Staffordshire Knot
23rd-Nov-2025
I am backing Staffordshire Knot here, now that he is stepping back up to three miles.
Gordon Elliott’s horse hasn’t won since he won his maiden hurdle on his hurdling bow at Down Royal in January last year, but he has run some fine raced in defeat in the interim. Second behind Brighterdaysahead in the Grade 1 Mersey Hurdle at Aintree that April when he was still a novice, he finished fifth in the premier three-mile handicap hurdle at Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival last season off a mark of 140, and he wasn’t beaten far in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham off a British mark of 143.
He put up a big performance on his debut this season too, when he stuck to his task well to take third place behind the progressive Letos in the Listed Brown Lad Handicap Hurdle.
He shaped that day as if he would appreciate the step back up to three miles and, with that run under his belt, and stepping up in trip today, he could take a nice step forward. With Jack Kennedy at Cork, Carl Millar takes over, and he is good value for his 5lb claim.
Millstream Lady and Brazil are both players, but the ground may be softer than ideal for both. Custom Taylor is the main danger in my book but, at a bigger price, I prefer Staffordshire Knot.
STAFFORDSHIRE KNOT WON (ADV 9/2, SP 11/2)
Back