15:00 Ludlow

Sunday 14 May 2017

All14:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:00

Welsh Guards Association Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:03 | Winning time: 5m 2.7s

Settings

Selected odds by:

Beau Du Brizais¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Sean Houlihan⁽⁷⁾| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 120

4/1

Winner twice in handicap company over hurdles. Latest of those successes came over 2m3f at Taunton (good-to-firm) last month when ridden by today's rider and looks likely to appreciate this step up in trip.

Form: F41441-

Royal Supremo¹⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 115

7/2

Put a couple of poor runs in December behind him when beaten 4¾L when finishing third of nine over 3m1f at Huntingdon (good) last time out. Interesting if repeating that effort today.

Form: 2/11373-

McKenzie's Friend^b1⁸⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: L P Aspell| T: O Sherwood| OR: 114

4/1

Registered a double at Plumpton in December 2015 but below par since. Beaten 5¼L at Wincanton off this mark on soft ground last time out and wears blinkers for the first time here.

Form: P2/6035-

Western Miller²⁰⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: C E Longsdon| OR: 114

4/1

Sole success came on good ground at Carlisle in October 2015. Beaten 21L over an extended 2m5f at Fontwell (good-to-soft) in October and returns from a lay-off in this.

Form: 5827/04-

Cup Of Ambition^t¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-2| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: M Keighley| OR: 110

14/1

Won a point-to-point at the fourth attempt in Ireland in December 2016. Staying on when hampered and unseating his rider off this mark at Kempton last time out and interesting upped in trip today.

Form: 91042-U

Whatthebutlersaw¹⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: M D Grant| T: D J S Ffrench Davis| OR: 109

5/1

Winner over C&D off a 5lb lower mark on good ground last month. Also successful on good ground at Fontwell this season and likely to run well if repeating that latest effort.

Form: U/31261-

Phangio^p¹⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 10-7| J: Stan Sheppard⁽³⁾| T: M Sheppard| OR: 101

16/1

Ran out the 23L winning of a handicap chase over 3m2f at Chepstow (good-to-firm) last month off a 9lb lower mark. Well beaten for previous stable on most recent hurdles effort at Clonmel 12 months ago and interesting to see how he fares in this.

Form: 37521-3

Kitegen²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Jamie Bargary⁽³⁾| T: R Dickin| OR: 94

28/1

Three times a winner in his career so far but most recent of those was over three years ago. Very well handicapped on his old form but below par in recent runs.

Form: 442/7P0-

Non-Runners

Breaking Bits³

Weight: 11-7| Age: 10

T: Jamie Snowden J: M G Nolan

Becauseshesaidso¹³¹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 9

T: Miss V Williams J: L Treadwell

Forecasts

Royal Supremo (7/2), Western Miller (4/1), Beau Du Brizais (4/1), Breaking Bits (4/1), McKenzie's Friend (4/1), Whatthebutlersaw (5/1), Becauseshesaidso (12/1), Cup Of Ambition (14/1), Phangio (16/1), Kitegen (28/1)

Point-to-point winner CUP OF AMBITION can register a first rules success on his second outing in handicap company in this competitive hurdle event. Martin Keighley's charge was staying on under his amateur rider in a 2m contest prior to being hampered and unseating his rider two from home and he is taken to defeat Beau Du Brizais who races off a mark 4lb higher than when successful at Taunton last month with Royal Supremo, third last time out at Huntingdon the selection to claim third in this.