Today’s racing

Market Rasen and Sedgefield are the venues for today’s jumping action, with perhaps the most interesting race of the day being the opening novices’ chase at the former track.

The five-runner field for the three-mile contest features the Olly Murphy-trained Monbeg Zena, purchased for £110,000 after winning her sole point-to-point in 2017. The eight-year-old, owned by Sullivan Bloodstock, was successful on stable debut in a mares’ maiden hurdle at Southwell in December 2018 and has not been sighted since.

Her rivals include the Nick Gifford-trained The Mighty Don, who takes a significant drop in class after falling in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, and David Brace’s Colorado Doc, bidding to break a run of three seconds this season.

Kempton’s all-weather evening meeting features a competitive eight-race programme.

Godolphin’s Law Of Peace, trained by Charlie Appleby, will start favourite in the mile novice event for three-year-olds after three good efforts in 2019. His six opponents include three newcomers, the pick of whom could be the Martyn Meade-trained Hover, a Free Eagle colt whose half-sister Archer’s Dream was successful at Listed level last year.

Kennedy out of Cheltenham

Top Irish rider Jack Kennedy will miss the Cheltenham Festival after sustaining a broken leg when being unseated at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Kennedy captured the Grade 1 Irish Gold Cup on Delta Work for Gigginstown and Gordon Elliott only to hit the deck in the following race riding Dallas Des Pictons for the same connections.

Senior Medical Officer Dr Jennifer Pugh confirmed on Monday that Kennedy’s surgery had gone well but that he would not return in time for the Festival.

Death of James Banks

Former jump jockey James Banks has been found dead at his home near Cheltenham. He was 36.

Banks, who retired from the saddle in 2018, rode 85 winners under both codes, starting off on the Flat before graduating to the jumps scene.

His best season was in 2015-16 when he partnered 24 winners, four of which came for trainer Emma-Jane Bishop, who he was working for at the time of his death.