A review of the racing from Ludlow

A review of the racing from Ludlow where Tom George and Paddy Brennan won the valuable feature with Kilbree Kid.

Kilbree Kid returned from a 173-day absence to take the honours in the H R Smith Group Ltd Handicap Chase at Ludlow.

Freshened up by his winter break and relishing the quicker ground, Kilbree Kid (5-1) fended off Aerial in the closing stages to land the spoils.

Paddy Brennan brought Tom George's eight-year-old to stake his claim in the straight after Sergeant Dick had made the running.

There was nothing between Kilbree Kid and Aerial over the last two fences, but the former gained the upper hand to score by a length and three-quarters. The pair pulled 15 lengths clear of Sergeant Dick in third.

"We've aimed him at this race for a while. I've had quite a lot of runners at Ludlow this season and won a few big races," said George.

"They've got to be commended on the excellent prize money they are producing.

"He's a fresh horse and has beaten a fit horse. It helps this time of year running against horses that have been on the go for a bit.

"We'll keep him going through the summer."

Brennan completed a double when kicking on with the Tony Middleton-trained Future Security (3-1 favourite) from the second last to land the Sally Gittens Belated 21st Birthday Novices' Handicap Hurdle by eight lengths from Hawdyerwheesht.

The David Dennis-trained Set The Trend (4-7 favourite) landed his second course success by landing the odds with the minimum of fuss under Noel Fehily in the Family Day On 10th May Novices' Hurdle.

"He did it well here the first day and I thought he ran very well at Stratford the other day (when third) when he was a bit unlucky. This was a nice confidence booster," Dennis told Racing UK.

"You'd like to think there might be a nice handicap in him somewhere. He's had three relatively quick runs, so probably in July and August we'll have a look at something."

David Rees' Limpopo Tom (6-1) led two out before going on to win the Racing UK Anywhere Handicap Chase by nine lengths under Denis O'Regan.

Jimmy The Jetplane (15-8 favourite), trained by Kim Bailey, made a similar move as David Bass steered him home in the Michael Lumsden Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

Bailey and Bass doubled up when newcomer Mere Anarchy (9-2) made all in the Ladies Day On 10th May Intermediate Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Henry Daly's Rockiteer (5-6 favourite) registered his fourth course success after getting the better of long-time leader Neverownup in the Eddie Mapp Memorial Open Hunters' Chase under amateur Jane Williams.

"All being well he'll probably go for the ladies race at Cheltenham next week and then we'll look at the champion hunter chase at Stratford, hopefully on fast ground at the end of May," said Daly.