeks.
IP UP looks like she’s working her way towards something, returning to form when second over fences at Uttoxeter last time, where she stuck on well to chase home the prolific Lime Drop, and that looks a solid effort.
She is now just 2lb higher than when winning over hurdles at Newcastle in January, and her stable is in flying form, with the Jedd O’Keeffe’s form in the last few weeks reading 123211513.
This race is giving us a headache, because at some point Martin Keighley is going to decide to stop holding up FOUND ON in her races and fire her out from the front and when that happens, I think she’s going to take some stopping.
She’s now pulled up in four of her last six starts but the last three can be forgiven with those hold-up tactics, and her latest drop in the weights now enables her to take on 0-135 company. We’d rather know that she’s going to be ridden from the front, but 25/1 or thereabouts is a huge price based on her ability, and we’ll have to chance it.
I’ve dispatched David to Ludlow with the express purpose of pinning down the trainer and telling him what needs to be done. If you see a man in glasses gesticulating wildly at Keighley in the parade ring, you’ll know our intrepid reporter is doing the Lord’s work.
Published at 0936 GMT on 04/12/24
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