April 03 / 14.30 Ludlow

14.30

Soft

Rob Barnwell’s 60th Celebration Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £4356.8
  • 2m 5f 55y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
RTV
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Rob Barnwell’s 60th Celebration Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

13/8 (Won)

  • Win: £2.00

Form: 61411 D

Last run: 19 days

W: 11st 7lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 121

Form & Verdict
Off the mark over hurdles with wide-margin success against own sex at Lingfield (2m3f, good to soft) in January and beat geldings to follow up at Huntingdon (2m4f, soft) last month; leading contender.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

6

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 1

15:18 Perth

Space Voyage

11st 0lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Has shown fairly useful form in handicaps at Market Rasen (won by 15l) and Wincanton (ran well under big weight) since wearing blinkers; may have more to offer in the retained blinds.

16/1

3rd

6

23rd Apr 2025

Good

2m 7f 180y

Class 1

15:18 Perth

Space Voyage

11st 0lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Has shown fairly useful form in handicaps at Market Rasen (won by 15l) and Wincanton (ran well under big weight) since wearing blinkers; may have more to offer in the retained blinds.

16/1

2nd

1

24th Mar 2025

Good

3m 1f 30y

Class 4

16:00 Wincanton

Space Voyage

12st 9lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Olly Murphy

Four-time winner over hurdles who made it 2-4 over fences with a 15l success in first-time blinkers at Market Rasen (3m, good) eight days ago; Beau Morgan's claim partly offsets the 7lb penalty and she is a major player once again.

8/11

Form: 12

Last run: 147 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Won run-of-the-mill Bangor bumper (good ground) on rules debut in September but was no match for winner when second on hurdling debut at Kempton (2m5f, good to soft) in November and has quite a bit to find here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

12th Oct 2025

Good To Firm

3m 2f 54y

Class 4

13:32 Chepstow

Ajp Kingdom

12st 1lb

J: Tom Broughton

T: Fergal O’Brien

Just 1-13 over fences but comes here after two good recent runs, the latter when a clear second at Uttoxeter (3m, good); still on a workable mark and will be suited by the extra distance today; respected.

11/2

2nd

6

16th Sep 2025

Good

3m 0f 10y

Class 3

15:40 Uttoxeter

Ajp Kingdom

11st 0lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Fergal O’Brien

Thorough stayer who won by 15l here (3m2f, good) last autumn and returns after a pretty good third at Worcester (2m7f, good) last month; significant rain would leave him with something to prove (unraced on ground slower than good to soft under rules) but, otherwise, he's a contender.

9/1

4

20th Aug 2025

Good

2m 7f 0y

Class 4

17:25 Worcester

Ajp Kingdom

11st 11lb

J: Fern O’Brien

T: Fergal O’Brien

Third at Cheltenham in April (3m4f) and similar form when a 12l second at Stratford; blew out in a first-time tongue-tie last time (replacing cheekpieces) and that's swiftly removed.

10/1

Form: 2-2384

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 2lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Useful chaser who has modest strike-rate (1-18) for a horse of his ability but scores good marks for consistency; not seen over hurdles since 2019 but is suited by this track and ought to be able to win a race of this nature at some stage.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

19th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 11y

Class 4

16:50 Ludlow

Guy

12st 6lb

J: Mr Samuel Scott

T: Mrs Mary Cookson

Used to like it here, not out of the first three in five starts including over fences and when winning a novice hurdle in 2023; first start for this yard when far from disgraced in Taunton hunter chase (about 2m5f, good) in January but his 20l defeat at Cocklebarrow (3m) later that month was disappointing; still not ruled out.

8/1

1

10th Apr 2025

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

15:55 Newton Abbot

Guy

12st 1lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Better known as a chaser and he hasn't been able to exploit his lower hurdle mark in two starts this year, tailed off last time at Doncaster (2m5f, good); has never run over this far either so has plenty to prove.

20/1

5th

1

10th Apr 2025

Good

3m 2f 105y

Class 4

15:55 Newton Abbot

Guy

12st 1lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel Twiston-Davies

always behind

20/1

Form: 5-6

Last run: 37 days

W: 11st 2lb

6 yo Gelding

OR:

Form & Verdict
Made quite promising debut when fifth of 17 in soft-ground Warwick bumper in December 2021 but, following a long absence, was tailed off in Chepstow maiden hurdle (2m3f, good to soft) in February; probably one for further down the line.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3

9th Feb 2026

Soft

3m 1f 157y

Class 5

16:15 Plumpton

Hill Of Tara

11st 7lb

J: Charlie Deutsch

T: Venetia Williams

Four-time hurdle winner who made it 0-5 over fences when running no race at Uttoxeter in December; that was on heavy ground but he went well in the mud in 2023 and 2024, and is well handicapped if he can get his act together over fences.

8/1

6th

5

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 210y

Class 4

17:47 Fontwell

Hill Of Tara

11st 6lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Venetia Williams

In great form over hurdles last winter with four wins at up to 3m2f; has been generally disappointing since last success though, and was pulled up over fences at Leicester (2m6f, soft) in February; still unexposed in this sphere but he needs to bounce back after another break.

7/1

6th

5

25th Apr 2025

Good To Soft

3m 1f 210y

Class 4

17:47 Fontwell

Hill Of Tara

11st 6lb

J: Ned Fox

T: Venetia Williams

In great form over hurdles last winter with four wins at up to 3m2f; has been generally disappointing since last success though, and was pulled up over fences at Leicester (2m6f, soft) in February; still unexposed in this sphere but he needs to bounce back after another break.

7/1

OUR TIP

Form: 351

Last run: 70 days

W: 11st 9lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 119

Form & Verdict
Shaped with promise on first two hurdling starts then took big step forward to win Ffos Las maiden (2m4f, good to soft) ten weeks ago; that form already puts him right in the thick of things here, and he's open to further improvement.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

1st Mar 2024

Soft

2m 4f 118y

Class 4

13:50 Newbury

Hercules Morse

12st 0lb

J: Beau Morgan

T: Ben Pauling

Won 2m4f Ffos Las maiden last January; looked a promising candidate for handicaps after that, but tailed off on handicap debut at Exeter (2m7f, again good to soft) one month ago when next seen, making the early running at 6-1; back down in trip and may strip fitter this time, for in-form yard.

9/1

6th

2

31st Jan 2024

Good To Soft

2m 7f 25y

Class 4

16:45 Exeter

Hercules Morse

11st 13lb

J: Ben Jones

T: Ben Pauling

Shaped with promise on first two hurdling starts, then took a big step forward to win a Ffos Las maiden (2m4f, good to soft); that win was last January and the layoff asks a question but he did look a promising candidate for handicaps and moving up in trip; one to note.

11/2

1

3rd Apr 2023

Soft

2m 5f 55y

Class 4

14:30 Ludlow

Hercules Morse

11st 9lb

J: Kielan Woods

T: Ben Pauling

Shaped with promise on first two hurdling starts then took big step forward to win Ffos Las maiden (2m4f, good to soft) ten weeks ago; that form already puts him right in the thick of things here, and he's open to further improvement.

2/1

Non-runners

Hercules Morse

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £4.10
Straight Forecast £4.66
Trifecta £5.50

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Space Voyage

WEST COUNTRY:

Hercules Morse

The Guardian:

Guy

Telegraph:

Hercules Morse

Daily Record:

Hercules Morse

RP Ratings:

Space Voyage

TOPSPEED:

Space Voyage

POSTDATA:

Space Voyage

The Times:

Space Voyage

Daily Mail:

Space Voyage

D Express:

Space Voyage

Daily Mirror:

Space Voyage

The Sun:

Space Voyage

The Star:

Guy