Saturday's Meetings Newbury Flat 8 Races 1:15-5:20p.m. Curragh Flat 8 Races 1:30-5:30p.m. Market Rasen N/H 6 Races 2:05-5:00p.m. Cartmel N/H 6 Races 2:15-5:10p.m. Newmarket Flat 6 Races 2:30-5:25p.m. Ripon Flat 6 Races 2:46-5:40p.m. Doncaster(E) Flat 6 Races 6:15-8:45p.m. Haydock(E) Flat 6 Races 6:30-9:00p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
13 years ago Australia Day bolted up by 19 lengths in the (then listed) Summer Handicap Hurdle - fond memories . It is a good card at Market Rasen with the feature event being the Summer Plate handicap chase. In the Summer Hurdle there are plenty of interesting runners including the Gredley's Too Friendly (5th behind Brazil and Gaelic Warrior no less in last year's Triumph Hurdle) who has solid place claims. Fergal O'Brien is mob-handed (help @NassauBoard) but the one that sticks out like a sore thumb is David Pipe's handicap debutant Myristica. This daughter of Derby winner Harzand is totally unexposed over obstacles and, given she achieved a peak rating of 91 on the flat she can surely defy a rating of 112 to take this? The Plate sees dual winner Francky Du Berlais going for the hat-trick off just 1lb higher than last year. He ran a fine prep race over C&D a few weeks ago when finishing 3rd behind And The New (10lbs worse off) and Fix It All. Lots of good horses in opposition though including Hang In There (who took the novices chase on the card last year and seems to keep his best for fences at this course), Jonjo's La Dominiale (connections can never be ignored in this type of event), Gloire D'Athon (5 from 6 over fences), a couple of Irish raiders and, right at the bottom of the card, Born Famous who has been transformed by the move to Ian Jardine. Very tricky race indeed but I think 2nd season chaser Hang In There could be the one.
The ground will be the key factor for all the racing today, and they’ve been watering at Market Rasen!! If it’s as I predict then I quite fancy Earth Company to raise a shock.
Francky's warm up was precisely that. They will delighted to be getting him back here for the hat-trick bid off such a fair mark.
Usual multitude of tough cards this Saturday, but found one I like at Cartmel in the Pro/Am Female Jockeys Handicap Hurdle (14:50), a Class-3 event just over 2m1f, on heavy ground. That is the French-bred Horn Cape, a 6-y-o Fame And Glory gelding. I prefer selection to his stablemate, Calevade, who seems to be the more-fancied of the two. No grumbles from me if I've picked the wrong one of two! An added plus is that the crack Irish lady jockey, Rachael Blackmore, takes the ride for the Ben Haslam stable. 4/1 is the generally-available best price at time of writing. Have an enjoyable and successful afternoon, folks!
Indeed, could hardly believe the result of the Summer Plate at Market Rasen. I thought Born Famous was going to be pulled-up, let alone win the race. Incredible!
Those Galileos - my goodness. I was willing the Beckett filly to get up and was focused on her and Library and then suddenly whoosh and it was all over. Incredible sire and you wonder if we will ever see his like again.
From Timeform "The best prospect on show among the two-year-olds was almost certainly Henry Longfollow (94P) who made a successful debut in the seven-furlong maiden in a good time. He’s certainly bred to be something out of the ordinary, by Dubawi and the first foal of his stable’s seven-time Group 1 winner Minding to reach the track"
