Wetherby Preview: Clondaw Knight can rise to the occasion

Wetherby stage a competitive jumps card today and Scottish raider Clondaw Knight looks decent value to land the 3m 1f feature chase (2.45).

The Lucinda Russell trained gelding has only had 10 starts under rules and has progressed well since being sent over the larger obstacles.

The seven-year-old has won twice and finished in the frame five times in seven starts over fences, and showed a good attitude when staying on strongly to sciore by 1/2 a length over 2m 5f at Hexham on seasonal reappearance off a mark of 120.

Clondaw Knight was then far from disgraced last time out at this venue when staying on third to Bobcatbilly off a revised mark of 127 and looks well worth a crack at today’s 3m 1f trip judged on that effort.

The son of Heron Island looks the type who has more to offer, and with the stable now back amongst the winners a big run looks on the cards.
In the extended 2m 4f handicap hurdle (1.05), Lilly’s Legend is potentially thrown-in at the weights on her bumper form.

The Mark Walford trained filly was well-backed when making her debut in a bumper at Newcastle when a two length third to Starplex, and finished just 1 3/4 lengths behind the third home Bulas Belle who has gone on to score over hurdles and is now rated 118.

The fifth home Boruma, who finished 3 1/4 lengths behind Lilly’s Legend, also since won a handicap hurdle off 105 and is now rated 115, and that make’s the selections current mark of 80 look very exploitable.
Although Lilly’s Legend has so far failed to cut any ice in five runs over hurdles, she was well-backed on handicap debut last time out when sixth of 14 to Jukebox Melody at Newcastle and shaped as if needing the run after 224 days on the sidelines.
That should have blown away the cobwebs and put the four-year-old spot on for this, and Lilly’s Legend is now reunited with Dougie Costello who was onboard for her bumper runs.

Gwladys Street has dropped markedly in the weights and can take advantage to land the 3m 1f handicap hurdle (2.10).

The gelding won back-to-back contests over hurdles at Sedgefield in the early part of 2013, with the last of those successes coming off a mark of 105.

The eight-year-old is now able to race off 10lb lower having shaped as if coming back to form when fourth of 12 to Madam Lilibet at Hexham last time out.