DISGRACEFULLY, as far as the BHB race-planning committee is concerned, it's yet another blank day of fixtures in the north, so down to Ludlow we go, where Alcopop (2.50) has a gilt-edged opportunity to get off the mark for the season.

The Venetia Williams-trained seven-year-old did everything but win at Doncaster exactly one month ago, denied by a cat's whisker having rallied strongly on the run-in, narrowly failing to catch Henry Daly's Lindsay.

Last season Alcopop ended his campaign on a high note by scoring over track and trip, always a good sign since in the past Ludlow has attracted its fair share of course specialists.

Kilty Storm (2.20), who showed the benefit of being stepped up in distance with a clear-cut five-length victory at Newbury recently, must be near odds-on to follow up what was a hugely impressive success.

The race in question was a conditional jockeys' contest, which basically means Kilty Storm goes unpenalised for the win, and provided he's in the same sort of mood, looks impossible to oppose for the three-mile Handicap Hurdle.

Paul Nicholls has strengthened his stranglehold on the jumps trainer's championship over the last couple of weeks, a trend all set to continue via Nippy Des Mottes (3.00) in Taunton's Carlsberg Challenge Trophy.

Nippy Des Mottes has been rather cruelly whacked up 9lbs for his short-head triumph over Spike Jones, the pair scrapping out a titanic struggle at today's venue in late December.

Such a steep hike is obviously going to make things very difficult in the future but with the absolutely brilliant claiming jockey, Liam Heard, once again able to take 7lbs off the selection's back, another visit to the winners' enclosure beckons.

Although it's debatable whether the draw on Southwell's straight five-furlong course has any discernible effect, at least Hiamovi (3.10) boasts the advantage of being able to hug the stands rail from stall 14.

Two starts ago at Lingfield, Hiamovi shaped as if returning to his best when a close-up fifth, however it proved to be a false dawn as he then ran like camel on a trip to Wolverhampton.

Ardent followers of the betting exchange internet-led market couldn't have failed to notice the four-year-old drifted wildly in the morning, strongly suggesting the horse didn't have a prayer.

Those negative vibes proved spot-on, but if, in contrast, Hiamovi now moves in a positive direction for the Text Betdirect Banded Stakes, the advice is to lump on Chris Catlin's mount, preferably adopting an each-way strategy if the price allows.

In the closing seven-furlong event, likely outsider Binnion Bay (4.10) might be worth a small investment.

You couldn't have found John Bridger's raider with a radar on either of his latest couple of runs, nonetheless analysis of his mid-summer turf form reveals Binnion Boy to be in with a shout, especially with the excellent tactician, Steve Drowne, doing the steering.

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