Tomorrow's meeting at Market Rasen is the highlight of the summer jumping calendar. Sixteen go to post in the Summer Plate at 3.35 with prize money of £60,000 on offer; this evening all the major bookmaking firms are offering each-way a quarter the odds four places. Several of tomorrow's particpants have run in the race previously. Last year McCoy did this blog a favour by getting Nostringsattached up to win a short-head from stablemate Keepitsecret while King Troy ran well to finish fourth; Brooklyn Brownie finished second behind Peter Bowen's Snoopy Loopy in 2008 with Seymour Weld down the field in tenth. In the past the Bowen yard has been mob-handed in this but just Valley Pride takes his chance tomorrow - that chance is certainly respected as the trainer is in phenomenal form with six winners from his last seven runners. Of the three Jonjo O'Neill entries McCoy has opted for course and distance winner Tempsford and that one heads the market. Putney Bridge is one who runs his race from the front but he'll do well to win this with that style of racing. One that's slightly less exposed is Tim Vaughan's War Of The World. This gelding finished just under two lengths behind Valley Ride over course and distance last September; he looked to race in snatches that day but on his next appearance was in with a shout when coming down two out at Cheltenham's mid-October meeting in a race won by Poquelin. He hasn't been seen out since and although he has shown himself prone to the odd jumping error in the past the booking of Richard Johnson catches the eye. I'll take an each-way interest in War Of The World at around 12/1. It's worth noting that the favourite has obliged on five occasions in the last ten years.
The opening Summer Hurdle looks very difficult. One near the bottom of the handicap that might be worth a second look provided the price is right is Evan Williams' Nordwind. Ten pound claimer Adam Wedge takes the ride but will he be able to do the weight, I wonder? William Hill go 16/1 this evening.
Much of the form for the juvenile hurdle at 2.35 goes back to Torran's course and distance win three weeks ago. Lady Pasha, Sansili and Bring Sweets will all fancy their chance of reversing placings with the winner who now carries a penalty. I'm tempted to chance the filly Lady Pasha as she was headed in the shadow of the post in that race and has cheekpieces applied this time which should help the cause. Of the newcomers Dance For Julie who won on the soft over twelve furlongs looks of some interest.
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Very interesting point regarding young Adam Wedge. Had a look and the lowest weight he has ridden from in the past 12 months was 9-07; looks borderline today maybe? Has managed to get around 25% of his hurdles rides home in the top 3 so may have a decent EW shout on the Evan Williams horse today....
A couple of good stats there, Ben; many thanks. I'm guessing in the event he must have put up a couple of pounds overweight?
Dismal disappointments all round here...
War Of The World looked solid enough in the market beforehand, fluctuating around the 8/1 mark, yet according to the Sporting Life results section, the selection eventually went off 5/1 joint favourite. Late money or not, it made no difference whatsoever as the horse started at the rear of the field and showed no particular inclination to make any places on a track where I always think it pays to be handy enough. Tim Vaughan's charge lost touch from the tenth and was pulled up before three out. Graham Lee rode Grand Slam Hero to victory for the Twiston-Davies team, the trainer's son Sam missing out on a big winner as he was serving a suspension after his misdemeanour at Perth where he rode a finish a circuit too early. Full marks too to Putney Bridge (10/1) who was only headed after the last - perhaps I need to go and reassess this one as I didn't think he would be competitive in this.
In the opener Nordwind (10/1) put in a slow jump at the fourth and lost ground thereafter; he was pulled up two from home. Intersting point from Ben (Aitken) that the lowest weight Adam Wedge has ridden at in the last twelve months in 9st 7lbs. Australia Day won what looked on paper an ultra-competitive handicap hurdle by a hard held 19 lengths!
The market had the answer to the juvenile hurdle with the well-backed Dance For Julie (2/1f) winning easily, Sansili (15/2) and Bring Sweets (12/1) filling the minor berths and reversing placings with Torran Sound (fourth) as they were entitled to do. In what looked a rough enough race, selection Lady Pasha (6/1) was always struggling - she finished well-beaten in ninth.
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