NAP of the Day: Havana Sky can bounce back quickly

The weather continued to play havoc with the racing programme across the weekend but things are looking up as we burst into a new week with four meetings scheduled on Monday across Britain and Ireland.

The quartet are all free from inspections at the time of writing, with jumps action set to take place at Punchestown and Exeter, alongside Flat cards on the synthetic surfaces at Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

Our NAP selection saw a winning spree ended at Lingfield recently but things didn't fall his way in that contest and it might be too soon to write him off. Below you can find my NAP of the Day for Monday, January 13. 

The Ed Dunlop-trained HAVANA SKY saw his winning streak come to an end at Lingfield earlier this month but he didn't get the run of the race in that contest and there was enough in it to believe more success could be forthcoming.

The son of Havana Gold ended 2024 with five straight wins at Southwell, Lingfield and Wolverhampton. His pair of course and distance successes came either side of Christmas in the space of six days.

As is his wont, he was held up behind the pace in both instances and had plenty of time to organise a challenge in the home straight before picking things up and scoring.

At Lingfield last time he was stepped up to 7f and things didn't fall his way. It was a seven-runner race and he was carrying his latest 6lb penalty.

When the field spun off the final bend, things unfolded a shade too quickly and he was behind rivals with nowhere to run under Hector Crouch.

The winner, Tadreeb, flanked him and powered up on the outside to get the job done. Rod Millman's charge has franked that form since by following up over the same track and trip.

Havana Sky now rises into Class 4 company for the first time in his handicapping career. He's also up to a career-high mark of 71.

Recent Chelmsford winner Rebel Path should ensure a good pace is set in this contest and if David Probert can get his mount rolling into the home straight, being back at Wolverhampton should afford them more of an opportunity to organise a challenge.

If avoiding traffic woes, this four-year-old could still have more to offer at this sort of trip on the all-weather, where his record over 6f reads 3011111.

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