Young Norton jockey Dean Pratt gets the chance to further his reputation for an outside yard at Market Rasen tomorrow after producing the Midas touch for his boss John Quinn in recent weeks.
In six rides for Quinn this season, Pratt has ridden a remarkable four winners and a second, proving himself a budding talent with the ability to go far.
His winning touch is clearly getting noticed and tomorrow trainer Michael Smith, based near Newcastle, gives Pratt the leg-up on Texas Holdem in the John Wade For Demolition ‘Hands And Heels’ Handicap Hurdle for conditional riders.
Although he is now a 12-year-old, Texas Holdem is no spent force. He has was in great form last season and he is a regular working companion of Smith’s stable star Orsippus.
It would be no surprise to see him play a leading role tomorrow – especially with rising star Pratt in the saddle.
Kevin Ryan, although best known as a Flat trainer, keeps a few jumpers at his Hambleton yard and Unknown Rebel represents him in the opening Calverts Carpets York Juvenile Hurdle.
The three-year-old is no stranger to success on the level and he was backed into favouritism on his recent hurdles debut at Haydock.
Alas, he failed to come up trumps that day, having reportedly schooled well at home beforehand. He is worth another chance in the hands of Brian Toomey.
Welsh trainer Tim Vaughan has been in flying form all summer and his Fennis Boy should be hard to beat in the 1st Security Novices’ Hurdle.
The gelding was a winner at Kempton on his latest start three weeks ago and looks capable of defying a penalty here.
Former jockey David Bridgwater has a progressive sort in Wyck Hill, who was a winner at Chepstow on his latest start.
The seven-year-old is fancied to follow up in the feature race on the card, the Victor Lucas Memorial Novices’ Handicap Chase.
The nap vote is awarded to Sambelucky in the T C Power Handicap Chase.
Trained by Keith Reveley, whose horses are in good form, Sambelucky paid the price for some shoddy jumping when a beaten favourite at Huntingdon last time out.
Provided Richie McGrath can get him jumping more fluently this time, Sambelucky can improve on that third-placed effort and promote himself to the number one slot.
Tony McCoy will be worth following at Ffos Las.
The champion jockey is fancied to bag a double for Jonjo O’Neill on Temple Lord, who looked in need of his recent comeback outing, in the Werndale Private Hospital Handicap Chase, and Caddie Master in the pearns.co.uk Putting Patients First Handicap Hurdle. The latter was in terrific form through August and September, rattling up a hat-trick of wins.
Bygones In Brid, a useful bumper horse last season, is highly regarded by trainer Alan King and is recommended in the opening Barry Walters Catering Novices’ Hurdle, while the same trainer has good prospects with the useful Habbie Simpson in the Davies Chemists Novices’ Handicap Chase.
Racing selections
Market Rasen (tomorrow)
1.15 Unknown Rebel, 1.45 Fennis Boy, 2.20 Texas Holdem, 2.50 Wyck Hill, 3.25 Supreme Keano, 4.00 Sambelucky (NAP).
Ffos Las (tomorrow)
1.00 Bygones In Brid, 1.30 Deireadh Re, 2.05 Habbie Simpson, 2.35 Temple Lord, 3.10 Caddie Master, 3.45 Spring Moon, 4.15 H M S Intrepid.
There are no other meetings tomorrow.
Today’s meetings
Doncaster, Kelso, Sandown and Wincanton.
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