'He'll get his ground and will go very well' - key quotes and analysis for Market Rasen's £100,000 Unibet Summer Plate

It is easy to turn a blind eye to jump racing at this time of year but the Summer Plate demands a close look with the race purse boosted to £100,000.

When the money is there the big guns arrive, and it is little surprise to see many top yards taking aim. Horses trained by keen pot hunters like Dan Skelton, Ben Pauling and Olly Murphy feature prominently in the early betting, as do two from the Bowen stable, a yard with previous for targeting this prize and taking it home.

They are responsible for three of the past six winners and Francky Du Berlais provided two of those victories. He bids to regain his 2022 crown off an 8lb lower mark and has shown positive signs of coming to hand, having recorded his two best Racing Post Ratings on his last two outings since last summer.

As an 11-year-old, Francky Du Berlais is clearly vulnerable to younger legs. The Bowens at least have that partly covered with a top back-up contender in Statuario.

This nine-year-old arrives in the form of his life. He has proved a revelation at Perth, lowering the 3m chase track record there last time to add to his 2m4f chase one earned in 2022.

Statuario's recent form has worked out. Perth runner-up Hang In There picked up Uttoxeter’s Summer Cup off 5lb higher next time and this horse finished third in Market Rasen’s highlight two seasons ago when operating at a lower level.

Such is the depth of the Summer Plate, we have five other last-time-out winners in the shape of Dinons, Parisencore, Riskintheground, Sure Touch, and Yccs Portocervo.

Dinons is particularly interesting from that group. This veteran returned to winning ways following a 727-day break for an impressive success in a Hexham handicap hurdle when debuting for Brian Ellison last month. He has presumably been kept in training for one final tilt at a major pot.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Jonathan England, rider of Al Zaraqaan
There is a slight question mark about the trip. If he does stay he should run a big race. The jockey rode him too close to the pace at Uttoxeter last time. If you drop him in he tends to finish his race well. He’ll be ridden cold this time and hopefully they’ll go hard up front. I don’t think the handicapper has got him just yet even though he’s won five of his eight races over fences. He’s a big horse with an enormous amount of ability and he’ll carry the weight, no trouble.

Olly Murphy, trainer of Sure Touch
My only concern is that he hasn’t run in a big-field handicap over fences before. I would hope that a big field with a strong pace should suit him. He jumps well and I’d give him a good each-way chance in a tough handicap.

Olly Murphy in his owners' room at Warren Chase Stables

Olly Murphy: runs Sure Touch in the Summer PlateCredit: Edward Whitaker

Keiran Burke, trainer of Soul Icon
I don’t think he was at his best at Aintree last time even though he finished a length second to Raffle Ticket. He is definitely in better form now and the ground should suit. He hasn’t won over fences yet, but has tended to just bump into one each time. We’ll have him bang up there from the start – although perhaps not in front – and hopefully all goes well for him. It’s a very competitive race.

Nicky Richards, trainer of Parisencore
He’s grand and won very well at Perth last month. That was his first try over two and a half miles and it suited him. Hopefully we’ll get more of the same from him at Market Rasen. He's unexposed both at the trip and as a chaser, as this will be only his fifth start over fences. He’s been in a couple of good, competitive handicaps now and is ready for this race. He looks very well and seems very well in himself.

Ben Pauling, trainer of Mole Court
He’s in good order. I trained him for the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter last month and he again surprised me with the speed he showed. He didn’t stay that day. We’re bringing him back in trip for this valuable race, he’ll get his ground and I think he’ll go very well.

Neil Mulholland, trainer of Fix At All
He's run really well over the course and distance in the past and seems in good form at home. He races off the same mark as when he ran in the race last year. He's won at Hereford and Ludlow – both similar right-handed tracks to Market Rasen – and fingers crossed he’ll run a nice race in a very competitive handicap.
Reporting by Richard Birch

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