10:50am Saturday 29th September 2007
By Flared Nostril
THE JUMPS season starts in earnest with a fine card at Market Rasen and in these early skirmishes it may be to stick with the already battle-hardened PIGEON ISLAND .
Nigel Twiston-Davies has a great record at the track with his runners and the selection was hardly off the bit to score last time out (3.45).
It will take sopmething special to peg him back.
On the flat Ascot has some great racing, but with the ground turning sticky it some of the showpiece events look a bit trappy, though it's hard ot imagine Frankie Dettori, who rode all the winner on the card here 10 years ago - will go away empty-handed.
EMMROOZ can oblige in the Royal Lodge and the Gary Middlebrook-owned DOCOFTHEBAY must go close later on the card.
It may be worth waiting for RAJEH, whose third ot Galatic Star at York makes good reading with the winner and runner-up Dunaskin both franking the form since. The handicapper has taken a lenient view of that very goo third by not raising him in the weights..
ROCK N ROLLER is a likely improver - his trainer has mentioned he might be a Cup horse next season - and he should go well at Haydock (2.25).
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