It’s the summer National Hunt showpiece at Market Rasen on Saturday afternoon as the hugely competitive Summer Plate Handicap Chase takes place. Our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the 2m 5f 89y contest and picks out his best bet for the contest…
MOLE COURT
(Ben Jones/Ben Pauling)
Ben Pauling’s Mole Court racked up a stunning four-timer last summer and the seven-year-old is looking to sparkle in the sunshine once again and is a leading fancy for the Summer Plate. Last seen finishing fourth in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter, Pauling’s charge will line up off the same figure of 126 in this contest and he has to be respected. He won his races off marks in the high 90s and low 100s last summer, so a notable step up is needed, but he does have fitness on his side.
STATUARIO
(Gavin Sheehan/Peter & Michael Bowen)
Peter Bowen has an absolutely stunning record in this race having won the contest eight times since 1997 and he will unleash another strong team at the 2024 renewal. Statuario is one of the likely players from the Bowen yard and he was last seen claiming victory in the Perth Gold Cup last month. That success came off a mark of 126 and he has been handed a whopping 9lbs rise for that neck success, so a figure of 135 looks very tough for this contender, who is bidding for a third win in a row.
FRANCKY DU BERLAIS
(Adam Wedge/Peter & Michael Bowen)
A dual winner of this race back in 2021 and 2022, Francky Du Berlais will be looking for a monumental Summer Plate hat-trick this weekend and he’s another prominent figure in the betting. Now 11 years old, Francky Du Berlais, he’s rated 9lbs lower than when he competed in the 2023 Summer Plate, where he was 11th, but he’s 8lbs lower than the mark he won the 2022 race off. So, if he can turn up with his A game then he has to be respected, but it’s going to be tough for the veteran, who was last seen finishing third at Cartmel.
THE FIELD
Dan Skelton won this race back in 2016 and he will unleash a strong team and while Harry Skelton will ride Boombawn, it’s worth keeping more of an eye on Riskintheground, who has won his last three outings and heads to Market Rasen on a rapid incline, but this will be his toughest test to date. Soul Icon was second last time out in a decent Aintree event and has to be considered a player, while Olly Murphy’s Sure Touch is another heading into the race in the form of his life having ended last season with three wins.
VERDICT
A really trappy betting heat for punters, but it should be an absolutely thrilling contest and it’s Dan Skelton’s RISKINTHEGROUND that looks a decent value play. A neck winner at Uttoxeter last time out to make it three wins on the bounce, the Skelton charge can get the better of Sure Touch, who is another bidding for a four-timer, while Mole Court can complete the 1-2-3 in what should be a fabulous renewal.
2024 Summer Plate Handicap Chase Predicted 1-2-3
Looking For More Racing Info? Check Out Our Racecards & Top Tips Sections
Make sure you’re following us on all our social media platforms to keep up to date with all the latest horse racing news and the best tips.