NAP of the Day: Nelson Gate to break through at Windsor

September rolls into action for racing fans with four meetings across Britain and Ireland on Monday. The Flat holds sway, with afternoon cards at Brighton and Carlisle before Roscommon and Windsor take up the baton into the evening.

My NAP of the Day on Monday runs in the finale at Windsor and looks to have a solid chance of shedding his maiden tag, having gone close previously over track and trip.

Fast Racing Results

19:30 Windsor - Nelson Gate @ 11/2

The Windsor nightcap is a three-year-old handicap over just shy of a mile-and-and-a-half and it looks a good chance for NELSON GATE to gain the first win of his career for the Gary & Josh Moore yard.

The gelded son of Australia has picked up some good experience of late. He was well beaten in three starts last year, twice on testing ground at Goodwood and then over a mile on the Polytrack at Kempton in a maiden when he was sent off at odds of 100/1.

It was another hefty defeat at Goodwood on seasonal/handicap bow over 1m2f in May and there may be something in the notion that the Sussex layout doesn't suit him.

He came here later in the same month and either by way of having a run behind him, stepping up in trip, the application of headgear or being more at home on this track, he produced a much improved run.

He was only beaten a length-and-a-half in first-time blinkers that day behind a thriving rival in Phaedra.

Richard Hannon's filly had won in wide-margin fashion at Chepstow three days earlier and defied a 6lb penalty to follow up. She recently scored again off a mark of 68 at Ripon.

Nelson Gate had a break after that run and was reappearing at Kempton five days ago when denied a nose over 1m4f, getting to the lead inside the final furlong but losing out in a head-bob on the line to a rival with progressive figures on synthetic surfaces.

Nelson Gate reverts to the turf off the same mark of 60 now and should be going very close under Hector Crouch, who was on board for the first time in that near miss at Kempton, given he remains unexposed over middle distances and has shown such promise in those two runs at this sort of trip.

Nap Of The Day with Betfred Insights.