Timeform UK SmartPlays: Wednesday March 19

Our first two selections run at Haydock, starting with the 15:10. It's very much an up-to-scratch race of its type, most of the arriving on the back of a fair effort last time. Clondaw Knight's latest effort wouldn't be the strongest on offer here, though it came after a break and on testing ground and we can therefore take what came immediately before as more relevant.

On his penultimate start, Clondaw Knight won at Kelso over 17 furlongs, jumping well on what was his chasing debut and accounting for Surprise Vendor (three-times a winner since), Swing Hard (two wins since) and Coax (won next time). A point winner who should be suited by, let alone cope with, this far, Clondaw Knight evidently has a lot more to come when things fall kindly. If that's today, he's better than a 4.131/10 chance.

The next race (15:40) features one that could be even more of a handicap snip. The Nicky Henderson-trained Karazhan has just two starts over hurdles to his name but we've seen enough to think he's much better than a BHA mark of 129. Two from three and showing useful form in bumpers, he won at Ludlow on his hurdling debut back in November 2012, beating a few horses (Zarzal, Spirit of Shankly and Flying Phoenix) that are all rated much higher now. His only start over jumps since came at Huntingdon just before Christmas, when he shaped as though the run was needed in a messy-but-interesting handicap. Obviously another subsequent absences raises some questions, though with 5.14/1 available about Karazhan at the time of writing it's one we can afford to leave unanswered for now.

Haydock hopefully conquered, we head to Warwick's 17:00 for the final bet of the day. Had he not run in a couple of jumpers' bumpers of late, it's suspected that The Nephew would be a lot shorter than current odds. It's not as though he ran badly in those races either, finishing none too far away under fairly considerate handling. 

Before that, The Nephew had been in fine form over fences, winning twice in the autumn and running his best race when second to the progressive Hollow Blue Sky at Carlisle. The conditions should suit as a strong traveller in a race that doesn't lack prominent racers, so we can expect The Nephew to put up another grand effort.

Timeform UK SmartPlays

Back Clondaw Knight 4.131/10 in the 15:10 Haydock
Back Karazhan @ 5.14/1 in the 15:40 Haydock
Back The Nephew @ 5.24/1 in the 17:00 Warwick