Summer Plate Day at Market Rasen has yielded a terrifically competitive and high-grade card.
Hopefully, I can switch codes successfully with these four handicappers below.
Champions: Full Gallop. Don't miss episode one on ITV on Friday night at 9pm. .
2.05 Market Rasen: Flying Fortune
It would be a surprise if the Bowens didn’t have a winner at this summer highlight and I am hopeful I will be backing one of them with Flying Fortune, who looks to have a solid chance here.
This mare won two decent bumpers and a glance at the horse she beat in them reveals horses who are now rated in the 130-plus bracket over hurdles.
On the face of it, Flying Fortune’s runs over hurdles have been a little disappointing but I feel a more positive view can be taken.
She needed medical attention after her debut run and then went on to run a now Listed grade hurdler close.
Flying Fortune has twice been beaten on heavy ground which doesn’t suit but she ran a really encouraging race behind Gale Mahler who was completing a four-timer (and will go off favourite in first race on the card).
She only went up 2lb for that effort and has to be well in here.
2.40 Market Rasen: Kihavah
Kihavah has turned into a winning machine on the Flat since he last ran and won a hurdle race over this course last summer.
His Flat mark jumped from 81 to 97 and it may be that the handicapper has now got him in check on the Flat.
However, it could be that he’s on a favourable mark over hurdles. He won over the extended 2½ miles last June but it looked to stretch him, so it looks very likely he will be suited by this drop down in trip.
Big-field handicaps suit him well and a strongly run race over this trip will suit. Trainer Adrian Keatley has been in consistently good form this summer and I am sure this will have been the target.
3.15 Market Rasen: Mole Court
Mole Court was on a roll over hurdles and fences last summer and carried the progress through to the spring, winning at Huntingdon in April off a mark 2st higher than he started his winning streak.
He is suited by going that is good to soft or better, so I am sure Ben Pauling has aimed him at a summer jumps campaign and will have him primed for this.
He ran a good fourth last time out in the Uttoxeter Summer Cup and would have gone closer but for a couple of significant late mistakes.
He was 3lb out of the handicap there and can race off his proper mark in this. If he avoids errors, then he can go close in this feature.
4.35 Cartmel: Imperial Data
Rebecca Menzies seven-year-old is still on the upgrade and could be the one here.
He won over this course and distance at the May meeting here and is 9lb higher, but he earned the rating and has since twice run well.
He should be well suited by the likely good pace in this and the fitting of cheekpieces seem to have helped for his past two starts. He can get back on the winning trail.