Nap of the Day: Maldini leads the line on Saturday

What a start to the year for Nap of the Day followers, courtesy of Kings Champion bolting up in the opener at Ayr on Friday.

A 4/1 winner - how about one at a similar price just 24 hours later? We go to Wincanton hoping for more success.

I suspect MALDINI MILANO's opening mark of 114 is a generous one.

Paul Nicholls' six-year-old performed to a decent standard in bumpers and he made a highly-encouraging start over hurdles, going down by just two-and-a-half lengths to Dan Skelton's 124-rated A Pai De Nom, at Newton Abbot in September.

The selection was sent off 6/4f for his subsequent outing at Fontwell, but he unseated jockey Harry Cobden at the very first hurdle. A non-event.

Just over a week later, at Plumpton in November, the son of Milan opened his account in good style, beating six rivals with relative ease.

The runner-up, Daylatedollarshort for Olly Murphy, won a handicap at Wetherby on Boxing Day off a mark of 110 and has been raised a further four in the meantime - while General Briar for the Gordons, who was third at Plumpton, bolted up on his subsequent start to earn a mark of 116.

That suggests Maldini Milano is ahead of the handicapper - if I had to guess, around six pounds ahead.

It could be a similar case for Nicky Martin's Got A Dream, the current favourite for this 2m5½f handicap hurdle at Wincanton.

The seven-year-old is on a hat-trick and a rise of just five pounds for his latest victory looks fair enough. He is without a doubt the main danger.

Otherwise, it's a modest race. Call Me Legend is already looking a bit exposed, while Cruden's yet to achieve much of note over obstacles. Geezer Rockstar, The Expensive One, George Henry and Moutarde are hard to advise on recent form.

I think Maldini Milano could prove hard to beat - exactly like his namesake at San Siro for all those years.

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