Nap of the Day: Spirit to Star at Lingfield on Tuesday

It's low-grade stuff on Tuesday, but I've found one at Lingfield I think represents excellent value.

Read on for my Nap of the Day.

SPIRIT STAR is tipped to open his account at the fifth time of asking at Lingfield on Tuesday.

Marco Botti's two-year-old daughter of Territories showed little in the first three starts of his career, earning an opening mark of 47 before his handicap debut at Yarmouth earlier this month.

He was fourth of fifth on the East Coast, beaten just over two lengths by Michael Bell's Rajak, who subsequently followed up at Bath off six pounds higher.

Within a length of the selection in second was the reopposing Redditizio. He's a lot shorter in the betting ahead of the rematch on Tuesday, but I don't think that's right.

Not only is Spirit Star a pound better off this time, but there's every reason for him to improve past that particular rival based on the evidence of their last meeting.

Brightling was no match for the aforementioned Rajak last time out, which reads well in the selection's favour. Rod Millman's filly has been dropped three pounds, though, and more ease in the ground will suit, so he's not ruled out.

Aside from his name, there's not all that much to like about Ollie Sangster's Dandy Orton. He's beaten just two of 18 rivals in three starts and his trainer hasn't saddled a winner in 26 days. Unless his recent gelding operation and the application of first-time blinkers brings about improvement out of nowhere, he's hard to advise.

It's even harder to warm to the rank outsider Could Be The Move, who's also shown precious to date. Connections reaching for a hood, tongue-tie and cheekpieces already feels desperate.

I genuinely believe Spirit Star could be progressive off her seriously low mark, if maturing both physically and mentally - especially the latter.

Clearly she shows, or at least used to show, a fair bit at home that isn't being translated on the track, for she holds an entry in the £100k Auction Stakes at Newmarket in August. That's fanciful at this point in time, but worth keeping in mind.

Benoit De La Sayette, who was on board in Great Yarmouth, maintains the partnership on Tuesday, which is another positive.

His mount can't afford to fluff her lines coming out of the stalls again, not over the minimum trip, which is a risk I'm willing to take at the prices because her profile is otherwise very appealing in this field.

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