Bayard - Ludlow 2.40 8 King Of The Wolds - each way 16/1 (B365/PP/BV/Sky)
There is racing today at Ffos Llas; Ludlow and Newcastle (AW); a number of big field Novice Hurdle
Races look destined for the bigger yards and shorter priced horses, and not too many numbers wise
in the other races, so the stand out race is the 2.40 at Ludlow, a 3 mile Chase with 15 runners.
It is a tough race to fathom but Bayard is very much a Course regular (a Member) and has
looked deeply in to the race for us, with his following analysis.
The two unexposed horses, Calett Mad and Sugar Baron could be "anything" but the former
has to prove its prowess right handed and in better company and the latter has enough concerns
about the trip and its jumping to make the price look too short. Then you come to the likes of
Daveron and Fox Appeal; very nice handicap marks but surely better at a lesser trip than this.
A few of the others like Cerrunous and Gentleman Jon would prefer better ground and showers
are predicted in the morning and that leaves us with a couple of "rogues" in Go West Young Man
and Milan Bound, both have loads of ability but can be very quirky, the Daly horses (GWYM)
though are on fire and always a danger here.
The "page jumper" though is KING OF THE WOLDS, he has been with Matt Shepherd for a
few months and has run twice over inadequate trips. Shepherd trains locally at Eastnor
and his son Stan, a rapidly improving young rider now attached to the Nicholls yard rides
this Course very well and may suit the front running style of the horse. If you look back at
its form with Malcolm Jefferson; the trip, the Going, the handicap mark and right handed;
pose no problems at all, and you start to wonder, "is this some local Owners plot"?
On a poor day of racing options, it looks worth a small each way investment (50% stakes)
and with its prominent running style, if Shepherd can get the fractions right; which he has
done here in the past, he can get a few of them "at it" and run a big race from the front.