RACEGOERS heading for Sedgefield this afternoon should ensure Super Sammy (1.00) is near the head of their punting short-list.

Having moved during the summer from Mick Easterby's stable to Kevin Ryan at Hambleton near Thirsk, Super Sammy ran a cracking first race for her new yard when a close-up fourth at Haydock 19 days ago.

Supporters of the selection must have had their hearts in their mouths on that occasion, since the eight-year-old mare looked like she was going to collect until fluffing the final flight and consequently weakening on the run-in.

In the past Super Sammy has been inclined to carry a bit of extra weight, so it would not be unreasonable to hope she will strip a fitter individual when lining up for the York Handmade Brick Handicap Hurdle, a race well within her compass if in the mood.

For the John Wade Selling Handicap Hurdle, In Good Faith (2.00) represents a solid each-way investment now that he has been stepped back up to a more suitable trip.

Last time out In Good Faith was tried over two-miles-and-one-furlong, a distance palpably too short for him to bring his natural abundance of stamina into play. It is situation which has been addressed by connections for this £3,200 contest, and with an extra half-mile to travel he should theoretically be able to keep in contention all the way round.

For the record, Ronnie Barr's gelding would have eaten today's opposition for breakfast in his heyday, admittedly he's something of a shadow of his former self, nonetheless he still retains sufficient ability see off a relatively poor field from an enticingly low handicap mark.

Ferdy Murphy has his team in enviably excellent heart, boding well for the prospects of Chancers Dante (3.00) in the Ken Bright Memorial Handicap Chase.

Chancers Dante, who won a three-mile hurdles event at Hexham last year, was later banned under the "non triers" rule when switched to make his chasing bow down at Fakenham.

It seemed a strange decision at the time and seeing as the horse to finish runner-up, Our Armageddon, went on to score at the Cheltenham Festival, Chancers Dante was perfectly entitled to finish well in arrears of Richard's Guest's classy rival.

Tony Culhane is once again showing why he's one of the leading all-weather jockeys by booting home some nice-priced sand winners over the past couple of weeks.

Culhane's booking for Nevada Desert (3.10) at Southwell is cue as far as I'm concerned to get financially involved with chestnut, especially in view of the fact that Nevada Desert did followers of the column a monster favour by landing a 10-1 winning nap at Hamilton in August.

Richard Whitaker's raider shaped as if he was returning to something like his best when a close-up fifth at Wolverhampton earlier on in the month.

There is also evidence to suggest Southwell's more forgiving surface will be more to Nevada Desert's liking, adding an extra incentive to back the handsome four-year-old in the Edmundson Electrical Handicap over one-mile.

* Boris The Spider continued the money-spinning run of winning naps from Janus (Colin Woods), when romping to an easy 7-1 success at Southwell yesterday. Followers of our top-tipster are currently £20.25 in profit to a £1 level stake on all nap selection for the current National Hunt season.

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