Summer Plate Handicap Chase Tips: Murphy Charge To Retain Market Rasen Crown

One of the summer National Hunt highlights takes place at Market Rasen on Saturday afternoon as the 2025 Summer Plate Handicap Chase is off at 3:12pm on Saturday 12th July, 2025. Steve Chambers previews the competitive jumps contest and picks out his selection for what should be a really exciting renewal.

Olly Murphy's Sure Touch will attempt to emulate Francky Du Berlais by winning back-to-back Summer Plates this weekend and while the nine-year-old has struggled to kick on since last year's victory he will head into Saturday's renewal as a leading fancy for the crown. A narrow neck winner over Soul Icon in the 2024 race, Sure Touch is now rated 1lb lower than last year's winning mark, so if he can recapture any sort of form then a mark of 136 looks very attractive. Last seen finishing down the field at Ayr during the Scottish Grand National, he's one that could have relished a few months off and with Sean Bowen in the saddle then he has to be a force to be reckoned with here.

Harry Cobden rode Sure Touch to victory 12 months ago, but he will partner up with Gavin Cromwell in this year's contest and rides the largely consistent Ballysax Hank. Seen running well over hurdles in recent times, he's only had two runs over fences, so he's certainly unexposed over the larger obstacles and he could be one challenger that is potentially ahead of the handicapper.

Mickey Bowen will be looking to emulate his father Peter, who won this race eight times as a trainer, and the emerging handler will saddle Courtland and Statuario, who both have leading chances. The former was second in the race back in 2023 and warmed up for this event with a spin at Cartmel, but he is 5lbs higher than his run back here two years ago. Statuario was third in this race 12 months ago and comes into the contest on the back of a two-length win over Hang In There at Perth last time out. That pair will do battle again, with Hang In There having the burden of top weight, but it's Statuario that makes more appeal and has the potential to sparkle once again.

Nicky Henderson trained Casablanca Mix to victory back in 2019 and the Seven Barrows handler will be aiming to claim glory once again with Bhaloo in the 2025 renewal. Down the field on his most recent start at Uttoxeter, he will take his chance off the same mark at the weekend, so is going to have to find the form that saw him win at Newbury a few starts ago.

A winner at Ayr and Cheltenham during the spring, Riskintheground lines up for Dan Skelton, but he's one that could be in the handicapper's grip now as he struggled at Sandown on his last outing and he could be one that may just find this a little tough off his current mark. Skelton does unleash another runner in the shape of Doyouknowwhatimean, who will have the benefit of Harry Atkins taking 7lbs off and that big-priced charge was a decent third at Uttoxeter last time out and he could be one that sneaks into the frame.

Ross O'Sullivan's Ceanndana has snuck in at the bottom of the weights and having warmed up for this effort with a decent third placed finish in a Tipperary contest then the lighty-weighted runner could be a notable force. Proven in good ground, he's one that has potential improvement over fences and could be one that makes the most of 10st 2lbs on his back and has to have a huge chance.

Of the others, Charlie Uberalles and The Flier Begley are two runners that on the day could feature prominently, while Horantzau D'airy is a classy performer for Sara Bradstock, but may just have too much weight to compete with last year's winner Sure Touch, who can claim glory once again in the Lincolnshire sunshine.