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Power poised to capitalise on ideal conditions
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Crocodile to bare his teeth at Catterick
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Havana to prove a Naas heroine again
First the disclaimer: Crocodile Power is not straightforward or easy to win with.
However, the son of Slade Power has plenty going for him in this modest 0-60 handicap and it will be disappointing if he doesn't make an impact on a very winnable contest.
For a horse without a victory since last October, Crocodile Power is extremely consistent when the correct conditions present themselves, namely an outing at the north Yorkshire venue with cut in the ground, preferably with Dale Swift in the saddle.
The selection has run over six and seven furlongs on ground good or softer at Catterick on five occasions, recording impressive figures of 21112 - not bad for a veteran sprinter rated just 60.
Swift has been on board for the majority of those fine runs and his presence for the gelding's last two starts have produced a significant upturn in Crocodile Power's fortunes following a spring campaign where he could barely get out of his own way on unsuitable ground.
Timing a winning challenge is another test for Swift who looked to have a similar race wrapped up here two starts ago until his mount thought he had done enough at the furlong marker.
An exaggerated waiting ride at Ayr saw Crocodile Power flash into third behind South Road, coming from last to third inside the final furlong so something in between today might be required to put the seven-year-old's head in front.
Back Crocodile Power in the 17:00 Catterick
Little did connections know that in taking Havana Anna to Navan for her racecourse debut in May that she might bump into both the Coventry Stakes winner in Gstaad and the Queen Mary Stakes heroine True Love when finishing a commendable third.
The latter has also subsequently added victory in the Group 2 Railway Stakes to her cv, becoming the first filly in 31 years to do so, so labelling the Navan event as arguably the best juvenile maiden run so far this summer is not a wild or unsubstantiated claim.
Given the impression she created on debut, it was no surprise to see Havana Anna installed as favourite to win second time on a racecourse, this time at Cork over six furlongs.
Frustratingly she again met with defeat, this time at the hands of Suzie Songs who also franked the form a fortnight later by beating the much-vaunted Flushing Meadows in the G3 Anglesey Stakes with subsequent Curragh nursery winner, Stop The Nation, back in third just for good measure.
It was a case of third time lucky for Havana Anna who obliged over course and distance a month ago at thin odds to gain that overdue first success.
She returns to the scene of that success in search of some valuable black type and can fight off Cardiff By The Sea and a clutch of UK raiders.
Back Havana Anna in the 17:37 Naas
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