Saturday 27th September 2014

We’re off to Market Rasen this afternoon with Value Racing Club horse Gran Maestro, this will be his last run of the year before a well deserved break, the horse has proved to be a great buy and will give his owners plenty of good days out for many years to come.

Today’s race is a fair bit harder than Fontwell where he won last time, we have 8lb to find with Collodi whilst Manhattan Swing was a 90 rated flat horse and joined Brian Ellison for 38k earlier in the month.

Hawker could also be decent, he was going very well until jumping the path at Newton Abbot last time, the John Ferguson trained horse still finished 2^nd behind a well regarded type.

We’ve learnt since Fontwell Gran Maestro needs his breathing tinkering with whilst Market Rasen might not quite suit as much as Fontwell where Gran Maestro needed the stiff uphill finish and the two miles two furlongs to get on top, today’s race is two miles one and level run in.

We’re going to Market Rasen hopeful rather than confident, if we can be in the first three that will be a great way to finish his season off.

The big race of the day is the Betfred Cambridgeshire, 35 runners take their chance. Clearly you’re going to need a lot of luck in running.

A horse that’s done us a few favours on here in the past is Fort Bastion who takes his chance with Frankie Dettori taking over in the saddle.

I’m not sure today’s trip of one mile and a furlong will play to Fort Bastion’s strengths but at 33-1 I’ve got to have a £10 EW as he owes us nothing, I would be pig sick if he went well without some type of support. William Hill are paying 7 places so ensure you shop around before placing your bets. Cornrow looks the obvious one to beat and should relish the extra distance.

Over at Haydock in the 5:20 I’ve backed Great Hall at 9-1 EW.

As highlighted on here recently I’m sure Great Hall is a lot better than his form and wasn’t given a hard time on his last run at Doncaster, I think this was just a confidence boosting effort after something went amiss in the Ebor.

Positioned at the rear of the field at Doncaster until it was all too late Great Hall made a good ten lengths up with just a hands and heels ride to finish close behind the placed horses, I hope and think he will be ridden more handy today and given the full beans.

I watched a few of his races again last night and noticed the horse did hang at Doncaster, his draw might just be a bit of a worry in 13 as his challenge might have to come wide and we don’t have much to keep him straight, jockey Phillip Makin should be ready for this though.

At the decent price of 9-1 and with the belief Great Hall is much better he’s shown of late I’ve had a fair EW bet, hopefully he can go close and keep up the run of big priced winners of late.