Lucky 15 Tips: Glory hunting at Market Rasen

Market Rasen, which hosts a seven-race card featuring six handicaps and a bumper, is the destination for my Lucky 15 tips on Friday.

My four selections include a seven-year-old mare with a new lease on life since being sent over the bigger obstacles.

12:53 Market Rasen - Hold The Serve @ 4/6

After bouncing back at Wincanton last time out, HOLD THE SERVE is fancied to go in again in this novices' hurdle over 2m2½f.

Olly Murphy's six-year-old son of Jukebox Jury disappointed on rules debut at Cheltenham in November, despite getting smashed into 13/8 favourite.

However, 30 days and a wind operation later, he was very good at Wincanton, beating the 125-rated Gatineau Park by nearly five lengths. He had Piping Rock (122) a further six-and-a-half lengths behind.

Even with a seven-pound penalty, of which claiming jockey Lewis Saunders negates five, he ought to be very, very hard to beat in what looks a weaker race.

13:28 Market Rasen - Heart Over Head @ 7/2

Just over half an hour later is a handicap hurdle over just shy of three miles and HEART OVER HEAD looks the one to beat for Fergal O'Brien and Jonathan Burke.

The seven-year-old Soldier Of Fortune gelding finished runner-up to No Questions Asked, rated 144 today, in a bumper back in February 2024, but showed precious little in four subsequent appearances in maiden and novice company.

However, he's come into his own since going handicapping, finishing a close third to another well-handicapped rival in Nazare here at Market Rasen back in November prior to his emphatic 15-length triumph over an Olly Murphy-trained odds-on shot at Uttoxeter the week before Christmas.

He's up 10 pounds, but that's deserved and I wouldn't be at all surprised if he still has a fair bit in hand.

14:05 Market Rasen - Mahons Glory @ 4/1

A classy veterans chase is next on my radar, with MAHONS GLORY making significant appeal.

His fourth in the Grand Sefton, five-and-a-half lengths off the winner Colonel Harry, and the Becher, the same distance behind Twig, stands out to me in this field of eight.

The 10-year-old is in calmer waters on Friday and, off an unchanged mark of 134, he can provide trainer Dylan Cunha - a new recruit to the National Hunt ranks - with his first winner of the season.

15:45 Market Rasen - Realta Liath @ 13/8

Finally, REALTA LIATH rates a solid option for the finale at Market Rasen - a three-mile handicap chase.

Warren Greatrex's seven-year-old is a consistent type, which can't be said for the majority of her seven rivals in Lincolnshire.

She's taken her form to new heights since going chasing at the start of the season, winning a Class 5 handicap at Fontwell by over six lengths before a fantastic third in a Class 3 at Cheltenham's Christmas Meeting.

A rise of just two pounds, as she drops back into Class 4 company, mightn't stop her. I fancy her quite strongly.

If all four selections won at the quoted prices, a 50p win Lucky 15 would return around £159 for a £7.50 total stake.

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