NAP of the Day: Filly could light up Newbury on Saturday

For Saturday's NAP of the Day we're off to Newbury, and the closing race on the card. It's a Class 3 fillies' handicap over 7f, on what's forecast to be good to firm terrain.

Cracking heat, and sure to be keenly contested. Friday's child wasn't terribly loving and giving in NAP terms for us unfortunately, unable to recover from a tardy start. Change of luck due?

Horse Racing Odds

Newbury 17:20

17:20 Newbury - New Vega @ 5/2

The training duo of Simon & Ed Crisford are humming along nicely at present, with a 27% strike-rate over the last 14 days. They run their three-year-old New Bay filly New Vega here, out of a Lope De Vega mare, in this 7f event.

The massive potential elephant in the room is the fact that the horse hasn't run for the small matter of 338 days. She's had three runs to date - a Newmarket maiden debut last July, beaten 3.75l to a horse that's subsequently gone on to just get touched off in a G3; then an easy win in a Donny novice in August; followed by a 5.75l reverse in a £100k+ conditions race in Deauville later that month.

That was on soft ground, and she'd only previously run on good to firm; likely to be the underfoot conditions today. On breeding she's likely to handle most types of surface but appeared especially at Doncaster to appreciate the fast ground, and also after a layoff it's arguably a better option than anything softer and more taxing.

On official marks (she's rated 92) she's the class of the field but is weighted accordingly with 9st 12lb. The form of the yard, plus the booking of the brilliant Rossa Ryan, recently turned 26 and at the height of his powers, gives me the impression that much is expected on this return to the track and that she might, just might, be different gravy to her rivals.

We'll find out as she contests her first handicap, with just the sole four-year-old All Moonshine ahead of her, marginally (2lb) in the weights. I'm hoping she's got the class to bounce of this ground and get her career, which could be a considerable one, back on track in Berkshire.

NAPS Table with Betfred Insights.