Nap of the Day: Ventura to ace Surrey test on Betfred Oaks day

Where else to go but Epsom, as the Betfred Derby Festival gets underway, for the Nap of the Day on Friday?

The selection goes in the very first race of the afternoon and can hopefully get followers off to the perfect start.

The opening race of the Betfred Derby Festival is the Surrey Stakes - a Listed event over seven furlongs for three-year-olds - and I fancy DIEGO VENTURA to get favourite backers off to a flyer.

In the increasingly-prominent blue and gold silks of Wathnan Racing, Hamad Al Jehani's son of Mehmas obliged at this level in France last month, and he's taken to repeat the feat on return to these shores.

The €72k breeze-up buy started out his career for Gavin Cromwell, winning a six-furlong maiden at Naas that's worked out exceptionally well. The runner-up Magnum Force went on to land the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint later in the season, while the fifth-placed Antelope Canyon earned a mark of 101 before finishing second in a Group 3. The third, fourth, sixth and seventh in County Kildare have all won at least once since, and boast ratings in the mid-high 80s.

The selection proved that was no fluke by following up at Ascot two months later, following a change of trainer and ownership, before a couple of fine efforts in defeat in Group 3 and Listed company at Newmarket and Doncaster respectively.

His reappearance this term, in the King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket last month, was highly respectable. He finished a clear third to subsequent Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Cosmic Year and a progressive rival of Andrew Balding's, and in front of La Botte (rated 99), Port Light (100) and subsequent G2 Betfred Sandy Lane hero Symbol Of Honour (110).

Then, he journeyed across The Channel and, in first-time cheekpieces, got off the mark at the grade in the Prix de Pontarme, beating a useful field of five in the style of a strong stayer at the trip.

So, any rain that's fallen over Epsom in the past 24 hours or so - there's contrasting reports on social media as of late Thursday afternoon - will be of absolutely no hinderance to him. In fact, it might even be a positive, given he raced almost exclusively on soft ground as a juvenile.

If he performs to anywhere near his best, I consider Hallasan a big danger to the Nap in the 13:30 Epsom. Charlie Appleby's gelding has been disappointing the last twice, but victories over French Derby hero Camille Pissarro and 110-rated stablemate Al Qudra, plus defeat to emphatic Irish 2000 Guineas victor Field Of Gold, stand out in the context of Friday's assignment. Hopefully the recent Hallasan shows up.

Him aside, there's not a lot to be afraid of. Ralph Beckett's Saqqara Sands has a fair bit to find on the market principals on return from a 223-day layoff, while Rebel's Gamble and Formal need to bounce back from disappointing performances.

The Waco Kid beat Diego Ventura last season and is, believe it or not given his current price, actually the highest-rated horse in the field. He's one to watch in the market, as a revival would make him very dangerous. Glamis Road and Francisco's Piece are hard to advise on all known form.

Click the link to get Fast Racing Results

Tune into Betfred Insights regularly to find our experts' Nap of the Day