A national hunt treat in the middle of the flat season, as Market Rasen hosts their flagship race, the Unibet Summer Plate.
Fifteen will head to the post gunning for one goal, to get their hands on the over £56,000 first prize in the 2025 Unibet Summer Plate.
Summer Plate Handicap Chase Runner By Runner Guide
6 Sure Touch
Age: 9 Weight: 10st 13lb Form: 8P467- Jockey: Sean Bowen Trainer: Olly Murphy Current Odds: 4/1He won this on the back of a similar break off a one-pound higher mark last season, and this wouldn’t be the first time that Olly Murphy has laid one out for a season for a repeat bid. After his win in this last season, he was tried in higher grades and ran well for a long way off 143 at Aintree in the Grand Sefton over the national fences.
You can see why the bookmakers have taken no chances with his odds, but he has no room for error off this mark if he is to repeat last season’s win, and will need cheekpieces to eek out more improvement.
Star Rating:
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11 Ballysax Hank
Age: 6 Weight: 10st 5lb Form: U15-23 Jockey: Harry Cobden Trainer: Gavin Cromwell Current Odds: 5/1Owner Paul Byrne is known for laying out his runners for big targets, and Ballysax Hank will look to add his name to the list of success stories.
He has run over fences three times for Gavin Cromwell, and he has been given a mark of 128 for his handicap chase debut. The final of those three runs was one where it was clear that bigger plans lay ahead.
He has had two runs over hurdles since his last chase start. One was on his final start of last season, where he finished second to Thanksforthehelp in the Adare Manor Series Handicap Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.
This season, he had a pipe opener over hurdles at Bellewstown, which will leave him spot on for this. Now under the steering of Harry Cobden, and given how this race looks set to be run, the unexposed Ballysax Hank should have a good pace to aim at and looks set to play a significant role in the finish.
Given the success that Gavin Cromwell has had in targeting major handicap chases, there should be a lot more to come from this Irish raider.
Star rating:
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8 Courtland
Age: 10 Weight: 10st 10lb Form: 6P10/3 Jockey: Shane Fenelon Trainer: Mickey Bowen Current Odds: 13/2Given the recent record that the Bowens have in the Summer Plate, all their runners need a second look. Courtland may be ten, but he is well handicapped on his old form (won off 142 in the past).
He was coming back after 428 days on the sidelines when finishing third at Carmel, and that will leave him primed for this. Shane Fenelon takes a valuable 5 lbs off his back, leaving Courtland looking very well handicapped on his old form.
Star Rating:
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14 Ceanndana
Age: 8 Weight: 10st 2lb Form: 1216-3 Jockey: Jordan Gainford Trainer: Ross O’Sullivan Current Odds: 7/1A decent level operator in Ireland who has won five of his twenty-two starts, but this will be his toughest assignment to date. He has an official rating of 116 in Ireland, but must run off 125 here, which will be his downfall. His best form has been on good ground, and he could do with the rain missing the track. Unlikely to be good enough to win, but can sneak into a place if the underfoot conditions don’t deteriorate.
Star rating:
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10 Statuario
Age: 10 Weight: 10st 7lb Form: 0032-1 Jockey: Adam Wedge Trainer: Mickey Bowen Current Odds: 11/1Third in this last season off a 5 lb lower mark, and comes here with an identical prep after winning the Perth Gold Cup for the second year in a row.
He won this season’s Perth Gold Cup much more comfortably than he did the previous season, and has only been put up 2 lb for that win. Age may not be on his side, but he is from a stable that targets this race every year. He’s not without a chance.
Star Rating:
Bet on Statuario with Ladbrokes
7 Bhaloo
Age: 7 Weight: 10st 13lb Form: PP13-6 Jockey: James Bowen Trainer: Nick Henderson Current Odds: 14/1An on-form Bhaloo will have a major say in the outcome of the Summer Plate, but he does tend to throw in a woobler out of the blue. He was in fine form last season when he was switched on, winning two of his seven starts.
However, there were three back-to-back races where he pulled up in between those wins. He was staying on third at Cheltenham’s April meeting off 137, and was then sent off the well-supported 2/1 favourite for the Clarke Chase at Uttoxter.
But his yoyo form showed its head as he ran no sort of race, eventually finishing a well-beaten sixth. He is a hard horse to trust, but he has shown in the past that he can win on the back of a break.
Star Rating:
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2 Horantzau D’Airy
Age: 8 Weight: 11st 4lb Form: 9990-2 Jockey: Jack Tudor Trainer: Mrs Sara V Bradstock Current Odds: 14/1One of the lesser lights of the Willie Mullins juggernaut, and the change of scenery was called for before the Grand National. He was set an impossible task for new connections and trainer Michael Keady, but a drop in class at Uttoxter showed that there was some spark left in the eight-year-old chaser. Since then, he has changed trainers to Sara Bradstock, and it will be interesting to see what she can get out of this talented but quirky chaser. A mark of 141 gives him every chance of being involved here. He’s a lively outsider.
Star Rating:
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4 Charlie Uberalles
Age: 9 Weight: 11st 0lb Form: 1PP-11 Jockey: Danny McMenamin Trainer: Dianne Sayer Current Odds: 16/1Bounced back to form after two back-to-back pulled-up efforts with an emphatic win off 126 at Cartmel, and followed that up with a three-length win at the same track. He’s now off a career high mark of 137 and up in class.
His best form has come in northern tacks, and he will need to show that he can kick on again now that he is upped in class against much stronger opposition. You can’t entirely rule him out, but it’s hard to see him having much manoeuvrability off this mark.
Star Rating:
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3 Riskintheground
Age: 8 Weight: 11st 2lb Form: 45117- Jockey: Harry Skelton Trainer: Dan Skelton Current Odds: 16/1Got the better of the Willie Mullins-trained O’Moore Park in the Silver Trophy at Cheltenham, where Bhaloo was back in third. That win was gained off a mark of 137, and gets in here off a 2 lb higher mark.
For all that he was well beaten off his new mark just ten days after his Cheltenham win, it would seem that the run came too quickly after his last run.
Now, following a break for a trainer who is a dab hand at getting one ready on their first start, it’s easy to see Riskintheground creeping into this late on, trying to pounce over the last. He’s one of the more interesting ones at a price.
Star Rating:
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9 Vintage Fizz
Age: 8 Weight: 10st 7lb Form: 23-742 Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies Trainer: Jedd O’Keeffe Current Odds: 18/1Vintage Fizz comes here on the back of a narrow loss over course and distance in the Summer Plate trial. Since then, he has been put up 3 lbs for his troubles, and will need to find a lot more to win, given that he has a lot to find with some of his rivals.
Star Rating:
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1 Hang In There
Age: 11 Weight: 12st 0lb Form: P9-427 Jockey: Gavin Sheehan Trainer: Emma Lavelle Current Odds: 20/1This admirable eleven-year-old was thrust into the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, where he had no chance of living with his Grade 1 opposition.
He has run okay in his four starts since, with the best being a second to Statuario in the Perth Gold Cup. However, he’s in the grip of the handicapper and will struggle off top weight here. It’s very hard to make a serious case for him here.
Star Rating:
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13 DoyouknowwhatImean
Age: 8 Weight: 10st 2lb Form: 512-13 Jockey: Harry Atkins Trainer: Dan Skelton Current Odds: 22/1The second of the three Dan Skelton runners, and one that was unlucky not to bag a hat-trick of wins this season. He comes here after a five-length third to Third Time Lucky at Uttoxeter, and given how he rallied that day, this trip is worth another go.
He’s off the same mark here and could find the necessary improvement to fight it out for prize money.|
Star Rating:
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5 The Flier Begley
Age: 10 Weight: 11st 0lb Form: 2131-1 Jockey: Jack Hogan Trainer: Gary Hammer Current Odds: 25/1A two-time course and distance winner, with the latest of those two wins being in the Summer Plate trial, where he got the better of Vintage Fizz in a tight finish. He’s been hit with a 4 lb rise in the weights, which should be enough to stop him following up in the main event, but with respected course and distance form, a place finish is not out of the question.Star Rating:
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12 Mr Saxobeat
Age: 9 Weight: 10st 2lb Form: U693-2 Jockey: Jonathan Burke Trainer: Thomas Gibney Current Odds: 40/1This Irish raider has contested some top handicaps last season, and returned from a break with a creditable second at Wexford. He has a mark of 117 in Ireland, but the UK handicapper has given him very little chance of winning off a 7 lb higher UK mark.
It would be a minor shock for him to find the necessary improvement off this high mark.
Star Rating:
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15 Shakeyourtailfeather
Age: 6 Weight: 10st 2lb Form: 4211-3 Jockey: Tristan Durrell Trainer: Dan Skelton Current odds: 40/1He finally put it all together to win back-to-back chases at Cheltenham and Plumpton, but Shakeyourtailfeather has a mind of his own and his own way of doing things. He’s one that I couldn’t back or suggest anyone to back with any confidence, given how he races. He has talent, but this set-up might set him off.
Star Rating:
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Summer Plate verdict
This is as wide open as the come, and you can’t rule out many with much confidence. Last season’s winner, Sure Touch, will have his supporters, as will the well-handicapped Courtland, and the Perth Gold Cup winner, Statuario.
However, the most interesting runner is the Gavin Cromwell-trained BALLYSAX HANK. This lightly raced six-year-old chaser gets in here off a mark of 128, and it was clear from his last chase start that bigger plans lay ahead.
It’s not often that Gavin Cromwell leaves empty-handed when he sends runners over to the UK, and with Ballysax Hank, he has another opportunity to bag a big handicap chase.
About the author
Andrew Halligan
My name is Andrew Halligan, horse racing pundit and founder of YouTube’s The Finishing Line Podcast. Horse racing is a thrilling spectacle that captivates audiences around the world with its blend of drama and excitement. Whether you’re a jumps or flat fan, I will use my experience of working within the horse racing industry to bring the best of what this sport has to offer.
You can follow Andrew on X (@Halligan88).
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