McInerney seeking more magic from the hat-trick seeking Market's Field

7.50 Sligo
Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle | 2m7f150yds | ATR

All bar one of Donie McInerney's five career winners have arrived this season and half of those victories have come on board Market's Field.

The pair renew their relationship in the most valuable event of the evening at Sligo and trainer Enda Bolger believes the more rain that falls, the more chance his rapidly-improving five-year-old has.

It was yielding ground when Market's Field sprung a 14-1 surprise in a beginners chase at Wexford last month and, although it was officially good ground when he scored over hurdles at Sligo on his most recent start 12 days ago, Bolger is convinced that testing conditions bring out the best in him.

Market's Field faces plenty of in-form rivals though, and chief among them is Open To The World from the Christy Roche stable, who opened her account over hurdles at Killarney last month. This is her first handicap and a mark of 105 doesn't look overly harsh.

Just like Bolger, Ross O'Sullivan is also praying for rain for King Blue as the 11-year-old saves his best for the mud, as he showed when winning on yielding to soft ground at Roscommon in June.

Flat star

Benkei has won four of his 35 races on the Flat and has acquired a mark of 96 in that sphere. He is back over hurdles here (his sixth try) off a mark of just 106 so his rivals better watch out if his jumping holds up.

What they say

Harry Rogers, trainer of Benkei
He is a big, strong horse so hopefully he will be okay on the ground. If things go his way, he should be in the thick of things.

Enda Bolger, trainer of Market's Field
The more rain that falls, the more you'll see me smiling. This fella should love the ground as he enjoys lots of cut. He went up 9lb for winning last time but Donie [McInerney] claims 7lb so that helps offset that. He should be right in the mix with a bit of luck.

Ross O'Sullivan, trainer of King Blue
The key to this fella is soft ground. He needs plenty of cut to be at his best. We took him out of a recent engagement because the ground had dried up so much. He has had a nice break since his last run, six weeks or so, and he appears to be in really good form.

Peter Fahey, trainer of Small World
You can put a line through his last run as he made a desperate mistake at a crucial stage. He's been running respectably and hopefully he can get his head in front in one of these sooner rather than later. I wouldn't like to see the ground get any softer for him.