On Sunday, First Candidate was withdrawn from the Ludlow mares novices hurdle before the race. Silvereen won the race at 6/5 for Henry Daly and Sam Twiston-Davies, with Enya second at 11/10. Briery Rose was also a non-runner. Here is what happened, why it matters, and how Trotbot handles non-runners in its daily selection process.
What Happened
First Candidate was declared a non-runner before the 14:17 at Ludlow on Sunday May 10. The race ran with five of the seven original declared runners. Silvereen made all under Sam Twiston-Davies and won by two and a quarter lengths from Enya. The Racing Post's pre-race verdict had identified First Candidate as "extremely hard to oppose" — a verdict that was based on form that was not tested because the horse was withdrawn.
Non-runners in racing happen for a variety of reasons — a horse that is not quite right on the morning of the race, a trainer's decision based on going or overnight weather changes, or a precautionary withdrawal following the overnight declaration. The specific reason for First Candidate's withdrawal has not been publicly stated by the Skelton yard.
How Trotbot Handles Non-Runners
The honest answer is that Trotbot cannot prevent non-runners any more than a human tipster can. The selection is made on the basis of declared runners the evening before and morning of the race. When a horse is withdrawn after publication of the selection, the selection becomes void — in the same way that a bookmaker voids a bet on a non-runner.
The process for the following day is unchanged. Trotbot identifies the day's highest-confidence selection from the available declared runners and publishes it at 11am. A non-runner on one day does not affect the selection methodology or the next day's output.
What the Form Said
The pre-race assessment was correct on every available variable. Dan Skelton's yard at 31% over 14 days. Harry Skelton retained. Expert view: "entitled to win this, even with a penalty." Racing Post: "clear on all the figures, extremely hard to oppose." All of those assessments were accurate — the form justified the selection. The non-runner was an administrative event, not a form failure. Silvereen, the eventual winner, was not the horse that the form said would win. She won because the horse the form said would win did not run.
Today's Selection
Today is Monday May 11. The Dante Festival at York starts Wednesday. Today's Trotbot selection is published at 11am across today's flat racing and jump cards. Get it free at horseracingoracleai.com
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Facts verified via web search May 11 2026. Source: irishracing.com Ludlow results May 10 2026.