15:15 Market Rasen

Friday 10 May 2024

All13:4014:1014:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

Victor Lucas Memorial Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 15:16 | Winning time: 5m 50.8s

Giovanni Change¹³⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 12-1| J: Tom Midgley⁽³⁾| T: M Walford| OR: 126| BF| CD

16/1

Prone to mistakes over hurdles but recorded a fourth success in this last year. Good effort in a chasern here last time and presumably been primed for a big run after four months off.

Form: 2/1PP22-

Legionar²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: H Dickin| OR: 123

7/2

Still lightly raced and made it two from two for this yard when grinding it out from the front at Hereford last time. That form has been boosted by the third since and the hat-trick is a distinct possibilty.

Form: 71/5311-

Storm Nelson²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-8| J: Charlie Hammond| T: Olly Williams| OR: 119

66/1

Won 5 of his 8 starts during a very good spell with Sandy Thomson. Best effort since joining present yard when 13 lengths third of 10 to Johnson's Blue at Doncaster on penultimate outing but followed it with a tame display at Aintree.

Form: 0/P693P-

Shantou Express¹⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: David Bass| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 117| C

10/1

Bagged a small-field Stratford handicap (26.4f, good) last June but hasn't fired since and others are more appealing.

Form: 368976-

Lihyan^h²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-3| J: William Maggs⁽⁷⁾| T: R Menzies| OR: 114

10/1

Bounced back to form to record a first success for current connections at Musselburgh in December and has remained in good form since, unsuited by the way things developed when fourth at Ayr last time. Not dismissed.

Form: 551224-

For Gina^p²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-11| J: Dylan Whelan⁽⁷⁾| T: L Wadham| OR: 108| D

7/2

Third handicap win of the season when seeing off 6 rivals at Fakenham (3m, soft) in February and back on track when third at Plumpton last month. Should be on the premises again.

Form: 141P23-

Porter In The Park¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: Joe Anderson⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 108

4/1

Looked back to her best when edging ahead late to score at Ludlow last time. Unexposed over this distance, so there could be more to come.

Form: 6/P6631-

Southern Babylon¹⁰⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 10-9| J: B S Hughes| T: Ruth Jefferson| OR: 106| C

9/2

80,000 gns purchase after placing in an Irish point in May 2022 and confirmed the promise of her hurdling debut when landing 13-runner maiden at Market Rasen (20.5f) in November. Disappointing on both subsequent outings but fairly treated if she can bounce back.

Form: 2/2185-

Burrows Hall⁶⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-8| J: Nick Scholfield| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 105| BF

10/1

Holding form well prior to scoring in good style at Catterick in February. Turned over at odds on there next time but race may have come too soon and he's one to keep in mind back from a two-month break.

Form: P/32212-

Non-Runners

Imperial Merlin⁶¹

Weight: 12-0| Age: 7

T: J & S Quinn J: Non Runner

Forecasts

For Gina (7/2), Legionar (7/2), Porter In The Park (4/1), Southern Babylon (9/2), Lihyan (10/1), Burrows Hall (10/1), Shantou Express (10/1), Imperial Merlin (14/1), Giovanni Change (16/1), Storm Nelson (66/1)

LEGIONAR has made an excellent start for his current yard and should put up a bold showing for the hat-trick under another positive ride. Burrows Hall is likely to be back on track and Porter In The Park may have more to offer at this trip, so she's also feared.