Strategic shrugs aside assessors hike

Strategic Heights followed up on his win over the course and distance last week as he justified odds-on favouritism to take the opener at Dundalk, the Ladbrokes Daily Top Treble Rated Race.

Trained by Johnny Feane (his third winner in the training ranks), the five-year-old son of Strategic Prince went up a massive nineteen pounds for his win last week, a rise many believed to be harsh.

Having opened at 6/5 with Paddy Power this morning, the bay gelding went from evens to 10/11 on-course, the price which he went off at.

Settled in second by Pat Smullen, he travelled best on the outside under two furlongs out, soon hitting the front before going on to score by a length and a quarter. Regal Power (5/1) kept on in the closing stages to take second under Caroline Murtagh for her father Johnny.

Johnny Feane said afterwards: "They are all fairly exposed and he is fresh. He won it well and there is a race for him here next week.

"I’m three from five here now and one second. I’ve 20 in training and 15 or 16 riding out, and I’ve some nice 2-y-o's for the turf season and we are looking for some syndicates to come on board."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham