Racing
Cheltmental Market Rasen preview
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With the national hunt season closing in the jumps action is starting to build. While we’ve still some time to wait for the household names to appear the quality is increasing and that’s apparent in a couple of race at Market Rasen this Saturday. Here’s a quick note on each of the Place6 legs:
13:40 – MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE (Class 4) (4yo+) 2m1/2f
FOXTROT JULIET is having her first run since a recent wind operation and she will have been looking for this better ground. She was fourth behind a stablemate on her last run back in April but with Richard Johnson booked to ride (he rode the winner that day), she looks to have a chance in a weak looking opener. KING’S RESTE has won twice over fences and reverts back to hurdles here. Her one previous run at the track saw her run well at 33/1 and I think she’s a better horse now. This race doesn’t look any better than that one so she’s a player. SULA ISLAND is in great hands to turn her flat form into jumps so she’s on the list. WASDELL looks nicely bred and while she’s unraced, she’s interesting first time up as this race might not take much winning.
14:15 – JUVENILE HURDLE (Class 2) (3yo) 2m1/2f
CRACKER FACTORY is a name in many notebooks already and Alan King’s charge will take this with a clear round. He’s already achieved a mark of 138 and that looks lenient although that doesn’t come into play here. BREAKFAST is 1 from 1 over obstacles and there was plenty to like about the way he won round here in August. He looks to be a nice enough yardstick for Cracker Factory and accounted for BODES WELL the last day.
14:50 – HANDICAP CHASE (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-110) 2m3f
ELKSTONE has been in fine form this summer including a win and runner-up three times round here. He’s up 20lbs since the start of the season but he was given a very nice ride last time out to win at Stratford. He is clearly capable of being involved but the mark looks beyond him for win purposes. ONE FORTY SEVEN looks to have potential but he also looks a bit of a rogue. The stable comes into form this time of year and he was short priced favourite when unseating at the first over hurdles on his only start round here. Others look more reliable but he’s interesting at least. HIDDEN CHARMER looked like a complete novice on his first start for this yard but wasn’t given a hard time of it. Whether his jumping has improved is to be taken on trust but on his Irish hurdle form he’s thrown in. It’s strange to think that WEST WIZARD will be lining up here off 106. After his bumper debut for Nicky Henderson he looked a star of the future. That was back in 2013 and he’s clearly not straightforward but on better ground at this trip and off that mark he simply can’t be ignored. PINK EYED PEDRO has one third to his name under rules and that came when 12L behind Elkstone at the end of August. He’s only 4lb better off for that today but the drop in trip might just help.
15:25 – HANDICAP CHASE (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-130) 2m5 1/2f
CANDY BURG is 3 from 3 over fences with two of his wins coming in France. A couple of spins over hurdles for his new trainer looked to have put him spot on so he’s a big player despite the 7lb hike. EARTHMOVES wouldn’t be the most reliable horse, but the Bowen’s are in good form and he’s down to a tempting mark of 125. He won over course and distance last season off of 124 so that’s enough to put him in the mix. NOT A ROLE MODEL ran pretty well here in July in a much stronger race. He may just have been kept back for this race and that course experience should see marked improvement.
16:00 – HANDICAP HURDLE (LISTED RACE) (Class 1) (3yo+) 2m1/2f
JOHN CONSTABLE really hasn’t taken to fences in public and that is enough to concern whether he’s in the same form back over hurdles as last term. He won a similar race to this over course and distance last July off a 2lb lower mark so on that running he has a chance. L’INGANNO FELICE is 4 from 5 over hurdles including 3 wins at this track. He took this year’s renewal of the race John Constable won last year but he’s now 9lb higher for that. THECLOCKISTIKING appeared a very useful novice hurdler last season and the best of his form came in the autumn. He ran well at this meeting last year in the bumper and he looks very well treated on balance and will play a huge part now dropping back to 2m. INNOCENT TOUCH looks like he’s improving with every run and while he needs to continue that pattern up 5lbs there’s every chance he will. HATCHER has been a revelation at Stratford, racking up four victories and a second. Now in handicap company, he looks potentially well treated off 135 but he doesn’t appear to run as well right handed and this is a tougher track than Stratford. CAUSE TOUJOURS is 2 from 2 since changing yard and a wind op. He looks capable of a bold show despite a 7lb rise for his latest win. NEW AGENDA has an interesting form line when beating Hatcher 6l while giving him 6lbs. On that line alone he’s a stone better off in here so that’s worth noting.
16:35 – HANDICAP HURDLE (Class 5) (4yo+ 0-100) 2m2 1/2f
GOLD CLASS may have been 50/1 on his latest start but he certainly outran those odds. He’s a course winner (albeit off 4lbs lower) but in a race lacking depth he’s on the shortlist. KIRUNA PEAK hasn’t shown a great deal lately but now down to 98 and up in trip he could have a say. Connor Brace is yet to ride a hurdle winner but taking 10lbs of this 4yo’s back can only help. MARJU’S QUEST has run well round here this summer when twice second. He’s 1lb lower then when beaten ¾ a length here in July and on that form he’s a player. MEGA MIND was very strongly gambled last time out (suspiciously so) where he eventually pulled up. On that showing you couldn’t give him a chance but that support sticks fresh in the mind for whatever reason it occurred
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