Honest Strike has been shaping like a winner waiting to happen and is of major inetrest at 7/2 in the 1.20 at Southwell today.
Mark Loughnane’s charge won his maiden at the track and has since run a number of highly creditable races to finish in the frame at the venue
His last success came at Lingfield last May where he came from off the pace and after overcoming trouble in running to cosly beat Broughtons Bandit by 1/2 a length last May off a mark of 56.
He was value for much more than the winning margin that day, and although he was well beaten next time up when finishing last over 1m 6f here he was clearly not right and was subsequently on the sidelines for 210 days.
The seven-year-old then ran well on his comeback run at Lingfield in December when slowly away and getting denied a clear run before keeping on to finish a not knocked about 6th of 14 to Outrageous Request where he was beaten 3 1/2 lengths off a mark of 62.
He then caught the eye over 2m 1f at Wolverhampton in a 4 runner contest which wasn’t run to suit where after being slowly away he closed up before getting hampered three from home and was then eased inside the last once it was clear he would not be winning.
That was followed by a similar effort last time over 2m at Lingield where after being slowly away and being held-up at the rear he made good late headway a furlong from home out wide to be beaten just 1/4 lengths by Keep Kicking without evfer threatening to land a blow.
To me he finished with running left in him that day and it was a run which suggested he would be back in the winners’ enclosure sooner rather than later.
Off the same mark of 61 today this he must take all the beating.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 3pts win Honest Strike (7/2 generally available – use BOG firms)
