Race type - Jump
Market Rasen
Course details
Located in a pretty are of Lincolnshire since 1800 Market Rasen is primarily a summer jumps phenomenon. The course is also very popular at Boxing Day. The racing circuit is a sharp right-hander at around 1m2f in circumference. The circuit features eight relatively straightforward fences. Quite an easy track - get too far behind at Market Rasen and your chance has gone.
GUIDE - For Racecourse
Right-handed, oval circuit of 1m2f
They've been racing in this pretty area of Lincolnshire since 1800 and on the current site since 1924, but it's only recently that Market Rasen has become a summer jumps phenomenon. The decision to switch the majority of its fixtures to the drier (supposedly) months was taken in 1995 and it hasn't looked back since, with some of the most valuable races of the summer jumping programme being staged here in front of enthusiastic crowds. It's not all about the summer, though, as the course has retained its Boxing Day fixture and this is always popular with the locals. If visiting, you will find the course located to the east of the market town and the on site fish and chip shop is highly recommended!
Principal Races
The third Saturday in July sees the running of the valuable Summer Plate (£28k in 2011), a handicap chase run over the specialised distance of 2m6f, and this is complemented by the Summer Hurdle (£17k), which is also a handicap but is run over the shorter trip of 2m1f. The meeting is televised on Channel 4 and for National Hunt fans this is undoubtedly the summer's highlight. Fast forward two months to the September meeting and the track stages another valuable handicap chase and hurdle: the "Prelude" Handicap Chase and "Prelude" Hurdle, also run over 2m6f and 2m1f respectively.
Course Characteristics
The racing circuit is a sharp right-hander measuring around 1m2f in circumference and with only mild undulations throughout, it's safe to say it's an easy track with stamina only coming into play when the ground is really soft. As you'd expect, it's important to stay close to the pace here as not only is it difficult to make up ground but those horses who have been at the head of affairs are unlikely to be stopping. This is particularly so in larger fields and the big handicaps run here during the summer are a good case in point; get too far behind and your chance has gone. There are eight relatively straight forward fences on the chase circuit (four on each straight), although the water jump, which is well-placed in front of the grandstand, is omitted on the final circuit.
Top Trainers
The likes of Nicholls and Henderson do have runners here but this is a venue where some of the smaller yards get to shine. Of these, Malcolm Jefferson is definitely a trainer to keep on your side as he's sent out 22 winners in the past five seasons, which is two more than Peter Bowen, who always targets the Summer Plate and this is a policy that's paid off as he's won it three times. Ignore his runners at your peril. His fellow Welsh trainer Tim Vaughan is another who targets the big races here but he's worth following the rest of the year too with 18 of his horses being led into the winner's enclosure. The Lincolnshire-based Steve Gollings is always good for a winner or two at his local track. For sheer numbers of winners, though, none can compete with Jonjo O'Neill, who has trained 38 winners in the same time at a bookie-busting strike rate of 19%.
Top Jockeys
The success of O'Neill has been mirrored by his stable jockey AP McCoy, who has ridden an incredible 50 winners here since 2007 at a strike rate of one in four. Granted, the majority of these go off at short prices but there's no better jockey to have on your side when the money is down. Richard Johnson is some way behind the champ on 22 winners but a strike rate of 18% makes him profitable to follow. In the same period, Brian Hughes and Dougie Costello have fared best amongst the Northern-based jockeys with 21 and 17 winners respectively, but more recently their counterparts Denis O'Regan, Richie McGrath and James Reveley have enjoyed more success.