Market Rasen Saturday
2:05 Unibet Betting Operator Of The Year Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f 139y
Fenna’s Loss beat Cousu Main at Hexham and while the latter has chances of reversing form, this track may not suit so well, and Mark Walford’s gelding is taken to confirm the form.
The former Charles Byrnes inmate has seemingly benefited from wind surgery and/or a bit of kindness from the handicapper, and remains on a very fair mark on balance of form.
He’s only gone up 3lb for that Hexham win, a rise which is offset by the claim of Tom Midgley, and he ought to go well for all that consistency hasn’t always been his strong point.
2:40 Unibets Zero% Mission Summer Handicap Hurdle 2m 125y
The move to Pat Neville is an eyecatching one for Earth Company, who lost his way for Philip Hobbs (and Johnson White) over fences last term, but was a winner of two of his four starts over hurdles, and makes much more appeal in this sphere as a result.
A Winner on handicap debut off a mark of 124, he finds himself back on that rating, and is likely to benefit from the fitting of a hood and tongue tie having shown a tendency to race freely for his previous connections.
It’s interesting to note that Neville has given Earth Company an entry in the Galway Hurdle next month, and while unlikely to make the cut for that contest, it’s encouraging that he’s being considered for high quality events such as the Ballybrit feature, and it’s hard to ignore the downturn of fortunes of the Hobbs yard in recent seasons.
3:15 Unibet Summer Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m 5f 89y
Peter Bowen has done a good job of getting 2021 and 2022 winner Francky Du Berlais here off a winnable mark, and the 10-year-old cannot be ignored despite top-weight.
The main worry with him is that he is at his very best on quick ground, and has had ideal conditions for the past two seasons, whereas there is no shortage of rain in the forecast for Market Rasen today.
One who won’t mind further rain is the unexposed Born Famous, who has won twice on soft ground at Perth, and proved that she stays three miles well when scoring over hurdles at Aintree in between.
The daughter of Famous Name showed ability for Claire O’Connell, but failed to deliver on modest early promise and was beaten off an IHRB mark of 83 before joining Iain Jardine.
Since then, she has progressed rapidly, winning all four starts and taking her form up a notch or two every time. This comes quite quickly after a facile win at Perth last Sunday, but she had so much in hand there that it is hard to believe that a 5lb penalty takes her close to her limit.
This is obviously a stiffer test of her mettle, but in terms of weight carried, she does stand out, and is likely to do better still, so must be followed until beaten.
Newbury Saturday
1:50 Bet365 Stakes (Registered As The Steventon Stakes) (Listed) 1m 2f
It’s very hard to trust the top-rated Al Aasy after his shocking effort in the Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket, and the fact that he has always gone well fresh in the past merely sounds further alarms.
It’s possible that this is a race best left alone given those concerns, but I’m inclined to take a chance on Epic Poet on debut for Martyn and Freddie Meade. The selection was a model of consistency last term for Jean-Claude Rouget, and given his dam was at her best as a five-year-old, it’s likely that the son of Lope De Vega will progress further this year having made his only appearance as a juvenile in late-autumn.
The Meades have been very quiet this summer, but runners have been scarce, and the father/son duo were successful with their only runner of the weekend at Salisbury last Saturday with Montauk Point, another horse who had made the switch from Rouget and was making his seasonal return.
That augurs well for stablemate Epic Poet, who is sure to be fighting fit despite his absence.
2:25 Mettal UK Handicap 2m 110y
There is rain around at Newbury, but it’s hard to know how much the ground will ease, and small stakes are advised until the state of the going is clearer. Solent Gateway is effective on good and soft ground and looks overpriced on the pick of this year’s form.
He’s only 2lb higher than when winning at Haydock in May, and Ross Coakley was aboard when he scored at Wolverhampton in January. He has few secrets from the handicapper, but is ideally suited by two miles on turf, winning both starts under such conditions, and was far from disgraced over a trip that stretches him in the Ascot Stakes last time.
Hugo Palmer (now entitled to be listed in racecards as Lord Palmer) is in fine form at present with two winners and seven seconds in the last week alone, so there’s no reason why Solent Gateway won’t give his running, and he offers excellent each-way value with five places on offer with many firms.
3:00 Bet365 Hackwood Stakes (Group 3) 6f
On the subject of trainers in form, Mick Appleby has emerged from a dreadful spring to post much improved figures for June and July, and all three of the horses he sent to Leicester on Thursday were successful.
That bodes well for the chance of King’s Stand Stakes third Annaf in the Hackwood Stakes. That Ascot run shows just what Annaf is capable of, and he was far from discredited when a close fourth to Equality in the Coral Charge at Sandown last time, with that race not being run to suit.
With Diligent Harry and Cold Case sure to set a strong pace on the stands side, Annaf ought to get the race run in his favour, and the way he’s been seeing his races out over five furlongs of late suggests he will benefit from the return to a longer trip now.
For the record, I have no selection in the Super Sprint - most firms pay four places, but I’d need them to pay eight to be confident of finding any value!
Earth Company 2:40 Market Rasen – 1pt e/w @ 20/1 (Bet365, Coral, Betfred – 4 places)
Born Famous 3:15 Market Rasen – 1pt win @ 10/1 (general)
Solent Gateway 2:25 Newbury – 1pt e/w @ 33/1 (general – 4 places)
Annaf 3:00 Newbury – 1pt e/w @ 9/1 (Unibet, Betfred, Betway – 4 places)