15:30 Market Rasen

Wednesday 26 December 2018

All12:1012:4013:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Rand Farm Park Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 4m 55.2s

Zig Zag^p²⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-12| J: Nathan Moscrop⁽⁵⁾| T: P A Kirby| OR: 118

12/1

Yard 2-7 over last week but this ex-Irish performer remains just 1-22 over timber and hasn't run with any great credit so far this term. easing in handicap but has a point to prove at present.

Form: 9482-36

Nigh Or Never^p⁷¹

Age: 4| Weight: 11-9| J: T J O'Brien| T: Ian Williams| OR: 115

9/2

Placed 3-4 starts this year for Rebecca Curtis and now makes debut for new yard. Down 2lb and stable in form so shouldn't be at all far away.

Form: 7224-2

The Major General⁸³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 115

9/2

Galileo gelding cost a massive €1,500,000 as a yearling. Won listed race on Flat and also second to high class Ulysses in Gordon Stakes in 2016 for Aidan O'Brien. Very disapointing over hurdles in Ireland though and makes debut for new yard here.

Form: 55-5576

Oregon Gold^p²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Charlie Hammond⁽⁵⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 107

11/2

Off the mark at 13th time of asking when landing Southwell 2m4f handicap hurdle last time out in good style. Raised 7lb but is in good heart and won't be too far away if in similar form.

Form: 78-7831

Navajo War Dance²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-1| J: Adam Wedge| T: A Stronge| OR: 107

4/1

Yet to score in eights starts ver hurdles with best efforts coming on a sound surface. Testing rgound unlikely to help the cause but at leats is in form having been second on fast ground at Leicester last time.

Form: 74-2842

Icefall^b1³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 10-12| J: C R King| T: T D Easterby| OR: 104

12/1

Blinkered first time. Has shown enough to date to suggest he can win a race of this nature but hasn't always looked the most robust of characters and will take a good ride to cajole him home.

Form: 323486

Gold Chain¹³

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Bridget Andrews| T: D Skelton| OR: 103

10/3

Has won 11 races and bounced back to form off favourable mark when winning at Newcastle last time. Handicapper has hit her with a whopping 12lb rise but she is still respected for top yard.

Form: 75PP41

Bowie^p³⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 10-0| J: Tom Cheesman⁽⁵⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 90| CD

14/1

Has shown little of late but is now 15lb lower than when runner-up in this race 12 months ago. 2lb out of the handicap but not out of contention if return here sparks a revival.

Form: 29-0087

Forecasts

Gold Chain (10/3), Navajo War Dance (4/1), The Major General (9/2), Nigh Or Never (9/2), Oregon Gold (11/2), Zig Zag (12/1), Icefall (12/1), Bowie (14/1)

Gold Chain has been raised 12lb for her recent Newcastle success which makes life much tougher, so OREGON GOLD is narrowly preferred following his plucky win at Southwell last time. The Major General would be a certainty if transferring his Flat form to hurdles but he has been a massive disappointment so far and is a risky betting proposition on debut for Jonjo O'Neill. At the foot of the weights last year's second Bowie is not out of it, while Nigh Or Never is another with fair claims.