Tag Archive for: Market Rasen

Hugos New Horse continues winning spree with four-timer

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Hugos New Horse landed his fourth consecutive race when taking the Follow @starsports_bet EBF Novices’ Hurdle at Market Rasen.

The six-year-old has been almost unstoppable this season, beaten only on his first run of the term before beginning a hat-trick of hurdle victories at Wincanton, Sandown and Exeter.

Despite his form he was not the favourite at the Lincolnshire circuit and went off at 6-4 for trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Freddie Gingell.

Into the home straight he did not look the obvious winner, but the step up in trip evidently suited and he rallied all the way to the line to win by half a length from Emma Lavelle’s Tightenourbelts.

“It’s his first time running in this good ground since his bumper, I thought maybe the other horse just had him but he’s toughed it out,” said Conor Houlihan, pupil assistant to Nicholls.

“He was gutsy, he enjoyed the step up in trip and probably needed the distance with that kind of surface.

“He’s won four in a row now and you’d love to have a few more like him, I’m sure he warrants being in a Saturday race soon.

“Paul came here today to get him qualified for EBF Final (at Sandown in March) and I imagine that is where he will go now.

“Hopefully he can get the same result as McFabulous who won it two years ago and Complete Unknown who won it last year.

“He has loads of scope and he is a brilliant racehorse.”

Barrier Peaks gave trainer David Pipe a birthday winner when landing the starsports.Bet Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle under Fergus Gillard.

The seven-year-old was seeking a hat-trick after winning at both Exeter and Uttoxeter last month, with the 10lb rise he received as a result of the latter proving no barrier to success.

The 5-2 joint-favourite, Barrier Peaks ran in mid-division and in the home straight left all rivals bar Lone Star behind, eventually doing enough to prevail by a length on the line.

“I got there a bit too soon in hindsight, but I thought Charlie Longsdon’s horse (Calidad, fourth) would travel into the race,” said Gillard.

“As soon as I hit the front he’s idled a bit, but he’s done it well in the end.

“In his first few runs he was very green, now that he’s more race smart he’s a lot more intelligent.”

William Maggs enjoyed the second winner of his budding career when riding Patient Dream to a 11-2 victory in the Call Star Sports On 08000 521321 Handicap Hurdle for his boss Donald McCain.

African Dance then made a winning return after 15 months off the track when taking the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Handicap Chase for Olly Murphy.

Ridden by Fergus Gregory, the eight-year-old had been sidelined by injury since November 2021 when he won his chasing debut at Ayr.

Some 448 days later the gelding returned to the track with a win, prevailing by a length at 11-1 for owners Valerie and Noel Moran of Bective Stud.

“He’s a horse that we’ve always quite liked and hopefully he’s going to be an improving chaser,” said Murphy.

“It’s nice to get a winner for Noel and Valerie Moran, they’re prominent colours and good supporters of mine.

“I thought he was crying out for the trip, I didn’t know if he’d relax well enough first time out but he was grand.”

Dysart Enos floors Queens Gamble in smart Market Rasen bumper

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Dysart Enos reeled in the previously unbeaten Queens Gamble to land the Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race in good style at Market Rasen.

Sent off the 3-1 second-favourite to claim the scalp of Oliver Sherwood’s 8-11 favourite, the Fergal O’Brien-trained daughter of Malinas was well covered up in rear by Paddy Brennan in the early stages of the Listed event.

Queens Gamble, who was well touted for the Champion Bumper prior this contest, travelled powerfully in the hands of Jonathan Burke and breezed past the pace-setter Woogrey rounding the turn for home.

Burke soon pressed the accelerator and Queens Gamble’s turn of foot saw her burst clear up the Market Rasen home straight.

But her stride was shortening as the line approached at the same time Brennan was hitting top gear aboard Dysart Enos and it was only a matter of time before the five-year-old gained the upper hand.

An impressive winner at Ludlow prior to her trip to Lincolnshire, she returned a going away one-length verdict and was handed a quote of 10-1 by Paddy Power to now seek Grade One glory at the Cheltenham Festival.

O’Brien, though, was quick to rule the Festival out.

He said: “I thought we’d come and finish second to her (Queens Gamble), I spoke to Oliver on Sunday morning as I wanted Connor (Brace) to come and ride her and Paddy to go to Taunton. He’s 41 and he insisted on coming here because these are the horses he wants to ride.

“He said he got a bump just as they turned into the home straight and got pushed a bit sideways, but all the way down the straight she just had her head down and was trying. He never picked his stick up on her and he got to the road crossing and thought she was travelling, he always felt he was getting the leader and he had something to aim at.

“Paddy’s ridden so many bumper winners for us here, just like that. He rides this place so well, he knows it so well.”

He added: “She was fantastic, we’ve got her ready three times for this race three times now and each time we’ve had to back off her, but it’s the same for them all.

“Queens Gamble is still a fantastic mare and I genuinely thought we couldn’t beat her, we had a line drawn through her because of Bonttay – Bonttay’s very good and we didn’t think this mare was as good as her but we might have to reconsider that!

“One hundred per cent, Aintree. We won’t even enter at Cheltenham because people get tempted. It was always the plan with her, if she came here and finished second or third we’d go to Aintree. That’s been her season.

“She’s 16.2(hands), she’ll jump a hurdle, she’ll jump a fence, she’s so exciting.”

Queens Gamble is still on track for Cheltenham
Queens Gamble is still on track for Cheltenham (David Davies/Jockey Club)

For his part, Sherwood was gracious in defeat – and not giving up on a Cheltenham bid.

He said: “I hate being beat, she was always the one I feared. It was always going to happen one day, that we would get beat, but I’d rather get beat here and win at Cheltenham.

“I’m not going to be deterred from going to Cheltenham, we know she’s better at Cheltenham and she hasn’t run to her form. Giving 4lb, I suppose it was a dead-heat.

“The one thing today was that she probably ran a little bit with the choke out because Johnny said there was no pace. It’s all part of her education and she’s gone down fighting, it was going to happen at some stage.

“It’s always gutting to get beaten when you’ve got an odds-on shot, but it is what it is. She’s still a good mare, you don’t become a bad horse overnight. I still think that we’re OK, as long as the weather is kind to us, we’ll still go the Cheltenham and have a crack at it. We’ve got nothing to lose.

“We know she gallops all the way to the line, he’s (Burke) now a bit annoyed and thinks he should have held on to her and kicked. The one thing with Cheltenham is you’ll get a true-run race, they’ll go end to end and it’ll suit her down to the ground.”

Rasen runner Queens Gamble aiming to book Festival ticket

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Oliver Sherwood hopes it will be third time lucky as leading Champion Bumper hope Queens Gamble continues her education at Market Rasen on Tuesday.

The five-year-old, who has already won both her races in impressive style at Cheltenham, will look to return to the Prestbury Park track on March 15 as the top British challenger in the extended two-mile contest.

With Market Rasen forced to abandon her Festival prep-race target twice because of frost, Sherwood is hoping the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race will finally be staged.

“Third time lucky – hopefully it is going to be on,” said Sherwood. “Market Rasen have been superb in the build-up, keeping in touch with us and obviously they want us there.”

Queens Gamble opened her account last April, beating the well-regarded Mullenbeg by 10 lengths in a mares’ bumper at Cheltenham before scorching to an eight-length success over Bonttay and 14 other rivals in Listed event back at that track in November.

Sherwood is hoping to learn more about her when she faces 11 rivals this time.

“I’m very happy with her – she hasn’t missed a beat,” he added. “With any horse, any trainer will tell you that when you have abandonments and rescheduled races, you have to build her up and drop her back down and then build her up again.

“With certain horses it is difficult, but with her it hasn’t been that difficult, other than trying to get her to the boil two or three times.

“She is a very easy horse to train and doesn’t take a lot of work, so I’m very happy with her build-up. The ground will be ideal, so it is all positives at the moment.”

On a right-handed track, which is much sharper than she has faced at Prestbury Park, Queens Gamble will also concede 4lb to a field that includes five previous bumper winners.

Sherwood said: “There are slightly less runners than there were originally, but I respect every horse.

“I’ve been at it long enough to know nothing is a gimme in this game and obviously there are plenty of horses in there with really good chances. She has a got a little penalty, which is understandable.

Oliver Sherwood heads to Market Rasen on Tuesda
Oliver Sherwood heads to Market Rasen on Tuesday (Simon Cooper/PA)

“But she is a big mare and the most intriguing thing for me is that it is a different track and a different way round, different course and much sharper than Cheltenham.

“It wouldn’t possibly play to her strengths. It is a long journey up from Lambourn and she has had only two races, so it is all part of her education and I’m looking forward to seeing that.

“We said we would stick to the original plan that if she went and won at Cheltenham in November, we’d stay to bumpers this year. She has only just turned five, so I’m really looking forward to next season and going hurdling with her.”

Lingfield’s Winter Million meeting frozen off

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Despite a huge effort by officials and groundstaff at Lingfield the third day of the Winter Million fixture has been abandoned due to a frozen track.

Prospects had looked bleak earlier in the week and Friday’s scheduled card, the first of the three-day Winter Million meeting, was called off a long way in advance.

However, a thaw towards the end of the week, particularly on Saturday which enabled the course to become raceable, raised hopes the valuable fixture featuring the Fleur Du Lys Chase would be able to take place.

Forecasts ranged from between minus 1C and minus 4C with clerk of the course George Hill confessing it would need to be towards the lower end to stand any chance.

Unfortunately temperatures reached a bitter minus 5C on course and the efforts of up to 50 people in covering up the course with frost sheets went to waste with the meeting called of long before a scheduled 8am precautionary inspection.

Hill tweeted: “***RACING ABANDONED*** (Sun 22 Jan). Currently -5C, inspection brought forward as currently frozen in places with no signs of improvement with the forecast. Despite our best efforts, the weather has beaten us.”

It means there has been no racing on turf in the UK since Hereford on Monday but Navan did manage to race on Saturday in Ireland and racing is due to take place at Thurles on Sunday.

There was also bad news from Market Rasen who abandoned their meeting on Friday, set to feature the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Open National Flat race, but swiftly rearranged for Tuesday.

However, much colder temperatures than forecast over the weekend has meant there has been no discernible improvement in the track and early on Sunday morning Tuesday’s fixture was also abandoned.

The going report read: “Following a second consecutive night of un-forecast -5C the track now has significant areas of frozen ground, including under the frost covers. Original forecast for improved conditions has not materialised and therefore no prospect of the ground thawing before racing.”

Exeter’s meeting on Tuesday must survive a 4pm inspection on Monday while Leicester will inspect at 3.30pm on Monday for their meeting on the same day following successive minus 5C nights over the weekend.

Kempton’s all-weather meeting on Monday must survive an 8am precautionary inspection on raceday due to the threat of freezing fog and low temperatures having passed a 12.30pm precautionary inspection on Sunday.

Another blank day in prospect for National Hunt racing

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There will be no jumps racing in Britain or Ireland on Thursday after frost accounted for cards at Wincanton and Fairyhouse.

Tuesday was a wipeout on the National Hunt scene in Britain with Chepstow called off, while Wednesday cards at Plumpton and Newbury were also called off.

Thursday’s potential jumps cards were cut to just Wincanton, with Newcastle cancelled on Tuesday and Ludlow abandoned following an inspection on Wednesday morning.

Market Rasen's Friday card is subject to an inspection
Market Rasen’s Friday card is subject to an inspection (Mike Egerton/PA)

Officials at Wincanton had planned to inspect on raceday morning but with track reported to be still frozen on Wednesday afternoon, they made an early decision to cancel the fixture.

Market Rasen provides the next potential turf meeting on Friday, with Lingfield already called off.

The meeting is due to feature the Listed Alan Swinbank mares’ bumper, but the Lincolnshire venue must pass a noon inspection on Thursday if it is to go ahead, with the ground frozen in places.

Queens Gamble is declared to run at Market Rasen
Queens Gamble is declared to run at Market Rasen (David Davies/Jockey Club?

Clerk of the course Jack Pryor said: “We have called an inspection for tomorrow and we will have to make an assessment of conditions then.

“We are going to need the weather to help us out a bit.

“We got up to 4.5C today, but we are aware we have another two nights of frost to come.”

Fairyhouse will now race next week (
Fairyhouse will now race next week (Donall Farmer/PA)

Thursday’s fixture at Fairyhouse was called off following a 3pm inspection, although the card has already been rescheduled for next Wednesday.

Brendan Sheridan, IHRB clerk of the course said: “Following an inspection at Fairyhouse today, parts of the track remain unfit for racing.

“We have spoken with Met Eireann and with an unfavourable weather forecast again for tonight, we have no choice but to cancel tomorrow’s meeting.

“Having consulted with Horse Racing Ireland and with a rise in temperatures towards the weekend, this fixture will now take place on Wednesday, January 25.”

Sherwood monitoring weather ahead of Queens Gamble run

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Oliver Sherwood hopes to run exciting prospect Queens Gamble at Market Rasen on Friday, but is keeping a close eye on the weather forecast.

The dual Cheltenham bumper winner is entered in the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race as part of her preparation for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham, for which she is currently a 12-1 chance with Coral.

However, with temperatures due to plummet, the Upper Lambourn handler will keep his powder dry if conditions are unsatisfactory.

He said: “I’m as happy as Larry with her. I am just a bit nervous about this ground. I want to run and we will probably end up declaring and going up and seeing what it is like, but it is a long way to go to take (her) out.

“It wouldn’t bother me if she didn’t run and go straight to Cheltenham, because she takes no getting ready. So I’d be happy with that and if we didn’t run, I’d take her to an away-day to Kempton or something, for a bit of a spin.”

Aintree could also be on the radar for the Getaway mare, who powered to an eight-length success over Bonttay when making a return to action in November.

“I’m very much keeping an eye on things to have a spring campaign, because this year there is a four-week gap between Cheltenham and Aintree,” said Sherwood.

“If things didn’t work out at Cheltenham, she could go for the mares’ race at Aintree. I don’t want to go and burn my bridges too early on. God willing she’ll run.”