Nap of the Day: Is this the real deal at Haydock?

After attracting significant support just before the off, I had extremely high hopes for Wednesday's selection at Catterick, but unfortunately he was never really in contention.

Fingers crossed for a return to winning ways for Nap of the Day followers on Thursday, courtesy of one for Fergal O'Brien on Merseyside.

IS THIS FOR REAL was about my reaction to seeing the handicapper raised Fergal O'Brien's six-year-old just three pounds for his victory at Newcastle last time out.

Tony Bloom's son of Vendangeur ran out a two-and-a-half-length winner of a 2m1f maiden hurdle in the North East, but the margin of victory would've been a hell of a lot bigger if he didn't all but pull himself up in front.

The handicapper has taken a very literal view of the form and I believe that to be an act of leniency on account of the runner-up, Madame La Papillon, who was sent off 13/8f following an eye-catching second to the 134-rated Starmount at Wetherby in December. She was in receipt of 10 pounds in total, thanks to the claim of jockey Alice Stevens.

Those two finished a whopping 23 lengths clear of the rest of the field - a modest one admittedly - and the selection was awarded a Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 118.

He's got further form in the book to suggest his revised rating is an underestimation. His fourth on hurdling debut at Market Rasen back in November, following a 236-day break, has worked out rather well. The winner, Japetus, has obliged again in the meantime and earned a mark of 125, while the second and third are 116 and 124-rated horses in the eyes of the assessor.

Is This For Real's fourth at Taunton before Christmas is a bit of a blot on his copybook, but that race hasn't worked out too badly either and the manner of his defeat was exaggerated by a mistake at the last.

I think he's going to enjoy the step up in trip to 2m3f at a track like Haydock. He certainly relished the extra yardage at Newcastle, which has similar traits, the last day.

I can see him travelling strongly under Jonathan Burke and being delivered late, in a bid to avoid hitting the front too early. It requires a bit of luck, but I can't get away from the idea that he's a well-handicapped individual and a great bet at the prices.

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