Market Rasen preview: Final Nudge has a first class chance

David Metcalf | November 5, 2015

Final Nudge can take advantage of a drop in class to open his account over the obstacles in the 2m 2f maiden hurdle on today’s card at Market Rasen (13.45).

The David Dennis trained gelding had some smart bumper form to his name, winning once and finishing an excellent fourth of 11 to the very smart and unbeaten Barters Hill in a Listed contest at Newbury.

Final Nudge looked a potentially useful type for hurdles judged on that run, and shaped with bags of promise on debut in that sphere when second of 12 to the now 135-rated It’s A Close Call at Taunton.

Although no match for the easy nine length winner, the six-year-old stuck to the task well after hitting the second last and the pair pulled six lengths clear of the third home Abidjan.

Abidjan is a really useful sort who has since gone on to land a hat-trick of successes and is now rated 135, and the form reads extremely well in the contest of this low grade class 4 affair.

Final Nudge was pitched into Grade 1 company on the back of that effort, but found things far to hot too handle when pulled-up in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree when last seen in action.

This is far easier, and looks a gilt edged opportunity for Final Nudge to notch a first hurdle success judged on his run behind It’s A Close Call.

In the 2m 7f handicap chase (14.15), Master Neo looks weighted to retain his crown.

The Nigel Hawke trained gelding won the race 12 months ago when slamming American Legend by 20 lengths off a mark of 116 and is now able to race off 1l lower.

It gives the nine-year-old outstanding claims from a handicapping perspective, and Master Neo shaped really well when runner-up at the track two starts back before falling at Uttoxeter last time out.