Nap of the Day: Mustang can putt in Dovecote mission

There is a busy Saturday ahead with six meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland, including quality jumps fare from Kempton, Newcastle and Fairyhouse. They are joined over jumps by Chepstow, while all-weather racing takes place at Lingfield and Chelmsford (evening).

At Kempton they mix graded action with major handicap fare and there is a Nicky Henderson-trained French import seemingly being underestimated taking on his elders at the Sunbury track. Below are is my Nap of the Day for Saturday, February 21.

15:00 Kempton

MUSTANG DU BREUIL is one of many promising young French imports making their way in Britain and Ireland this season.

He may not quite have the star quality of the likes of Narciso Has or Manlaga - others scooped up by JP McManus - but he is quietly going about his business.

Mustang Du Breuil made up lots of ground from the second last to the finishing line when making a winning debut at Auteuil (2m2f, soft) in a €36k contest in October for trainer Giada Menato, who suggested he was 'he was only 70 per cent in his preparation' for that assignment.

He made the move to Henderson's Seven Barrows squad afterwards and debuted this month at Doncaster (2m½f, good to soft) in a low-key novice event where James Bowen readily brought him home clear of the field after having travelled best of the bunch throughout.

A half-brother to four winners, stamina is on his side and the drop back in trip wasn't certain to suit, but he picked up well for Bowen under hands and heels riding and was strong through the line for minimal urging.

A field of 12 are set to contest the Dovecote Novices' Hurdle at Kempton and this represents a sharp rise in class for Mustang Du Breuil.

It is, though, interesting that Henderson elects to send the four-year-old here against his elders. He holds entries in both 4YO races at Cheltenham next month - the Triumph and the Fred Winter.

He receives 7lb from some of his main market rivals for this assignment and that could be a big plus.

His trainer in France labelled him a 'strong horse' for his age and suggested better ground would be to his liking, so the forecast 'good to soft-soft in places' at Kempton looks optimal.

He should be tactically versatile and based on the stamina in his pedigree, there is a more than decent chance he will benefit from a good tempo in this race over the minimum distance at Kempton.

There are FOUR places to play for in the Dovecote Novices' Hurdle with Betfred and no trainer has won the Kempton contest more than Henderson's eight, so Mustang Du Breuil looks a rock-solid each-way player.

Nap Of The Day from Betfred Insights.