Wetherby preview: Final Assault weighted to strike

Final Assault can take advantage of a drop in the weights to land the 2m 3f Bobby Renton Handicap Chase on today’s card at Wetherby (15.50).

The Lucinda Rusell trained gelding opened his account over fences at Bangor back in January when easily beating Gootoknow by 10 lengths off a mark of 120.

Final Assault was hit with a 12lb rise for that facile success, but ran well of his revised mark of 132 when a four length runner-up to the now 140-rated Fine Rightly at Ayr.

The six-year-old then ran below par at Haydock, but quickly bounced back to finish a decent nine length runner-up to the very smart 155-rated Oscar Rock at Kelso.

Final Assault went on to finish a highly respectable effort when third to Puffin Billy in a decent contest class 2 contest at Ayr off 131 when last seen in action, and is now able to race off 129.

That makes the son of Beneficial look nicely treated in this class 3 contest, especially if taking into account the 3lb claim of jockey Derek Fox who gets a good tune out of him.

In the 2m 5f handicap hurdle (16.25), L’aigle Royal looks weighted to make a winning return to action.

The gelding had some useful for to his name in France, and looked a smart prospect when bolting up by 26 lengths at Sedgefield on debut for trainer John Quinn.

L’aigle Royal failed to get his head in front in six subsequent starts, but ran well in some hot contests.

They included when a cracking fourth of 17 to As De Mee in a hot class 1 handicap hurdle at Sandown off his current mark of 128, and that form reads well in the context of this lower grade class 3 affair.