Friday, July 15, 2016

Market Rasen Summer Plate 2016

I tend to think of tomorrow's Market Rasen meeting as the half-way point through the summer jumps programme; the highlight is the Summer Plate with sixteen set to face the starter at 2.45.

Top weight Ballynagour, beaten two lengths in the Summer National at Uttoxeter three weeks ago (Tony Star pulled up), stands his ground and as a result the bottom four all race from out of the handicap. Paul Nicholls saddles three with Charlie Longsdon and Tom George responsible for two apiece; the trainer in form is Dr Richard Newland with a 31.58% strike rate for the season so far. 

Geraghty rides Cernunnos for J P McManus; in the same ownership It's A Gimme didn't make the final declarations, having only seen a racecourse twice since finishing sixth in last year's renewal, and Easy Street failed to make the cut.

A number in the field finished behind Minella Present in Uttoxeter's Sir Stanley and Lady Clarke Chase at the end of May: Germany Calling (third), Long House Hall (fourth), Henryville (eighth), and Dormello Mo (ninth).

Previous course winner Long House Hall, marked up 6/1 favourite at the time of writing, is two pounds better off with Germany Calling for one and a half lengths - it looks a close enough call. The latter isn't guaranteed to see out this two miles five furlong trip but he was staying on the last day...

Henryville is a horse I like and the ground will certainly suit but, to date, he hasn't totally convinced over the larger obstacles.    

With Paddy Power offering 12/1 and paying a quarter the odds four places (provided sixteen make the start), Germany Calling is the each-way suggestion.

2 comments:

TW said...

As ever a smashing write up.

My shilling e-away is also going on a Longsdon horse. Following a rapid rise up the handicap it may well be that, with a mark of 140, Kilfinchen Bay has hit his ceiling but at odds of 28/1 I see a few of reasons to be hopeful that he has bit more to offer. The form of his win at Plumpton last Sept off a mark of 132 is working out really well suggesting that there is still hope that today’s mark is within his grasp, Graham Watters claims a further 3lb, he will enjoy the faster ground better than many of the field and with the bend realignment adding a further ¾ of a furlong to the advertised distance his proven stamina should come in to play. I can see him racing prominently, staying on when others start to fade, holding on to take one of the 4 places and possibly even sneaking a win. Doubly Clever in the earlier Summer Hurdle could make up a nice each way double!

Best of luck with Germany Calling, hopefully a Longsdon 1-2.

GeeDee said...

In the event 6/1 joint favourite Long House Hall ran out a comfortable eight length winner of the Spring Plate from Ballynagour (7/1) but there was drama aplenty at the final flight.

Cernunnos (13/2) led three out, was headed by the winner before the next but was still in with a shout when coming to grief at the final flight; pilot Barry Geraghty broke his arm in the fall and is likely to be sidelined for two to three months.

That fall took out Monsieur Gibralatar (16/1) and Henryville (7/1) and hampered Theinval (6/1jf) in third, Golden Doyen (9/1) fourth and selection Germany Calling (9/1) who looked as though he had no more to give coming home fifth.

Kilfinichen Bay (20/1) raced prominently for much of the trip but lost his place five out and was pulled up thereafter.