Market Rasen Race punters toast home winner at bonus meet

The addition to Rasen’s calendar was made after the British Horseracing Authority sanctioned several such meetings to give trainers extra opportunities after a spate of weather-enforced abandonments around the country.

Market Rasen which has missed the worst of the rains, got the latest meeting up and running thanks to the efforts of the ground staff who provided very rideable ground.

The big winner on the afternoon was Newstead trainer Nick Kent and the local connections of Picknick Park who won the Class 4 Steeplechase.

Kent has had plenty of faith in the eight-year-old over recent years, but 22 races without a win told a story.

He put in a poor effort at Huntington a month ago, with his last decent race coming last May when he went close to ending the run.

Entering the straight Picknick Park’s latest effort looked to be fading, but he suddenly found extra under jockey Charlie Hammond.

Jumping the last cleanly, he stayed on well to get home to roars from a small, but delighted crowd.

“I’m just surprised,” said Andy Parkin, who owns the horse jointly with Kent.

“I think even Nick will be as well – he has bounced back at long last.”

Kent said: “He is not an easy horse to ride, and clearly going local is best for him as he does not travel well.

“That is probably why he did not show at Huntingdon last time. I’m afraid he downed tools there.

“We were thinking of going back to hurdles with him, but an extra meeting here just suited and he was on the right mark today over the fences with the handicapper. That’s what gave him a chance.”

Nick’s wife Jane, who also has a shared interest, added: “He has been a real up-and-down horse and we feared the ground was not really right for him.

“Today was just his day – at long last!”

There was plenty of interest elsewhere on the card, and one of the afternoon’s more interesting races was the third race, the ‘Mansionbet Proud to Support British Racing Juvenile Hurdle.

Hurdling newcomer Yellow Tiger is known to be useful on the flat not bred for stamina-sapping races over hurdles and looked an interesting entry.

He was a runner-up last time out on the all-weather track at Wolverhampton, but at Rasen, having been sent off at 12/1, he stayed on well to win from another outsider, the 25/1 shot, Flint Hill.

There was more good news in the week for Nettleton handler Olly Williams who had a winner at Southwell. Going Native, sent off at 5/1 with

George Rooke on board, got up by five-and-a-half lengths.

The five-year-old mare tracked the leaders early on, then led from two out before winning easily.

The win coincided with the first visit to the races by the trainer’s young daughter.

Williams, who has a dual yard, also had a runner in the first race at Market Rasen, seven-year-old Inexorable.