Daily Placepots / Keith Melrose / 23 February 2011 /

Some big fields, a couple of trappy affairs and a competitive handicap or two; today's Placepot at Ludlow has the potential to pay big.

14:10 - Some of the hurdling newcomers probably wouldn't have to match their Flat form to win let alone make the places, but there's enough in the way of alternatives to ensure we don't have to place our faith in a debutant. A look at Brunston's Flat form suggests he's always going to prove best when speed is of the essence over hurdles, so this should provide him with a more suitable test than his debut. Not In The Clock was third in a better race at Sandown on his debut and a repeat of that form would likely see him go close given the weight allowance he receives as a four year old.

14:45 - The term 'dregs' always springs to mind when faced with a four-runner seller, especially if the first two in the market have significant mental/physical problems as here. That said, Steely Bird has shown next to nothing under either code, so throwing Abstract Art, Font and Diktalina into the mixer should spit out a favourable result.

15:20 - This looks a weaker race than Golden Duck contested at Taunton last time and a repeat of the form will see him safely in the first three. We don't yet know a great deal about Trooper Clarence, so his inclusion is something of a risk, but so well did he shape at Ffos Las last time that we think he's worth a punt, especially considering that the relatively easy fences here can only help him cut out the mistakes he made there.

15:50 - A treacherous race, with cases to be made for almost all of the ten runners. We don't necessarily see Highway Code as a value bet, somewhat fortunate in winning last time and now 4 lb higher in the weights, but he's from a yard in good heart at present and has things in his favour to put up another bold bid. This is an altogether different test from the claimers he's been contesting of late, but Chrysander looks as good as ever and returns to handicaps on a workable mark, so he's in too. Finally, the temptation to include Scoter Fontaine is too much so well handicapped is he, even though the suspicion is that some sort of physical ailment has been behind his rather underwhelming response to pressure on both handicap starts to date.

16:20 - Another race in which cases could be made for several, but lines are getting a bit out of hand by now so we're going to keep it simple with a couple of likely improvers. Mr Chippy took eleven attempts to get off the mark in points, though he's in good hands and shaped well from a 1 lb lower mark at Chepstow earlier in the month. Our Columbus is a more left-field choice, but it looks as though this has been the plan all along, swiftly upped in distance and switched to fences for his handicap debut. The trip and obstacles should suit given his physique, though his clumsy jumping over hurdles is a slight concern.

16:50 - Battlecry obviously commands respect in this grade, but it's equally clear that he's not one to rely on for Placepot purposes and as such we're going to place our faith in the more reliable Good Company, who has left Jonjo O'Neill but is still in relatively capable hands.

Selections

14:10 - 4, 13
14:45 - 1, 2, 3
15:20 - 2, 5
15:50 - 1, 5, 6
16:20 - 4, 10
16:55 - 3

72 lines

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