Market Rasen preview: Clondaw Banker poised to follow-up
Published:
David Metcalf | November 19, 2015
Clondaw Banker scored in good style last time out and looks a worthy favourite to follow-up in the 2m 4f handicap hurdle on today’s card at Market Rasen (14.05).
The Nicky Henderson trained gelding won a bumper on his debut and shaped with plenty of promise on his first start over the obstacles when chasing home Jolly’s Cracked It at Ascot.
Clondaw Banker stumbled badly and lost vital ground at the fourth flight before rallying strongly to be beaten 3 1/4 lengths and was arguably an unlucky loser.
Clondaw a Banker for punters
The winner is a useful sort now rated 138, and that made Clondaw Banker’s opening handicap mark of 121 look very exploitable.
Although the six-year-old failed to exploit it when heavily backed on his seasonal reappearance and finishing just sixth of 11 to Old Guard, he shaped as if needing the run and the winner has since come out and won the valuable Greatwood Hurdle in terrific style.
In hindsight it was a promising effort and, after being dropped 1lb, Clondaw Baker duly built on it to open his account over the obstacles when only having to be driven out to beat Slim Pickens by 2 1/2 lengths in a competitive eight-runner handicap at Sandown 11 days ago.
The son of Court Cove is able to race in this off an unchanged mark of 120, and that is going to make Clondaw Banker very hard to beat providing the race doesn’t come too quickly.
Scudamore success gives Calin claims
Jockey Tom Scudamore has a 25 per cent strike rate in the last 12 months when teaming up with trainer Nigel Hawke, and Calin Du Brizais can take advantage of what looks a handy mark to provide the pair with another winner in the 2m 4f handicap hurdle (14.40).
The gelding shaped with plenty of promise when placed in two juvenile hurdles in the spring, most notably when a 19 length runnner-up to the now 135-rated Abidjan in a 12-runner contest at Newton Abbot.
That form reads well in the context of this contest, and suggests that Calin Du Brizais should be more than capable of winning races off his current mark of 101.
The four-year-old also comes into the race on the back of a promising third at Fakenham after a 173 day break, and that outing should have sharpened up Calin Du Brizais and put him spot on for this.
Selections:
12.30: Barney Dwan
13.00: Uhlan Bute
13.30: Dartford Warbler
14.05: Clondaw Banker (NAP)
14.40: Calin Du Brizais (NB)
15.10: Fly Home Harry
15.40: Keeper Hill
Related
Why not visit our horse racing archives?
