Nap of the Day: Silvestre can make the difference at Leicester

Case of the dreaded second-itis at present, but we sail on regardless to Wednesday's fare, and our Nap Of The Day for July 24.

There's a six-race evening card at Leicester I'm looking forward to, as I think I've found one who's been a bit unlucky in recent spins and has just the man on top tonight to turn all that promise into a win. Our big race is at 18:45.

Today's Horse Races

18:45 Leicester - Maritime Lady @ 7/2

The 18:45 is a mile-and-a-half Class 5 handicap with seven slated to face the starter as I write, but nevertheless with an open look to it, betting-wise.

MARITIME LADY is a three-year-old Crystal Ocean filly out of a Big Bad Bob mare. She's in the care of Newmarket handler James Owen, and will be ridden by the outstanding Silvestre De Sousa.

She's a seven-race maiden, but an admirably consistent one. She's generally been claimer-ridden so far, and gets Silvestre now which is almost guaranteed to have a galvanising effect. He's vastly experienced and brings the gravitas and finesse of a former multiple champion jockey.

Cheekpieces are reached for too, and she's down a pound in the handicap from her last spin 20 days ago at Yarmouth (beaten less than 2l). She's often had to switch or endure traffic difficulties at the business end of races, and there's a feeling she's been just a trifle unfortunate so far.

In such a small field, and at a venue like Leicester where the majority of the action is mid-to-far-side with loads of real estate to play with, there shouldn't, touch wood, be any congestion issues.

Throw in Silvestre's brilliance, and that little hug from the handicapper, and she's for all the world a filly about to lose that maiden tag in my book.

Nap Of The Day from Betfred Insights.