Racecards
12:40 Ludlow
toteplacepot Racing's Favourite Bet Maiden Hurdle (Div 1) (Class 4)
- 10 Runners
- Distance: 1m 7f 169y
- Going: Soft (Good to Soft in places)
- Surface: Turf
- £6,000 added
- Winner: £3,899
- 2nd: £1,145
- 3rd: £572
- 4th: £286
Ben Arthur (IRE)
243- Form P3R21-
- Age 6
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer K C Bailey
- Jockey Thomas Bellamy
mid-division, headway after 6th, ridden before 3 out, soon outpaced and beaten, well held when jumped left 2 out
- Form P14-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey Adrian Heskin
chased leaders, ridden before 3 out, one pace and beaten from next
- Form 4-22
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer D Skelton
- Jockey Ian Popham
always prominent, led 3 out, jumped left and mistake 2 out, hit last, hung left and headed flat, stayed on, just held
Major Franko
234- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer S-J Davies
- Jockey Charlie Hammond
not fluent in rear, ridden before 4th, soon behind, pulled up before 3 out
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer J Scott
- Jockey Matt Griffiths
held up towards rear, ridden and struggling before 6th
- Form 770-
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Conor Ring
led until after 1st, prominent, pushed along 5th, lost place next, soon weakened, tailed off
- Form 5-59
- Age 7
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer M Scudamore
- Jockey T Scudamore
with leader, led after 1st, jumped left and not fluent 5th, jumped and headed 3 out, mistake next, no extra flat
- Form 42
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer T H Weston
- Jockey Adam Wedge
held up towards rear, headway 5th, lost place next, weakened before 3 out
- Form 9-23
- Age 5
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer N A Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Ryan Hatch
in touch in mid-division, headway before 6th, 2nd 2 out, edged left and led flat, driven out
- Form 800
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Tim Vaughan
- Jockey Alan Johns
towards rear, ridden and struggling from 4th, well behind 6th, tailed off
Verdict
DJARKALIN has come up against decent early-season novices at Newton Abbot and Plumpton so far and can make it third-time lucky over hurdles here ahead of last month's Aintree third Tintern Theatre and winning pointers Ben Arthur and Big Windmill. Sunday Central was second at Perth in June but hasn't raced since and it's difficult to make a case for any of the others.
Formwatch
Ben Arthur (IRE) 5-4 (12-1) Chsd ldrs, 4th aftr a mile, 3rd 1/2way, prog 3out, 2nd 2out, jnd ldr & wo last, went clr final 100 yards, won at Inch 3m mdn Yielding - Soft in Mar beating Rocking Dj (11-10) by 2l, 13 ran.
Big Windmill (IRE) 11-4 (11-2) Led, ridden and headed over 2 fout, weakened approaching final furlong, 4th of 8, 23 1/2l behind Rather Be (11-2) at Ludlow 1m 6f (4) sft in Dec.
Djarkalin (FR) 5-1 (11-0) In touch main group, close up 3 out, effort next, upsides when mistake last, ridden and every chance flat, no extra towards finish, 2nd of 8, 2l behind Blue Surf (11-0) at Plumpton 2m mdn (5) gd in Oct.
Major Franko 50-1 (9-0) Keen pressed leader until led 10f out, ridden 4f out, headed over 2f out, weakened final furlong, last of 6, 9l behind Jamhoori (9-6) at Lingfield 1m 5f stks (6) pol in Apr.
Moonlight Flyer (IRE) 33-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, weakened 4f out, 12th of 14, dist behind Monty's Award (11-10) at Worcester 2m (5) gd in Oct.
New Republic (IRE) 250-1 (11-1) Held up mid-division, weakened before 3 out, 10th of 12, dist behind Black Corton (11-1) at Exeter 2m 1f mdn (5) gd in Apr.
Oriental Fixer (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Mid-division, weakened 4 out, 9th of 14, dist behind Dashing Oscar (10-12) at Bangor 2m 1f (4) gs in Nov.
Sunday Central 2-1fav (11-0) Mid-division, headway 7f out, 2nd 3f out, stayed on from over 1f out, unable to challenge, 2nd of 11, 2 1/4l behind Fortified Bay (10-11) at Perth 2m (5) gd in Jun.
Tintern Theatre (IRE) 12-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, took keen hold, led after 3 out, headed between last 2, stayed on one pace flat, 3rd of 9, 16 1/2l behind Robin Roe (11-0) at Aintree 2m 4f mdn (4) gd in Oct.
Without Frontier (IRE) 100-1 (10-12) Always behind, struggling 4 out, tailed off before 2 out, last of 14, dist behind Capeland (10-12) at Newton Abbot 2m 2f (4) gd in Oct.