Market Rasen Tips: Play Pretend unlikely to mess around

There are four UK meetings taking place on Thursday with National Hunt racing dominating in the afternoon before an evening of all-weather action. Market Rasen, Leicester and Wincanton make up a trio of jumps offerings before Chelmsford takes over on the Polytrack later.

We have picked out three to follow at Market Rasen, where they race from 12:15-15:23 and conditions are forecast to be soft, good to soft in places on the chase course and good to soft, soft in places on the hurdles course.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

12:45 Market Rasen - Play Pretend @ 2/1

Ex-Irish Flat horses Viyanni (Johnny Murtagh), Little Lady Lucy (Joseph O'Brien) and Narragansett (Andy Slattery) are all set for their hurdles bows here.

Harry Derham has picked up former Aga Khan inmate Viyanni, while the latter pair are with Neil Mulholland.

They are an interesting trio starting out jumping, for sure, and should be capable of winning races in this code, but perhaps their presence will see PLAY PRETEND overlooked in the market slightly.

He overcame greenness to win here on debut in June for Dave Roberts and Lee Edwards and his trio of runs since aren't difficult to explain away.

He fell at the first when favourite to follow up at Uttoxeter in July and was given time to get over that.

At Wetherby (2m, good to soft) in October he finished third behind two progressive rivals. The winner, Opec, is 2-2 since for James Owen including a Listed race at Newbury over the weekend, while runner-up Quantock Hills went one better at Fontwell since.

Play Pretend meanwhile was out of his depth in a Listed race back at Wetherby last month, again, form that has worked out well.

His sights are lowered significantly now and he could put his experience to excellent use in a first-time hood back at the sight of his hurdles success.

13:45 Market Rasen - Lady Mendoza @ 12/1

Rebecca Menzies has been unable to eke a win from LADY MENZOZA so far in a dozen runs, but the mare is not one to give up on just yet.

She has been chasing of late, never really looking likely to get a victory in her runs at Hexham, Newcastle or Sedgefield over staying trips in October/November.

It isn't the most surprising decision to go back over timber here. Her best efforts have come at around this trip, while she has shown she can handle soft ground in the past. This will be the lowest mark she has contested a handicap over hurdles from and she is entitled to run well.

14:15 Market Rasen - Kelce @ 7/4

Cokytho won at Uttoxeter in May stepped up to this sort of trip for trainer Alex Hales and commands respect after his break, but KELCE is race-fit and ready to give him food for thought for the Mulholland yard.

Formerly trained in Ireland by Colm Murphy, he showed little over hurdles for that operation and was pulled up on stable bow at Fontwell in October after 490 days off.

He was immediately switched to fencing and went close over 2m4f at Uttoxeter in first-time cheekpieces and has backed that run up with another sound second at Hexham (3m, good), pulling clear of the rest behind a horse that remains unbeaten in completed starts at the Northumberland layout.

Kelce looks primed to open his account now under Conor O'Farrell.

Horse Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.