THE importance of 100 per cent perfection in the tack department was highlighted yet again when Dealer's Choice was pulled up at Sandown because his saddle slipped.

All kinds of things can go wrong such as broken stirrup leathers and faulty girths, but whatever reason it's cold comfort for those backers failing to get any sort of run for their money.

This afternoon at Ludlow let's hope there are no similar problems for Dealer's Choice (3.45) and his young rider Victoria Roberts since they hold an outstanding chance of landing the Shropshire Handicap Chase over two-and-a-half-miles.

Prior to the Sandown debacle the combination had proved just how effective they are over course and distance with a battling length-and-three-quarter success over Jeff King's Real Estate.

Another individual who seems to enjoy the hell-for-leather style of racing at the course is Petite Risk (2.00).

She's also a previous track and trip scorer and showed her current wellbeing by skating home at Huntingdon 18 days ago.

Petite Risk doesn't have to improve much, if anything at all, in order to capture the opening Clun Claiming Hurdle.

The only realistic danger is Martin Pipe's Baclama and fortunately he's no great shakes.

The cheekily-named Belle Derriere (4.20) is not without hope in the Shukers Handicap Hurdle, although Simon Sherwood's mare will have to put behind a dismal effort at Wincanton on March 7th.

Belle Derriere hadn't been out for 11 weeks so she was entitled to need the outing and her fitness level will have come on a ton even though the seven-year-old finished out with the washing on that occasion.

Keltic Bard (1.45) has side-stepped an engagement at Ludlow in order to take part in Chepstow's opening extended two-mile Monmouthshire Novices' Hurdle.

Charlie Mann's shrewd switch might well pay handsome dividends because the ultra-consistent Keltic Bard only has four opponents to beat in a very modest-looking heat.

A couple of spins on the all-weather surface at Wolverhampton may have sweetened up Jonjo O'Neill's Globe Runner (4.05) sufficiently to take the Letherby & Christopher Handicap Hurdle.

The main criteria for Globe Runner to be at his best is bottomless ground which is the only certainty on an otherwise uninspiring card at the Welsh venue.

Jalons Star justified the 252-mile trip from Letcombe Regis in Oxfordshire to Sedgefield by taking the Teesside Juveniles Novices' Handicap Hurdle yesterday.

Winning trainer Graham McCourt enjoyed plenty of success at the course in his riding days but Jalons Star, jockeyed by Warren Martson, was his first winner at the County Durham track since he switched to training.

Marston went on to complete a double when Sue Smith's Keen To The Last survived a stewards inquiry to land the Scotchhills Holsteins Handicap Chase.