Trainer Alan King sends a couple of fancied runners to Ludlow on Thursday, a track where the Barbury Castle handler has a 44% strike rate this season. Whilst the in-form Christian Williams yard has two live chances on Taunton’s seven-race card. Check out those selections below, alongside an excellent offer from William Hill, who are offering Bet £10 – Get 30 In Free Bets to new customers.
WYNN HOUSE (2:30 Ludlow – George Rickards 30th Birthday Mares’ Handicap Hurdle)
Ludlow has been a happy hunting ground for Alan King this season and the yard will be hoping to improve on an already impressive tally with WYNN HOUSE, who returns to Class 3 company after posting a win and a respectable fourth in deeper company since returning this season.
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The seven-year-old was impressive when overhauling stablemate Hotter Than Hell over an intermediate trip on penultimate start at Wincanton, staying on strongly in the closing stages to get up close home under regular rider Tom Cannon.
Although the mare failed to build on that winning effort last time out at Cheltenham behind subsequent Listed scorer Martello Sky, Alan King’s charge shaped best of the runners who were held up and may have been closer to the three in front if racing handier throughout.
A return to calmer waters should see Wynn House go close on Thursday afternoon and despite shouldering top weight on return to 3miles, Alan King’s charge holds solid claims and is taken to return to winning ways.
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CANELO (3:00 Ludlow – Forbra Gold Cup Handicap Chase)
It’s been a while since CANELO put his best foot forward and whilst the nine-year-old has shown little in four starts since returning this campaign, Alan King’s former Grade 3 winning chaser now finds himself back amongst Class 3 opposition on Thursday afternoon.
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Canelo was readily left behind when contesting a competitive 3mile handicap at Bangor on seasonal return, a race which was landed in impressive style by subsequent Becher Chase winner and Grand National prospect Snow Leopardess.
A no-show in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury soon followed before occupying seventh place in valuable handicaps at Kempton and in the Listed Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster earlier in the year.
The nine-year-old is extremely well-treated on the best of his previous form and off a mark of 132, Canelo should appreciate the significant drop in grade and perhaps he can deliver a knockout blow and enter the winner’s enclosure once again with the in-form Tom Cannon returning to the saddle.
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DUNEOMENO (2:08 Taunton – S Roberts & Son Handicap Hurdle Div 1)
Trainer Christian Williams landed an impressive across the card double on Saturday with Win My Wings landing the Eider at Newcastle before Cap Du Nord saw off the challenge of stablemate Kitty’s Light to land the Coral Trophy Handicap at Kempton.
The team might be able to repeat the dose on Thursday with two likeable types at Taunton, starting with DUNEOMENO who significantly improved when switched to fences at Ludlow last time out from 6lb out of the weights, coming with a strong challenge to take up the run-in after the final fence to win going away by 2l on his first start in handicap company.
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Connections look to take advantage of his lower hurdle mark as the six-year-old grey returns to the smaller obstacles on Thursday and whilst he didn’t show anything in his opening starts over timber in novice and maiden company, handicaps have clearly been the plan since day one and he will be tough to beat if in similar form upped in trip.
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GROOM D’OUDAIRIES (2:38 Taunton – S Roberts & Son Handicap Hurdle Div 2)
The yard has sound claims in completing a quickfire double in both divisions of the handicap hurdle where the switch to handicap company almost worked the oracle last time out for GROOM D’OUDAIRIES, who went close to defying odds of 50/1 when finishing a close second at Ludlow over 2m5f.
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Christian Williams’ charge had shown some promise in his opening three bumper runs but failed to fire when contesting in maiden and novice company over hurdles, suffering wide-margin defeats late last season.
However, Groom D’oudairies returned from a 227-day absence and looked to have improved significantly over the smaller obstacles on handicap debut off 96, travelling strongly throughout under jockey Nick Scholfield before being headed in the closing stages by Judicial Law in Class 4 company last month.
The six-year-old can race from an identical mark on Thursday against Class 5 opposition and connections look to have found him a very winnable opportunity on his second start in handicap company.
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