DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 31
1.22 WARWICK
LUWDVIG has failed to cut too much ice in three above-average novice hurdles, but he didn’t shape too badly in the better of the trio on the numbers at Huntingdon last time and off what appears a reasonable starting point handicap-wise, Neil King’s inmate could well turn out to be seriously underestimated.
Whether he has been ridden specifically with handicaps in mind on each start over hurdles is difficult to say but for a 50-1 shot, he did manage to finish ahead of several more fancied than himself at the Cambridgeshire track last time out, so there must be a small number of positives taken out of that display.
Granted, he was made to look one pace by a couple of useful sorts 24 days ago, but at the same time he did keep on stoically and maybe the ground might have soft enough for him in the scheme of things.
Third in a bumper around today’s venue on good ground, he ticks the boxes on account of track and likely conditions on his return visit and in a race where solid performers are thin on the ground, he makes more appeal than most at the morning odds.
LUWDVIG – ½ point each-way@10-1
1.52 WARIWCK
BOBBI’S BEAUTY was heavily involved in a race that was run at a true gallop at Lingfield last time out and with the form working out accordingly, Martin Keighley’s mare looks set to follow the in the footsteps of the likes of Superslyin and Touquet over a track where she is also proven.
Ultimately run out of the first three at the Surrey venue, she did box on well to finish on the heels of the main players and tough though it may have been to take for her supporters at the time, she did come out of the contest with a career high speed figure.
Prior to that solid effort, she chased home subsequent winner, Kykorock, over today’s C&D and with her conqueror from that day now rated 113, she gets the chance to still run off the same mark of 98 up against opponents of much lesser ability.
BOBBI’S BEAUTY – 1-point win@4-1
2.05 PUNCHESTOWN
BALLYADAM landed this prize last year and with connections clearly wanting to leave no stone unturned in his bid to retain his crown with a recent run on the Flat, Henry De Bromhead’s likeable stable stalwart rates a solid betting proposition against the iffy El Fabiolo.
For a 10-year-old, he doesn’t have that many miles on the clock and it’s one of the main reasons why he can continue at the highest level over the years.
A regular at the Cheltenham festival, the son of Fame And Glory maintained the fine record of being placed on every trip over the Irish Sea with a creditable third in the Coral Cup and no doubt connections will have that race in mind again this term.
Before then, the small matter of today’s contest hones into view and following a good blow out at Dundalk on the all-weather recently, he should be cherry-ripe hailing from a stable who finally extricated themselves from a bit of slump pre-Christmas.
BALLYADAM – 1-point win@4-1