Ludlow Racing Tips: Famoso can taste further success

• A Ludlow Nap, Next Best and Each-Way from Timeform

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Ludlow Nap - 16:40 - Back Famoso

There are few in here with a progressive profile but Famoso has been thriving of late for Matt Sheppard.

He's already had several trainers - he started his career with Paul Nicholls - but having failed to win over hurdles he's been much more successful in a busy campaign over fences for his current yard, winning at Stratford, Ludlow and Hereford.

He typically travelled well when bidding for another course-and-distance success here last time and still held every chance at the last before finishing third to Force de Frap. He can add another win to his productive season.

Ludlow Next Best - 17:15 - Back Le Grand Lion

Ben Pauling had a day to remember at Ascot on Saturday with a treble that was very nearly a four-timer, and one of those winners was returning from over a year off the track.

Le Grand Lion has a longer absence to overcome, not having run since the spring of 2022, but the handicapper has dropped him 7 lb since then and he's clearly returning at a time when his stable is going great guns.

Still lightly raced for an eight-year-old, Le Grand Lion got off the mark over hurdles at Huntingdon in December 2021 and while he didn't take to fences when last seen, he's interesting back over hurdles here and with Harry Cobden in the saddle.

Ludlow Each Way - 14:55 - Back Despereaux

Jane Williams' Despereaux rather paid for his wins as a juvenile hurdler at Huntingdon and Taunton last season with a stiff-looking mark but he's dropping in the weights now and can reward each-way support in a lesser-grade handicap than those he's been contesting so far.

He didn't run badly when making his reappearance in a four-year-olds' contest at Chepstow in the autumn, finishing third to Shared after shaping as though needing the run. While Despereaux hasn't progressed since at Lingfield and Wincanton, where he was held up in a change of tactics, he's not one to write off just yet.