15:50 Market Rasen

Thursday 7 November 2019

All13:0513:4014:1514:4515:2015:50

Needwood Service Station Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:52 | Winning time: 6m 20.8s

Pride Of Lecale^t²⁵¹

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 111WS

6/4

Not had many starts for an eight-year-old, and now starts out in handicaps after a trio of modest efforts in maiden hurdles last season. Has to carry top-weight, but may improve for the drop in grade. Stable currently in sparkling form.

Form: 107/568-

Caro Des Flos¹¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: M D Grant| T: J S Smith| OR: 109

8/1

Yet to register a win for this yard since moving from Ireland, and he has fallen 16lb in the handicap since his first start on these shores. Doesn't look as though he is about to take advantage of that though.

Form: 00-2535

Yorgonnahearmeroar^h²¹⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: L Treadwell| T: Miss C Dyson| OR: 107

40/1

Didn't have a particularly productive time of things last year, and his quiet effort at Ffos Las (2m4f; soft) didn't offer a great deal of encouragement. Plenty more needed as he makes his first start of the season.

Form: 1/88U56-

Unblinking¹⁵⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Jordan Nailor⁽⁷⁾| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 106| D

13/2

Modest strike rate over hurdles and has finished unplaced the last thrice, including when last of ten at Bangor-on-dee (2m3f; good) in June. 5lb lower now as he makes seasonal debut, but is readily opposed.

Form: 1556-00

Oxwich Bay³⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-8| J: Adam Wedge| T: Evan Williams| OR: 105

9/2

In the process of running a respectable race before he unseated his rider at the last at Southwell (2m7f; soft) last time out. 16lb below last winning mark, and would have place claims if none the worse for recent experience.

Form: F455-6U

Black Market¹⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-8| J: Colm McCormack⁽³⁾| T: J R Norton| OR: 105

66/1

Makes stable debut for new yard after failing to win in five attempts in Ireland. This is his first run for 144 days, so hard to know what to expect, but he would need to step up a fair bit on his bare form.

Form: P64-547

Ulysses³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: James Davies| T: D Shaw| OR: 103

25/1

Looked to be going the right way earlier in the year, however his last two efforts haven't been good enough. Tailed off most recently at Southwell (3m; soft), so cannot be recommended when in such dire form. Has since left Dan Skelton.

Form: 83-1225

Amzac Magic^h²⁴⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Nick Scholfield| T: Jack Barber| OR: 101

10/3

Lightly raced, progressive sort who got off the mark in handicaps when successful at Wincanton (2m4f; good to soft) on his final start of last season. 6lb higher, but is open to plenty more progress in a race full of exposed sorts.

Form: 53/0431-

Bowie^p²¹⁸

Age: 12| Weight: 10-9| J: Charlie Hammond⁽³⁾| T: N Kent| OR: 92| C

33/1

12-year-old who is a three-time course winner. Ended last season on a sour note when pulled-up at this track. Not won since March 2017, and his record when fresh is off-putting. Best watched.

Form: 87255P-

Non-Runners

Pagero²¹

Weight: 11-11| Age: 4

T: J & A O'Neill J: R P McLernon

Mr Jack²⁸

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: Mrs L C Jewell J: Brendan Powell

Versifier¹⁷³

Weight: 11-6| Age: 7

T: W Bethell J: Danny Cook

Forecasts

Pride Of Lecale (6/4), Amzac Magic (10/3), Oxwich Bay (9/2), Unblinking (13/2), Caro Des Flos (8/1), Pagero (8/1), Versifier (20/1), Ulysses (25/1), Mr Jack (25/1), Bowie (33/1), Yorgonnahearmeroar (40/1), Black Market (66/1)

A well-contested affair to end proceedings. Although he has ran nowhere near the level connections would have been hoping for after they picked him up for €190,000 in France, Pagero is still not fully exposed and is surely capable of better than he showed on his handicap debut at Wincanton recently. The Fergal O'Brien trained Pride Of Lecale has evidently been difficult to train, but now starts out at a more realistic level with his yard operating at a 36% strike-rate in the last 14 days. For win purposes though the selection is AMZAC MAGIC, who posted a clear career-best when winning at the end of the last season, and he can follow-up off a 6lb higher mark.