The Market Man

There was Gold Cup talk in the air when The Market Man made a successful return in a Grade 2 Novice Chase on the Friday of the Hennessy Gold Cup meeting last season. While such ambitions seemed rather lofty, it was hard not to be taken by his display of fluent jumping, beating a small but select field without coming off the bridle. Sadly, the wheels came off subsequently, his failure to beat a single other finisher in three more runs almost impossible to believe given the huge impression he made at Newbury. He certainly looked a horse with problems, and looked beaten in the Sun Alliance won by Cooldine before he even left the paddock. It's to be hoped that Nicky Henderson can coax the son of Grosvenor back to form, possibly for the Hennessy itself, given the liking Sir Robert Ogden's gelding has shown for the Berkshire venue. History suggests that his mark of 145, while not exactly lenient, will see him with an attractive racing weight come the lat Saturday of November. It may pay to strike while the iron's hot as he's already a nine year old and seems not to have the constitution to stand much racing these days.