Thunder to strike at Market Rasen
Thunderstruck has returned in fine shape this term and can get a win on the board in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen tomorrow.
Emma Lavelle’s charge made only a handful of starts last term, but connections’ patience paid dividends when this winning pointer finally got off the mark under rules at Fontwell in May.
The runner-up that day, Drumlee Watar, has firmly franked the form in winning four times subsequently and while Thunderstruck has yet to get a win on the board this term himself, he has shown plenty of promise in two second places so far.
Racing off a 9lb higher mark on his return in September, he likely would have won had he not fluffed the last slightly, eventually having to settle for a head second.
The handicapper inched him up 1lb for that result and again he went down by a small margin at Uttoxeter last time, beaten half a length after being caught on the run to the line. Now on a mark of 126, that rating does not look beyond Thunderstruck and he can initiate a double for the Lavelle team, with Sam Barton also fancied to strike in Lincolnshire.
He was reasonably well fancied on his chasing debut at Ascot last month having shown a fair amount of promise over hurdles and in bumper company.
However, he finished a well-beaten fourth on his first attempt, with his jumping looking very novicey at points and his chances not being helped too much by the eventual winner jumping across him slightly at some fences.
The outing should have at least given Sam Barton a sighter of what is required of him and the Pertemps Network Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase looks a good opportunity to get off the mark in this sphere.
Go As You Please made a costly jumping error on his most recent run, but compensation may await in the Pertemps Network Handicap Chase. A winner at Warwick in September, Go As You Please was raised just 3lb for his next outing and it did not appear as though the weight beat him at Fontwell last month, with a mistake five from home putting him under pressure and he could not recover.
Paul Webber is sure to have put in some work on the schooling ground ahead of this recovery mission.
Amarillo Sky let down favourite backers on his fencing bow, but can make amends in the Every Race Live On Racing TV Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Wincanton.
A dual hurdles winner for Colin Tizzard last term, he made his seasonal bow in the Welsh Champion Hurdle – but after failing to figure there, his attentions have been switched to fences.