January 06 / 14.00 Ludlow

14.00

Good To Soft

Simply Delicious Cakes Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £6073.15
  • 2m 4f 11y
  • Class 4
  • 8 runners
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Simply Delicious Cakes Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Runners: 8 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

2/1 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25
  • Place: £1.80

Form: 39132/ BF

Last run: 815 days

W: 11st 8lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 114

Form & Verdict
Seven runs in France, winning two hurdles and later placed over fences; had wind surgery during his long absence but his trainer can get them fit at home and he's dangerously unexposed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8

9th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 4

16:08 Exeter

Fire Dancer

11st 9lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

Just 1-14 over fences and needs to run better than on his two starts this winter, but he twice finished runner-up off higher marks last spring and perhaps the first-time cheekpieces will give him a boost; not discounted.

8/1

8

9th Feb 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 48y

Class 4

16:08 Exeter

Fire Dancer

11st 9lb

J: Miss Lucy Turner

T: Venetia Williams

Just 1-14 over fences and needs to run better than on his two starts this winter, but he twice finished runner-up off higher marks last spring and perhaps the first-time cheekpieces will give him a boost; not discounted.

8/1

5th

3

2nd Jan 2025

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 4

13:25 Huntingdon

Fire Dancer

11st 7lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

in rear

4/1

6/1

  • Place: £3.40

Form: 1-36 D

Last run: 210 days

W: 10st 13lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 105

Form & Verdict
Point/hurdle winner who has the potential to make a chaser (makes debut in this sphere); however, has a question mark over current form, having been soundly beaten in his last two runs.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

17th Jul 2024

Good

3m 2f 13y

Class 5

15:40 Uttoxeter

Striking Out

11st 10lb

J: Cameron Iles

T: Henry Oliver

Hereford maiden hurdle winner (April 2022); competing unsuccessfully in point-to-points since finishing a distant third at Sedgefield (2m5f, soft) last November; others preferred.

10/1

3rd

1

16th Nov 2023

Soft

2m 5f 28y

Class 5

14:00 Sedgefield

Striking Out

12st 0lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Henry Oliver

Hurdles winner who has finished runner-up in three of his five completed starts over fences, including when beaten a neck at Ludlow (2m4f, good to soft) three weeks ago (clear of the third); 4lb rise not the end of the world, though he still has to prove himself on soft ground or worse.

5/4

Form: 0/61-3 D

Last run: 38 days

W: 11st 10lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 116

Form & Verdict
Four-time hurdle winner; back from 502 days off to finish a 21l-third on his chase debut at Southwell (2m4f, good) and the second has since gone one better; best British efforts have been on good or firmer ground, which is a worry.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

14th Jul 2024

Good

2m 2f 148y

Class 3

16:00 Stratford

Rakhine State

10st 7lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: D J Jeffreys

Hurdle (including C&D) and chase winner; returns from 266-day layoff and younger rivals look more interesting.

16/1

0

4

22nd Oct 2023

Good

2m 2f 0y

Class 4

14:20 Kempton

Rakhine State

11st 8lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: D J Jeffreys

Comfortably won three-runner chase at Perth in July, his sixth start over fences, and was very respectable third when back over hurdles there (also 2m, soft) last month, but some of his younger rivals look more interesting here.

7/1

Form: 243-42

Last run: 54 days

W: 11st 7lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
Winning hurdler in France; not the most fluent of jumpers over fences but he was still a clear second at Fontwell (2m3f, good to soft) the last time and gets in here off the same mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

4

21st Mar 2023

Soft

2m 3f 164y

Class 4

14:25 Plumpton

For Langy

11st 12lb

J: Micheal Nolan

T: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

took keen hold, in touch with leaders, niggled along briefly after 6th, mistake 9th, pushed along before 10th, ridden and outpaced after 3 out, weakened before 2 out

5/2

4th

5

6th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

14:00 Ludlow

For Langy

11st 7lb

J: Mr David Maxwell

T: Philip Hobbs

Winning hurdler in France; not the most fluent of jumpers over fences but he was still a clear second at Fontwell (2m3f, good to soft) the last time and gets in here off the same mark.

5/1

Form: 4214-F D

Last run: 53 days

W: 11st 9lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 115

Form & Verdict
Bumper/point wins before running well in most of his hurdle starts; was about to continue the good work with at least a placed effort before a late fall on his chase debut at Plumpton (2m3f, good; fine on softer); remains to be seen whether that has knocked his confidence but his ability is respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5

21st Feb 2026

Good To Soft

4m 1f 56y

Class 2

14:43 Newcastle

Dom Of Mary

10st 2lb

J: James Davies

T: James Owen

Trained by David Bridgwater to win the 2024 Sussex National at Plumpton and nearly win it last term, both on soft; has made a solid start for James Owen this term, notably with a strong-finishing win here (3m6f, good to soft) but he was also sixth in the Welsh National last time; each-way player.

7/1

19

12th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 7f 176y

Class 1

15:35 Ayr

Dom Of Mary

10st 4lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: David Bridgwater

First and a close second in last two runnings of the Sussex National at Plumpton (extended 3m4f, soft); turned for home with a place chance in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham (3m2f; finished eighth) last time and 4m is worth a go, but this company looks too demanding.

50/1

19

12th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 7f 176y

Class 1

15:35 Ayr

Dom Of Mary

10st 4lb

J: Caoilin Quinn

T: David Bridgwater

First and a close second in last two runnings of the Sussex National at Plumpton (extended 3m4f, soft); turned for home with a place chance in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham (3m2f; finished eighth) last time and 4m is worth a go, but this company looks too demanding.

50/1

OUR TIP

Form: /31-2F D

Last run: 7 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 120

Form & Verdict
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

3

30th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

2m 3f 189y

Class 4

14:15 Huntingdon

Mahon Point

12st 0lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Fergal O’Brien

Point/hurdle winner; reappearance over hurdles was fine and he was only 9-2 for his handicap/chase debut at Taunton only to come down early; needs respecting.

5/2

1

6th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

14:00 Ludlow

Mahon Point

12st 0lb

J: Paddy Brennan

T: Fergal O’Brien

Form: U76-33 C

Last run: 48 days

W: 11st 5lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 111

Form & Verdict
Five-time hurdle winner who ran well in that discipline to be third at Hereford in October; up against it at the weights when no match for two rivals in a non-handicap at Huntingdon; has won on good to soft but proper good ground is probably ideal.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

11th

9

17th Jan 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 1y

Class 5

16:20 Taunton

Cotton End

10st 10lb

J: Tabitha Worsley

T: Jackie Du Plessis

Veteran who had poor completion record in points last season and was easily brushed aside after making the running on rules return at Ludlow (2m5f, good) in November; revival needed.

33/1

6th

8

8th Jun 2024

Good

2m 4f 72y

Class 5

16:35 Bangor-on-Dee

Cotton End

10st 12lb

J: Sean Houlihan

T: Sheila Lewis

pressed leader

12/1

6th

5

30th May 2024

Good

2m 4f 0y

Class 5

20:40 Warwick

Cotton End

11st 8lb

J: Finn Lambert

T: Sheila Lewis

Multiple hurdle winner at up to 2m3f; acts on a sound surface; 0-11 over fences; below par on her recent reappearance but not ruled out each-way if she comes on for that.

10/1

Form: 32-86

Last run: 40 days

W: 10st 12lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 110

Form & Verdict
Placed in two juvenile hurdles in France during the autumn of 2021 (2m/2m2f, soft/very soft); early days with this yard and market suggested that better was expected of him on his handicap debut; now goes chasing still unexposed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6

16th May 2023

Good

2m 4f 19y

Class 4

15:25 Newcastle

Ice Coast

11st 3lb

J: Henry Brooke

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

held up in rear, not fluent 7th

12/1

8

6th Jan 2023

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

14:00 Ludlow

Ice Coast

10st 12lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Placed in two juvenile hurdles in France during the autumn of 2021 (2m/2m2f, soft/very soft); early days with this yard and market suggested that better was expected of him on his handicap debut; now goes chasing still unexposed.

12/1

6th

3

27th Nov 2022

Soft

2m 1f 0y

Class 4

12:30 Carlisle

Ice Coast

11st 9lb

J: Toby Wynne

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Soundly beaten in mid-division in Chepstow maiden hurdle (2m, good to soft) on this month's British debut, but he may have needed that run and he was placed in two juvenile hurdles in France in autumn 2021 (2m/2m2f, soft/very soft); not discounted now handicapping for in-form yard.

7/1

Non-runners

Mahon Point

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £20.10
Straight Forecast £21.76
Tricast £259.43
Trifecta £140.10

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Fire Dancer

WEST COUNTRY:

Dom Of Mary

TOPSPEED:

For Langy

The Guardian:

Dom Of Mary

D Express:

Dom Of Mary

Daily Mirror:

Dom Of Mary

POSTDATA:

For Langy

The Sun:

For Langy

RP Ratings:

Fire Dancer

The Times:

Fire Dancer

Telegraph:

Fire Dancer

Daily Mail:

Fire Dancer

The Star:

Fire Dancer

Daily Record:

Fire Dancer