N.H. racing at Hereford and Ludlow

It is unlikely that we shall see any Cheltenham winners in acrion at today´s jumps meeting at Hereford and Plumpton, but one possible runner at the festival is Calaficial (Alan King/ Robert Thornton), who is entered in the maiden hurdle at 15.30 at Hereford. He has won two bumpers, and will need to outclass today´s opposition to have any chance at Cheltenham. Lamanver Homerun (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh) is well-treated by the conditions of the novice chase at 16.30 and can make the most of the 11 lbs he receives here from Rustarix (King/ "Choc"). The best race at Hereford is the 2 mile 1 furlong handicap hurdle at 17.00. Top-weight Rippling Ring (Nicholls/ Walsh) is the class act here, but he disappointed badly on his last 2 starts (both on soft ground) and will need to be back to his best to concede the weight to recent dual winners Carrickboy (Venetia Williams/ Sam Thomas) and German-bred Oldrik (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson). Two very recent easy winners making a quick re turn to the track are Conny Nobel (Craig Roberts/ Jack Doyle) in the handicap chase at 16.00 and Quillygham (David Pipe/ Mr.TJ Cannon) in the "hands and heels" handicap hurdle at 17.30 and both can score again under a penalty before their weights are readjusted upwards. At Plumpton, Novikov can win the maiden hurdle at 15.50 for the father and son team of Gary and Jamie Moore; although beaten more than 20 lengths last time, that form could still be good enough in ths company, and he was quite useful on the flat for John Gosden. The handicap hurdle at 16.50 looks very open. Brian Ellison´s Aureate has top-weight but could run well with Tony McCoy, who rode his 3000 th winner here a fortnight ago, in the saddle. Intensifier (Dai and Christian Williams) have twice been runner-up and deserves a change of luck, while bottom-weight Wondersobright (Peter Butler/ Zoe Lilly) was a 33-1 winner here last time with this rider aboard and could go well again. The strangely-named Gallileo Figaro (Neil King/ Alex Merriam) beat a huge field at Huntingdon last week and has an obvious chance in the mares handicap hurdle at 17.50, but Lethem Island (Robert Stronge/ Jamie Moore) has been dropped in the weights and could be an interesting outsider here.