SILVER DRAGON 1.00 MARKET RASEN
Silver Dragon was made favourite for a better race than this last time and time has told what a tough task he had that day in the 0-105. The winner, Cyrien Star has since won two in 0-130 and 0-135 off 7lbs and 15lbs higher. The second was My Oh Mount Brown won a 0-110 off 4lbs higher and runs at Wetherby today off 17lbs higher. Fourth was Lookout Mountain who won a 0-105 off the same mark before finishing second in a 0-120 off 15lbs higher. He was then fourth and second favourite for a 0-125 off 21lbs higher. Silver Dragon is 5lbs higher than his last run but this looks a very good opportunity as he was entered in a much tougher 0-110 at Wetherby. Coyle is 2-8 in handicap hurdles at Market Rasen, 2-6 at single figure odds.
Airman’s Friend is feasibly handicapped on his chasing form racing off a 3lbs lower mark. All his best form has been on good ground and I think he will find this going on the slow side. He is 0-6 when the word soft is in the going description. He was gifted a chase here in June and though Charlie Mann has a good record in handicap hurdles here, 7-33, I can’t have Airman’s Friend on this ground.
Conigre did little on his debut for Ali Brewer last time and is sure to strip fitter today. However, he is a 15 race maiden, never placing. He has nothing to recommend him other than Ali Brewer improving him. It shows how bad a race this is that Conigre is third favourite.
Crookstown has been tailed off in both of his runs for Ben Case but at least he has won a race for Gordon Elliot in July. Ben Case is 2-19 in handicap hurdles here and his last three runners here stretching over two years have all finished second. He saddled the second in this race two years ago
Combustible Kate is 0-17, 0-7 here and never placed on good to soft or slower ground, 0-5.
Ivans Back is 0-12 with just one place an 18l third in a novice hurdle. Beaten 24ls and 43ls in his two outings on soft ground.
Nomadic Storm has been beaten 146ls and 126ls and fell in his three outings over hurdles. Even McPherson wouldn’t have the audacity to take the handbrake off today. He might improve though.
Yazdi won a maiden on the flat for Brian Meehan. He was then made second favourite for the Group 3 Queens Vase at Royal Ascot. He has shown nothing for Charlie Mann and didn’t pull up any trees on his debut for Henry Oliver. He does drop in class though he is 0-7 going right handed and never placed in three races on soft ground.
Blue Sea Of Ibrox is 0-9 never placed. He was beaten 8ls by Civil Unrest at Kelso in November in a 0-100 off 6lbs higher. The third horse Rhymers Stone won the other day. He wears blinkers for the first time but Brown is 2-34 with horses in first time blinkers, 0-6 over the sticks. 0-16 with any first time headgear.
Exit To Freedom is 0-20 but has placed twice over this course and distance. He was third to Church Field in May. That horse won again off 10lbs higher and the fourth, fifth and eighth have all tasted success since. Exit To Freedom is 1lb lower and he should run well. John Wainwright has had two winners from his last 100 runners and it is almost two years since he saddled a winner under National Hunt rules. Currently on a losing run of 72 puts a massive dampener on the horse’s chance.
First Of Never is yet to be unsaddled in the places area of the winner’s enclosure from eight attempts. Lynn Siddall hasn’t saddled a winner since February and is on a losing ruin of 42. It is eight years since she saddled a winner of a handicap hurdle here, but she has only had twelve runners since.
Conclusion: This must be the worst handicap hurdle ever to be seen at Market Rasen. There doesn’t appear any improvers for Silver Dragon to worry about. There is enough pace with Ivans Friend, Combustible Kate, Exit To Freedom and the keen running Crookstown all liking to race prominently and Silver Dragon should pick these off with the minimum of fuss. Crookstown should enhance his trainer’s place record of 50% in handicap hurdles here and he rates the danger.