Cheltenham Day 2 Nap of the Day: ‘Future Gold Cup horse’ can land the opener

Our 11/1 each-way Nap for the opening day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival returned a little in the way of place money, but it's fair to say I've got winning aspirations for the Cheltenham Day 2 Nap of the Day.

Two years ago, the Willie Mullins-trained Impaire Et Passe beat Paul Nicholls' Hermes Allen, tipped as one of Britain's main hopes for the week, in the Turners Novices' Hurdle. It was supposed to be close, but it wasn't.

Although we're dealing with two very different types, Wednesday's renewal has a lot of similarities. Dan Skelton's The New Lion flies the flag for the home team and FINAL DEMAND does so for the visitors.

I'm firmly in the camp of Mullins' six-year-old, who looks an incredibly exciting horse in the making. A future Gold Cup horse.

The Walk In The Park gelding was up there with the most expensive store purchases, fetching €230k back in June 2022, and he made the perfect start under rules two-and-a-half years later, bolting up in a maiden hurdle at Limerick over Christmas.

Under a motionless Danny Mullins, he finished 15 lengths clear of Timmy Tuesday, who made easy work of a handicap at Ayr off a mark of 118 next time out. The third-placed Will The Wise is one of the favourites for the Pertemps Final here on Thursday after winning his subsequent two starts - including a handicap off 123.

The selection then went to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival for the Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy over 2m6f and ran out a wide-margin winner again, putting 12 lengths between himself and his 11 rivals.

In second that day was Gordon Elliott's 139-rated Wingmen, who goes in the Albert Bartlett on Friday. He made him look bang average.

As far as I'm concerned, he's already achieved more than The New Lion and he's open to an enormous amount of improvement. He could be absolutely anything, as they say.

I'd have preferred a bit more juice in the ground, but I'm not worried about conditions, for as much as it probably plays slightly into his rival's favour.

I must mention The Yellow Clay, for he's unbeaten this season and won the G1 Lawlor's Of Naas in January, which is a great trial for this race. However, I think he's a proper stayer with a love for soft ground, so I'm cool enough on his chances. As for the rest, I'm not convinced.

I was with Impaire Et Passe against Hermes Allen two years ago, and I'm with Final Demand - who has been labelled the Nap of the week by both Mullins senior and junior - over The New Lion on Wednesday.

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