Local trainers lead the way at Ludlow's pre Christmas meet

Hereford trainer Venetia Williams ran the favourite Green Book in the opening race and duly obliged after being backed in from 4/6 to 1/3.

The second race was a good battle between the two favourites Minella Trump and Scene Not Herd, but it was the latter who jumped better and prevailed in a thrilling finish up the straight. Jockey Johnny Burke was keen to nominate some nice races later in the season so keep an eye on this one.

Burke was back in the winner’s enclosure as Holly Hartingo put in a phenomenal effort on debut to win a competitive Mares novice hurdle at odds of 20/1.

Billingsley’s Alastair Ralph took the race a couple of seasons back and he obviously likes to target this meeting as he had this mare ready for this assignment.

She showed plenty of stamina as she just nudged out Nextdoortoalice in another ding dong finish.

Ledbury-based Matt Shephard kept the ‘winning local trainer’ pattern going as Not Available toughed it out well from the back of the last to back up his impressive Newbury win in the Tanners Champagne handicap chase.

His son Stan rode that winner for him and that family theme continued as Hugh Nugent rode Head To The Stars to victory for his owner/breeder grandfather.

Henry Daly’s horse clearly loves it around his home town of Ludlow as that was his third course and distance success and anyone who was backing local horses would have been quids in by now.

The red hot jolly Balco Coastal just about won the 2.45 Novices Hurdle at odds of 1/4 and if you backed him at those odds you would have been pretty nervous jumping the last as Frere D’Armes made him work for his victory.

And newly-crowned King of Ludlow Ralph capped a fine day for local trainers and punters as his well-backed Tintern Abbey took the concluding mares bumper in fine style.