Solar System went off a shade of odds-on, but couldn't manage to get the job done. He made a small mistake at the final obstacle but it didn't make any difference to the result as the winner was away and gone and wasn't for catching.
Rizzel's tips
Sine Nomine 14/1 – Market Rasen 2.25
It could appear foolish to be going for Sine Nomine in this Listed Mares contest on the back of this mare winning the Foxhunters at the Cheltenham Festival against what you'd deem as weaker horses, but I thought the performance in March was a smart one and that she finished ahead of a smart horse too.
My selection won on soft, heavy in places at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, but I don't think she is ground dependent and will be able to handle the quicker conditions at Market Rasen today. She has won on good ground in PTPs races before, and given the way she travelled through the Foxhunters, she has plenty of pace about her, so it's no surprise that she has managed to win on quick ground between the flags.
Sacre Coeur is in this race, so you'd imagine she'll go from the front and set a good gallop. I hope she goes quite hard in front, as that will test the stamina and fitness of many, but if my horse arrives close to peak fitness, I think that will set it up perfectly for Sine Nomine as I believe she is the strongest staying horse in the race, shown by winning over 3m 2f last time out and powering up the Cheltenham Hill, but also she has the pace to keep up with a strong gallop.
There is a lot of good horses in this race, mostly towards the top of the weights. Apple Away is a Grade 1 winner over hurdles and Fantastic Lady won a Grade 2 on her final start of last season. I like La Renommee, but she was probably flattered to win at Ludlow when beating Sacre Coeur, who wasn't really trying in that race, and then she was firmly put in her place at Kelso. Marsh Wren is interesting over this trip having shown an improved level of form at Cheltenham in the novice Mares Chase. I just get the feeling that Sine Nomine is being severely overlooked as I think she beat a very solid horse at Cheltenham and given that the runner-up has won twice since, it looks to be that way.
Irish Chorus 3/1 – Hereford 3.10
Irish Chorus has always been a horse that Alan King has rated quite highly, so to see her still winless from her first three hurdle races is a bit of a surprise, but a mark of 105 should be well within reach on her handicap debut.
I get the impression that this horse will be backed in quite strongly by fellow punters as this looks like a very weak race and with the Alan King yard being in tremendous form in the last week, it seems quite hard not to back Irish Chorus who is running on her handicap debut against some struggling horses.
The ground is the main concern for me, as her pedigree doesn't scream out that she'll want the rain to land at Hereford. However, she is related to two horses who have won with soft in the description, and Jack Hobbs (sire) was decent on a slower surface as well, so I think she is definitely worth the punt despite having a question hanging over her head about the ground. Tom Cannon isn't riding as he is at Market Rasen riding the other Alan King horses, but we have a good replacement in Brendan Powell doing the steering, who is also in great form after riding out plenty of the Joe Tizzard winners in the last two weeks.
The main danger will be the Fergal O'Brien horse who won last time out, but she hasn't had a run this season, whereas, Irish Chorus has. Carrying top weight isn't ideal, but I think she is far better than today's field, despite not showing much in her previous races.
