Wednesday Racing Tips: Back Ballybegg at Ludlow

Three of the four meetings across the UK and Ireland on Wednesday are over jumps, as they race at Fairyhouse, Sedgefield, Ludlow and Kempton.

We have three Wednesday fancies to follow including an in-form chaser representing Kerry Lee at Ludlow.

14:50 Ludlow - Ballybegg @ 15/8

BALLYBEGG is considered one of the best bets of the day in the Class 3 2m4f handicap chase at Ludlow.

The Tuesday weather forecast was pretty dire in the Ludlow area and the ground is likely to be soft or even slightly worse come post time. The selection's ability to cope with such conditions is in his favour.

The nine-year-old is trained by Kerry Lee, who is a particularly noteworthy 11-33 (33% +£34.65) with her runners over fences on this course. Lee has a 2-6 record in the past fortnight and Richard Patrick is continuing his winning association in the saddle.

Ballybegg is rated 125 and he won twice in this grade over hurdles at Uttoxeter from a mark of 129 and 125 on heavy and good to soft ground in December 2021 and February 2023.

He improved enough to win his fifth start over regulation fences over this course and distance on soft ground in January. The son of Mahler came clear by 10 lengths off a mark of 119 on that occasion.

He was allotted a Racing Post Rating of 138 for that victory, so he looks to have decent claims even if just reproducing that level of form in this stronger race.

18:00 Kempton - Not Afraid @ 3/1

NOT AFRAID needs to improve, but does possess each-way potential in the Class 5 7f three-year-old novice contest on the all-weather evening card from Kempton.

Ralph Beckett's three runners since relatively late in January have finished 121 and he is a highly encouraging 172-962 (18% +£39.69) with his runners on this course.

Hector Crouch continues in the saddle and he is 21-116 (18%) when riding for Beckett.

The son of Night Of Thunder has been gelded since an eye-catching fifth of 12 over a slightly shorter trip on this course on his debut in November.

He is bred to relish this step up to 7f on the all-weather and he can get right in the mix granted the anticipated progression in receipt of weight from the likes of Lessay and Newsreader.

19:00 Kempton - Dragon Icon @ 6/1

Finally, DRAGON ICON may represent some value as the perceived second-string in the Class 2 1m handicap on the all-weather evening card from Kempton.

Roger Varian's last two representatives before racing on Tuesday were both successful and he is 134-639 (21%) with his runners at Kempton.

Greatgadian has decent form claims under Oisin Murphy, but don't neglect stablemate Dragon Icon, who produced something of a throw-out display when held behind his lesser-fancied stablemate Fantastic Fox on his return from an absence at Lingfield recently.

He is a course winner who has been dropped a handy 2lb and he can leave that latest effort well behind.

Check out the rest of our Horse Racing Tips here.