Big plans for Audacious

The ValueRacingClub.co.uk owned Audacious Plan made it three wins from four starts at Ludlow yesterday since joining Dr Richard Newland. Bought out of Rebecca Curtis' yard for £8,500 in March, the eight year old won the Durham National at Sedgefield last month and, while raised five pounds, it wasn't enough to prevent him following up at the Shropshire track yesterday. Ridden by Brian Hughes, once again, he travelled strongly throughout before producing a bold leap at the last. Staying on strongly, he comfortably accounted for Relentless Dreamer by a length and a quarter. His connections understandably have big plans for the son of Old Vic with the series final at Haydock on Easter Saturday one of his main targets. Then, if everything goes to script, the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown on the final day of the season in late April could enter calculations. Either way, he has been a tremendous purchase, so typical of his owners and trainer. I hope Email Service subscribers have stayed loyal since Uttoxeter in October - I could stop a runaway train.

It is the time of year when Willie Mullins starts unleashing his leading novice hurdlers and it will be interesting to see what level Draconien reaches this winter. Fourth on his sole start in a Grade 1 APQS bumper in November last year when trained in France, the four year old made a winning start to his hurdles career at Clonmel this afternoon when taking a two miles three maiden hurdle by a dozen lengths. Reported to have impressed in a schooling hurdle beforehand, he raced handily before readily seeing off his rivals to win easily. He looks a smart recruit for Clipper Logistics and one to follow.