Racecards
15:00 Market Rasen
Fine Times At Simon & Clair's Wedding Novices' Handicap Hurdle (Class E)
- 15 Runners
- Distance: 2m 1f 110y
- Going: Good to Firm
- Form 54FR/R
- Age 8
- Weight 11-12
always behind, tailed off final 3
- Form 5P60-0F
- Age 5
- Weight 11-9
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey L Cooper
towards rear, ridden 3 out soon weakened
Rookery Lad
21- Form 0402-12
- Age 5
- Weight 11-1
- Trainer C Kellett
- Jockey Dave Crosse
tracked leaders, ridden approaching 2 out, led after last, kept on and headed towards finish
- Form 650-153
- Age 5
- Weight 11-1
led, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened flat
- Form 64U-55
- Age 4
- Weight 11-0
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D R Dennis
mid-division, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out
- Form 005F5-3
- Age 5
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer J R Jenkins
- Jockey H Oliver
mid-division, ridden and weakened 3 out, tailed off
- Form 20F5-03
- Age 7
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer Mrs Lucinda Featherstone
- Jockey R Johnson
in touch, took closer order 4th, ridden to lead 2 out, headed after last, weakened flat
- Form 5-06
- Age 6
- Weight 10-9
- Trainer O Brennan
- Jockey Wayne Hutchinson
towards rear, headway approaching 4th, ridden approaching 2 out, soon weakened
- Form 3-055
- Age 4
- Weight 10-8
held up towards rear, ridden and headway approaching 2 out, kept on and no impression last
- Form 2206-30
- Age 6
- Weight 10-6
- Trainer R Dickin
- Jockey B Hitchcott
held up in rear, pushed along 3 out, ridden and headway approaching 2 out, ran on to lead towards finish
- Form 620F0-3
- Age 5
- Weight 10-4
towards rear, ridden and outpaced 3 out, kept on from 2 out, no impression
- Form 4P663P-
- Age 8
- Weight 10-4
- Trainer Mrs L Williamson
- Jockey L P Aspell
in touch, weakened 3 out, tailed off
- Form 235-0U5
- Age 7
- Weight 10-3
- Trainer R D E Woodhouse
- Jockey P Whelan
mid-division, effort 3 out, soon weakened
In depth
Verdict
Not the most inspiring of contests and one in which it may be worth taking a chance of Silver Dagger at a likely price, to overturn favourite Rookery Lad and Nautical. Jonjo O'Neill has only just nicely taken in the former-Irish runner, who has been running on much softer ground in the Emerald Isle. However, he has shown decent form on a sound surface when racing on the level earlier in his career, comes here after a decent enough British debut when he went well enough until tiring and falling two out, and his trainer could well have him primed up to spring a surprise now. Rookery Lad is the likely favourite after a couple of decent efforts in sellers and then being touched off at Stratford on his handicap debut last month. He should again go well but now looks fully exposed. Nautical has steadily improved since switching to hurdles and though he has shown nothing special thus far, few would bet against Martin Pipe's magic starting to rub off here and further improvement is anticipated. Cullen Road and Promising are others to consider, but we will go with Silver Dagger to score.