Chosen One looks pick over the minimum trip.

Byline: PIETRO INNOCENZI

AS A nod towards the recently hospitalised Morrissey, responsible for perhaps the most evocative piece of alliteration in pop music history - Ceiling shadows shimmy by, from The Hand That Rocks The Cradle - it's off to Catterick, where, alliteratively speaking, sometimes switching stands' side in the straight on a soft surface in sprints is a shrewd strategy.

Because of that, I was initially in two minds about this afternoon's sprints at the Yorkshire track, which is unusual, because I'm rarely even in one mind about them.

Although coming stands' side when the ground is wet isn't uncommon (in fact, riders have been advised to take that route on at least one occasion on rain-softened ground this season due to the turn into the straight proving treacherous), I'm not convinced that will be the case today and will be siding with the low-drawn Chosen One in the Come Racing Again Next Tuesday Handicap (2.00).

Bryan Smart's four-year-old won his maiden at the track last year and followed up on soft ground at Hamilton.

He rather lost his way after that and it wasn't until the son of Choisir was returned to a soft surface and dropped to 5f for the first time at Ayr last month that he came back to form, coming out best of a large group that raced stands' side in a contest where the first two home stayed on the far side. The selection followed that with a solid fourth of 16 at Nottingham.

To sum up, Chosen One comes into the race in good form on a 3lb lower mark than when scoring at Hamilton, he's suited by give in the ground, has won at the course and is relatively unexposed at the trip after just two starts.

The one intangible is the draw, but if I'm correct and they stay far side in the straight, stall three should be ideal.

They say you should never go back as it's rarely as good second time round, but with Simple Jim and Tropical Duke, who are likely to be prominent in the betting, having questions to answer regarding the suitability of easy ground in the Racing On Sky 432 Handicap at Catterick (1.30), I'm prepared to make an exception with No Wonga, who did this column a favour on soft ground at Haydock two starts ago.

David Evans' four-year-old scored in the style of a progressive stayer that day and it's easy to forgive a subsequent seventh on his all-weather debut at Wolverhampton in a better race that was run at a stop-start gallop.

The drop in class and return to soft turf is going to suit, and a 4lb higher mark than Haydock looks within the capabilities of this lightly raced sort. Top weight isn't an issue, as No Wonga carried more than 10st to victory there, and the form could be okay as the beaten favourite, who finished third, won next time out.

My main reservation is the sharp, undulating course, as No Wonga has shown himself to be well suited to galloping tracks with long home straights and promises to stay further than today's 1m4f.

As such, it's not hard to picture him becoming outpaced at some point.

On what I'm hoping will be a good day for Evans, Covert Mission has to be of interest bidding for a repeat win in the Racing On Sky 432 Handicap at Catterick (4.00).

The mare showed steady improvement after last year's comfortable success, including over hurdles, which suggests today's 4lb higher mark won't be beyond her.

A recent spin on the all-weather at Wolverhampton after a nine-month absence was virtually identical to the prep she was given before winning the race last year and the ground is again forecast to be good to soft for a mare who loves to get her toe in.

The yard is going well - half a dozen winners in the last fortnight - and her useful rider is taking off 5lb, so the case for Covert Mission looks fairly persuasive in a modest contest.

I'd usually be falling over myself to have a bet at Southwell, but this afternoon's card features disappointingly small fields, with the two most competitive races being for two-year-olds, most of whom have not raced on the surface.

Today's bets No Wonga 1.30 Catterick 1pt win Chosen One 2.00 Catterick 1pt win Covert Mission 4.00 Catterick 1pt win