13:20 Market Rasen

Thursday 7 December 2017

All12:2012:5013:2013:5514:2515:0015:30

Merseyside Derby Betting At 188Bet Handicap Chase

Off time: 13:22 | Winning time: 6m 5.20s

Mondo Cane^b¹⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-12| J: A Pogson| T: C T Pogson| OR: 100| D

16/1

A winner of a slightly higher mark in early 2016 he shaped as though he retained all his ability when coming back from a long break last month. Takes a slight drop in grade here and could go well if his second run back isn't a hindrance.

Form: 452/PP-4

Iona Days¹⁸⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 11-9| J: Wayne Hutchinson| T: J S Smith| OR: 97| C| D

4/1

Ended a near-five year losing spell on his penultimate start in a race that looked weak and rather predictably he failed to follow up off a 6lb higher mark. Did run with some credit though last time out but runs off the same mark here and that should be enough to stop him.

Form: 54P5-13

Elkstone^h²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: S Bowen| T: Mrs Caroline Bailey| OR: 96

11/4

Ran off a career-low mark last time out but still couldn't manage to win although he did settle better than usual and find something at the finish over a shorter trip here. Raised 2lb for that run he's just not one to rely on given his overall career profile.

Form: 322-352

Mr Jim¹⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: James Nixon⁽⁷⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 95

4/1

His victory at Plumpton in March came in a race that took little winning although he did run with credit on his next start. Returned from his summer break at Leicester last time over 5f shorter and kept on well and will appreciate this return to further with that run tucked away.

Form: F351-23

Orchestrated^p³¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Alain Cawley| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 95

6/1

His first three chase starts returned a very mixed bag of performances before he opened his account at Newton Abbot in October off a 4lb lower mark. Given a short break he only added to his overall patchy record last time when 4th at Plumpton (reported to have bled).

Form: P-P2614

Iskabeg Lane²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Danny Cook| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 95

13/2

Quickly switched to fences by connections after just four outings over hurdles but disappointed on his chase debut in a Hexham handicap (weak in the market). Ought to do better in this sphere but looked none too keen last time and questions to answer here.

Form: 344-30P

Ever So Much^p⁴³

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: Andrew Tinkler| T: B Haslam| OR: 92| D

10/1

Has shaped with relative promise in his last three starts returning to fences last time and running his best races in this sphere for quite some while. Not one to put too much faith in but off a mark of 92 a repeat of that run would see him in the mix here.

Form: 5P-6535

Lickpenny Larry^t²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Alan Johns| T: T R Gretton| OR: 90

16/1

Had made little show over hurdles but did show some aptitude for chasing last time out on his debut over the larger obstacles in the face of a very stiff task. Will have more chance in a low-grade handicap like this and one to watch in market moves.

Form: F048-64

The Society Man⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 10-0| J: Miss Becky Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: M C Chapman| OR: 64| C

25/1

Again has to race from well out of the handicap and shows little sign of breaking his maiden over fences with his career score in this sphere now standing at 0/66.

Form: 436U55

Forecasts

Elkstone (11/4), Iona Days (4/1), Mr Jim (4/1), Orchestrated (6/1), Iskabeg Lane (13/2), Ever So Much (10/1), Mondo Cane (16/1), Lickpenny Larry (16/1), The Society Man (25/1)

There are hardly any solid options in this and it may be worth giving MR JIM a chance given that he’s had a run now and this trip will suit him much better than the 2m he ran over at Leicester. Both Elkstone and Ever So Much are likely to travel well through the race but both are hard to win with and have had plenty of chances. Iona Days may find this mark holding him back again although he’s a safer proposition than many in this while Mondo Cane could come on for his return run last time after an elongated absence; on his old form he looks quite well handicapped in this.