Nap of the Day: Kempton, a late January evening, and a warm maiden

Precious little in the way of racing on Wednesday, January 29 dear reader, but thank goodness for Kempton Park and an eight-race Polytrack evening meet that kicks in at 17:00.

They go at Dundalk in Ireland too but I'm happy to concentrate on matters in Sunbury-on-Thames for our Nap Of The Day selection. Here we go then, and if you're playing, or you've found one better ( every chance!), then good luck - and enjoy.

Today's Horse Races

18:00 Kempton - Quai De Bethune @ 10/11

Our top tip for Wednesday's reduced racing programme still ticks plenty of boxes. Top jock involved - Oisin Murphy, fresh from the white-heat of international competition at Gulfstream Park, Florida. Top trainer? Definitely. Andrew Balding, boasting a strike-rate of some 33% over the last 14 days. Where do I sign up ...

Quai De Bethune is a three-year-old son of French Guineas winner Persian King out of a Wootton Bassett mare. He ran once at two, a back-end maiden at Sandown in mid-September.

Today's jockey ironically rode the easy winner that day, Cosmic Year, who holds an Irish 2000 Guineas entry. Riding the Balding horse was Jason Watson, and after a tardy passage and running green the colt was noted by the Racing Post race-reader as an 'eyecatcher' in third, beaten around 8l.

Sandown is proper Grade 1 test for any horse let alone an inexperienced two-year-old, and the performance confirmed a promising level of ability. He now reappears in an intriguing maiden at Kempton; a flat, sweeping, artificial surface that seems fair to all types, under the brilliant Murphy, with the trainer in rude form, and nothing in the field that on anything shown so far will cause us sleepless nights (though some remain unraced, and of course therefore could be anything).

Lots going for us then and I'm happy to put up Quai De Bethune as my Nap for Wednesday. He's nicely drawn in mid-pack in the four box, and this mile trip should be spot on. It's been backed to a shade of odds-on which is a shame value-wise but you never know, it might edge out again. The heavy support is certainly no great surprise.

Nap Of The Day from Betfred Insights.