4.35pm Ludlow Tips & Betting Preview 26/10/2017

4.35pm Ludlow tips for Thursday’s race. Two miles over hurdles for the twelve entries with close to two stone in weight from top to bottom. Read on for our free betting tips, predictions and analysis.

IN SUMMARY: A decent sort on the flat this summer, BANDITRY ran really well to win over hurdles last time out and looked as if he had plenty left in the tank if ever seriously threatened.  His handicap rating looks fair enough and he can only get better with further experience.

1 PERUVIAN BLEU – With his 100% win record here after two starts he has to be added to any shortlist but his fourth to Our Kylie at Sedgefield last time out leaves him with a little bit more to find to get involved in the finish. Dropped a pound for that run he is heading toward a winning rating and could find this course brings him back to his best.

2 BANDITRY – Ian Williams’ five-year-old had a productive summer on the flat including a win in a Class Two handicap at Newmarket, and continued in good heart last time out at Southwell to get off the mark over hurdles at the fourth attempt. Although only successful by two and three-quarter lengths that day he wasn’t hard pushed and a mark of 121 seems fair enough for his hurdling handicap debut. 

3 QUIDS IN – Only a youngster at the age of four but he has had six starts over hurdles, winning one at Uttoxeter and placing in three others. He arrives here race fit after a five-length fifth at Nottingham on the flat earlier this month but doesn’t look particularly well handicapped and he could struggle in this company for trainer Oliver Greenall. 

4 CAPTAIN FELIX – A winner last time out at Huntingdon when beating Wot A Shot by seven lengths and runs here carrying a seven pounds penalty before being reassessed by the handicapper. Trainer James Eustace will be hoping the five-year-old can improve again on that run and he does have some decent enough placed form but his added weight may be enough to stop him here.

5 EXCELLENT TEAM – Trainer Dan Skelton has his horses going well enough with eight winners in the last two weeks for a 17% success rate and will be hoping he can get the son of Teofilo to follow up his course and distance victory of just over two weeks ago. He has been put up six pounds for that, but is still very well weighted if he can get back to his novice efforts and won’t be far away if arriving here in the same sort of form.

6 LORD FENDALE – A winner at Tipperary when trained in Ireland by Shane Donohoe and entitled to need his first run for Tim Vaughan when returning from fourteen months off at Bangor, weakening three out to be beaten forty-eight lengths after being eased. He ought to strip fitter her but has a lot more to find and doesn’t look particularly well handicapped either. 

7 SHINGHARI – Another ex-Irish runner here as the five-year-old has his first run for Alexandra Dunn having been trained by Denis Hogan before his move. Still a maiden over hurdles after three starts and with one win from thirteen on the flat, he clearly has plenty of ability, but needs to find a lot more in this company and may be best watched for now.

8 KING ALFONSO – Rated 108 over hurdles this afternoon, Dai Burchell’s son of Desert King has been running well over fences lately and is just as well handicapped over the smaller obstacles. A course and distance winner from three starts here at Ludlow, he cannot be simply dismissed but may well jump these flights on the big side which would reduce his chances considerably. 

9 POLISHED ROCK – Clearly has his issues with just the two starts since October 2014, one when fifth of seven at Fontwell on his one run for Alison Batchelor in April 2016, and the latest on his only start so far for Johnny Farrelly when eighth of ten at Southwell at the beginning of this month. He may well strip a lot fitter now but does have a lot to find on what he has shown of late and is difficult to make a case for in this field.

10 NEW MILLENNIUM – Looked the sort to find a race or two earlier in the year with a good five-length fourth to Man From Mars in April but he failed to match or better that on his return in September when stone cold last (beaten ninety lengths) at Worcester when sent off a 7/1 chance. That was too bad to be true and he could do better now for trainer Philip Hobbs but until he shows signs of a return to form he is hard to suggest regardless of the opposition.

11 DOLLAR AND DREAM – Two wins from twenty-two starts over hurdles and fifteen unsuccessful runs since his last victory when trained in Ireland by Tony Martin. Now with Michael Mullineaux, he has had six races for his new stable without any signs of a win coming (or even a place), and although dropped another two pounds today, he does look unlikely to get involved in the finish regardless.

12 DALMARELLA DANCER – On the positive side, she has been sent over from Ireland to compete here which suggests trainer David Dunne thinks she can be competitive, but on the other hand she refused to race last time out at Limerick and clearly has her attitude problems. With no recent form worthy of consideration she may be best watched today, unless there is any evidence of a gamble on race day, of course.