It was one of those “give it every chance” sequences of inspections that generally seems to lead to a last-minute abandonment, but after officials walked the track at both 8am and 10am, the valuable card at Market Rasen on Wednesday afternoon has been given the go-ahead, albeit with the rider that there is a “small amount of melting snow remaining, [which] should be clear by [the] first race.”
If so, there will be £84,000 up for grabs at the Lincolnshire track, £32,000 more than is on offer for the six races at Newbury. The bulk of the cash is attached to two races and neither is a handicap, with both the four-runner Graduation Chase and a Listed bumper for mares carrying £20,000 prize funds.
Despite the small field, the former race does at least have three very plausible winners in Three Musketeers, Le Rocher and Tomngerry, and the early market cannot separate them with all three currently on offer at 2-1. Narrow preference is for Three Musketeers (2.05), who gives weight to the field but put up a fine performance to win this race 12 months ago and returns to chasing after putting up some decent performances in competitive races over hurdles.
The bumper has more strength in depth, with five of the 11 runners trading at single-figure odds, but Harrisons Promise (2.40) improved from her seasonal debut to win well at Wetherby last time and looks a big price at around 15-2.
Indy Five (3.00) ran out an easy 12-length winner on his chasing debut at Taunton last month and with improvement likely he should be able to overcome a 12lb rise in the weights at Newbury. Lady Of Lamanver (3.30) is an advanced age for a novice hurdler but remains lightly raced and should follow up from her winning return to action on the same card, while City Gent (1.10) and Bernie’s Boy (2.15) should both go well on the all-weather card at Lingfield.
Lingfield Park 12.10 Victoria Drummond 12.40 Exchequer 1.10 City Gent 1.40 Topapinion 2.15 Bernie’s Boy 2.50 Great Return 3.20 Spare Parts 3.55 Mr Andros
Market Rasen 12.30 Super Sid 1.00 One Of Us 1.30 Bowie 2.05 Three Musketeers 2.40 Harrisons Promise 3.10 Iskabeg Lane 3.45 Inchholm
Newbury 1.20 Doitforthevillage 1.50 Ok Corral 2.25 Tree Of Liberty 3.00 Indy Five (nap) 3.30 Lady Of Lamanver (nb) 4.05 Baddesley Knight
Newcastle 4.00 Apalis 4.30 Cookie Ring 5.00 Bad Dog 5.30 Ode To Autumn 6.00 Malaspina 6.30 Wiff Waff
