Yesterday’s nap ran a gallant third at Punchestown at longish odds in a race that presented a slap in the face with the bleeding obvious after another well backed Gordon Elliott staying chase win.

Today we return to calmer waters and the regularly successful strategy of backing Sue Smith and Danny Cook at Catterick.

Straidnahanna (1605), has been a standard-bearer for that theory, winning handicap chases here on all three visits in Jan ’15, Feb’16 and again in Jan’17.  Those were off ratings of 128, 129 and 132 and he returns here now off 130.

That would normally signify a loss in form as would form figures of P0P65P since that last win. However, the rise for his last win allowed him to sneak into some pretty ambitious race targets including running (mostly poorly) in an Eider chase, The Topham, the Scottish National and The Becher.

This will feel like a refreshing change of pace and quality and there are not too many to be afraid of in the opposition.  Expect normal service to be resumed, and this guy can continue his blemish free Catterick record with a fourth win at the track.

Recommendation:  Straidnahanna, (1605 Catterick), 1pt win, 2/1 generally available

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