2 winners at Ludlow for One Jump Ahead

Ireland's champion trainer Willie Mullins announced on Thursday that his dual Grade 1 winning novice hurdler Next Destination has incurred an injury and will miss the whole season. The seven year old, who finished third in the Ballymore NH at the Cheltenham Festival last March, was set to go chasing this winter and was prominent in the ante-post market for the RSA Chase. All being well, the Dubai Destination gelding will be back next season.  

At the time, the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle looked a very strong renewal with Samcro beating Black Op. However, a study of the race shows that the fourteen runners have only produced four victories between them since (Scarpeta (4th), Aye Aye Charlie (7th), Mind's Eye (10th) & Coolanly (12th)).

Ludlow staged the only National Hunt racing on Thursday and there were a couple of winners featured in the Talking Trainers section of One Jump Ahead. Smackwater Jack (Evens) provided Olly Murphy with another success in the two miles five maiden hurdle. Subway Surf (11/4) was bought for £35,000 at the Cheltenham May Sale having won her only Irish point for Colin Motherway. Kim Bailey spoke favourably about the daughter of Milan in OJA and she duly made all to win the mares' bumper at the Shropshire track by four lengths. From the family of the late Mary Reveley's high-class hurdler/chaser Cab On Target, she looks a relentless galloper who will come into her own over two and a half miles plus over obstacles. The five year old was providing Bailey with his 31st winner of the campaign. He is responsible for some lovely young horses.