MARKET RASEN NEWS: CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL HEROINE SINE NOMINEE SET TO REAPPEAR IN WEDNESDAY’S LISTED PERTEMPS NETWORK BUD BOOTH MARES' CHASE
Sunday 24th November
By Ben Cox
One of the highlights of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival was the gallant performance of the grey mare Sine Nomine to win the St James’s Festival Hunters’ Chase. The eight-year-old is trained by Fiona Needham, who 22 years earlier won the same contest as a jockey on Last Option, with both horses sporting the colours of her father Robin Tate.
This season the daughter of Saint Des Saints is set to make the move out of hunter chase company, beginning at Market Rasen on Wednesday (November 27th) in the Listed Pertemps Network Bud Booth Mares' Chase over three miles.
North Yorkshire-based Needham trains Sine Nomine alongside her day job as Clerk of the Course at Catterick Racecourse.
Needham said: “The plan all along has been to start of Sine Nomine at Market Rasen next week, although looking at the entries I’m thinking ‘Oh my God!’ as they look very strong.
“She summered very well, perhaps a little too well, and it has taken a bit of a bootcamp to get her slimmed down. She probably will need this first run but we had this race earmarked and it looks like the ground might come right for her with some rain forecast – which is probably why everybody else wants to run there too! Anyway, we will have a go and see how we get on.
“John Dawson has ridden her throughout her career and will be in the saddle at Market Rasen. We really are the amateurs taking on the professionals but John knows her so well and looks after her.”
On plans for the rest of the season, Needham added: “The plan was always to start off at Market Rasen and then if all goes well to go to the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day. We will then take it from there – if it looks like we have really got our tail between our legs then we can go back hunter chasing in the New Year.
“She is rated 133 so should hopefully be competitive but we will see how she gets on next week. The thinking about running her under Rules was to get some Black Type for when she retires to stud – it’s all becoming a bit real now.”
Before beginning her role at Catterick, Needham worked as a Clerk of the Course for The Jockey Club including at Market Rasen.
She concluded: “I trained under Michael Prosser at Newmarket and basically became assistant Clerk there and full-time Clerk at Huntingdon.
“My very first day as a Licensed Clerk was actually at Market Rasen. Ed Gretton had left and they had taken on Nick Patton as a trainee, so I had to cover for him while he was still training. I also worked at Warwick during my time with The Jockey Club before I moved north.
“Hopefully it will be a nice return to Market Rasen on Wednesday!”
A strong entry of 14 for the Pertemps Network Bud Booth Mares' Chase also includes the Grade Two Oaksey Chase heroine Fantastic Lady, last year’s winner Galia Des Liteaux and Marsh Wren, who was a close third in the Grade Two Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Another interesting contender is Apple Away from the dual Grand National-winning yard of trainer Lucinda Russell. Apple Away was a Grade One winner over hurdles at Aintree in 2023 and scored in Listed company over fences at Perth in April. There could also be a challenger from Ireland in the Tom Cooper-trained Sainte Dona, who has been placed at Grade Two level.
Wednesday’s seven-race card at Market Rasen runs from 12.05pm through to 3.35pm. To purchase tickets, please go to www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/marketrasen/events-tickets/
ENDS
