Racecards
14:30 Market Rasen
A J Neary Memorial Novices' Chase (Class D)
- 4 Runners
- Distance: 3m 1f
- Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places
- Form 253411-
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
held up in rear, went prominent 12th, led approaching 3 out, ridden next, kept on gamely under pressure flat
- Form 53F4-4P
- Age 6
- Weight 10-12
- Trainer P Pritchard
- Jockey C Llewellyn
led, headed 5th, led again after 7th, headed 10th, ridden 3 out, soon tailed off
Lord Rapier
27- Form 2261/1-4
- Age 9
- Weight 10-12
chased leaders, went 2nd 11th, ridden and challenged approaching 2 out, every chance flat, just held
- Form 0-P
- Age 5
- Weight 10-11
- Trainer Ian Williams
- Jockey D R Dennis
tracked leader, led 5th, headed after 7th, led again 10th, blundered 13th, soon headed, ridden 3 out, soon tailed off
In depth
Verdict
A disappointing turn-out of four in reality looks a match between Druid's Glen and Lord Rapier, with Follow The Flow and Lodestar seemingly having little or no chance bar a fall. Lord Rapier has not had a lot of mileage for his age. In fact after scoring over hurdles at Bangor in May 2001, he was not seen out until making his chase debut (which was always the plan) at Fakenham in October. That turned out to be a decent race won by Moss Harvey and the form has been franked already by the runner-up Joly Bey. However, he faces a tough opponent here in Jonjo O'Neill's Druid's Glen who, having made his debut over fences at Warwick in February, was put back over hurdles with immediate success, gaining back-to-back wins at Stratford in the spring. He has schooled well since, and TEAMtalk expect Druid's Glen to defy an absence before going on to better things.