SIR REMBRANDT (2.10) has the class bid to redeem a somewhat tarnished reputation by bouncing back to form in Haydock's feature event, the prestigious three-mile Tommy Whittle Chase.

The £60,000 showpiece comes hard on the heels of a day Sir Rembrandt and his supporters will want to forget at Exeter just over a fortnight ago.

It was a race in which having been the subject of heavy market support, the eight-year-old then proceeded to run an absolute stinker, finishing out with the washing after being niggled along by jockey Andrew Thornton from the minute the tapes went up.

"We said beforehand he doesn't go right-hand and we thought he might get way with on a big galloping track like Exeter, but he leads with his left leg and was never travelling," explained trainer, Robert Alner.

Previously Sir Rembrandt had shown his true colours at the end of last season via a magnificent second placing, just a half-length behind the all-conquering Best Mate in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Admittedly Haydock is a far less testing course than Prestbury Park. But given that the selection now returns to his favoured left-handed modus operandi, he should now atone for his dreadful Exeter effort.

Much nearer to home Chris Grant has enlisted the services of leading jockey, Mick Fitzgerald, to partner Minster Shadow (1.15) in the Marquee Package Novices' Hurdle at Wetherby.

Grant hasn't had too much to shout about of late, so the emergence of Minster Shadow, an easy winner at Carlisle in November, is excellent news for the popular Wolviston, near Billingham, handler.

Big-race success has eluded Malcolm Jefferson over the past few years, but that situation might be on the turn if Calatagan (3.05) can scoop Sandown's Grade 1 £75,000 William Hill Handicap Hurdle.

Malton-based Jefferson just doesn't seem to have the same sort of firepower he was blessed with during the 90s, happily though - in the guise of Calatagan (3.10) - there might at least be a glimmer of light on the horizon.

Jefferson's handsome gelding regularly catches the eye in the paddock, and although he had previously won a couple of minor races, the five-year-old hadn't really delivered the goods until smashing up a big field of leading southern guns at Cheltenham in October.

It was a much-improved performance that obviously irked the Official Handicapper, who, in response to that slick triumph cruelly, bumped him up by a backbreaking 11lbs.

Normally this sort of hike in the weights would be sufficient to deter most professional punters, but on this occasion the fact that Calatagan has been stepped up a half-mile in trip, means he has the potential make considerable progress on what he has achieved so far.

The John Hughes Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow has attracted a spattering of Welsh and Grand National pretenders, including Historg (1.55), tipped up by this column when beaten on both of his last two starts at Wetherby and Towcester.

At least Ferdy Murphy's diminutive stayer ran with much more credit at the last-named venue, and even though Historg has shoulder a few pounds overweight, he's still my each-way bet in the sure knowledge that he will get every yard of the extended three-and-a-quarter-mile marathon.

One of the horses with most scope to do better at Lingfield is Sea Holly (1.20), a big raw-boned individual with the sort of beefy frame that as a rule requires time before growing into full strength.

Trainer George Margarson didn't run Sea Holly on the turf in the summer, which could be a blessing in disguise because he's far fresher than virtually all of his battle-weary opponents lining up for the All Weather Racing Handicap.

Add to this the crucial information that Margarson's representative is not only a proven polytrack performer, but also bound to be far sharper fitness-wise following an encouraging spin at the course in November, and there's a solid case to made for a speculative bet on the lightly campaigned gelding.

Considering the arduous journey in a horsebox from Wolverhampton to Darlington takes at least four hours, let's keep our fingers crossed that Spring Breeze (9.30) can make the late night sortie pay dividends for the Michael Dods' team in the closing two-mile Sky Text Handicap.

Spring Breeze put together a string of consistent performances on grass earlier this year, picking up bags of place money to supplement his runaway pillar-to-post victory at Catterick in September.

Seizing on his admirable reliability, punters were not shy to side with the game and genuine three-year-old when he made his fibre-sand debut at Southwell last month, and once again Spring Breeze did not let the each-way 'thieves' down, finishing second to Madiba.

I've a feeling that Wolverhampton's much quicker surface, plus tighter track, will help Spring Breeze to be more effective compared to Southwell's significantly slower ground.

* Ryedane edged Janus (Colin Woods) ever nearer to the top of the Racing Post National Naps competition with a cracking 6-1 success at Wolverhampton yesterday.

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