Nap of the Day: Morfee to thrive at Plumpton once more

Monday's action from Britain comprises two afternoon jumps cards at Catterick and Plumpton before an evening of all-weather fare from Wolverhampton. The highlight of the day looks set to be the Sussex National Handicap Chase, the race relocated to this card following the abandonment of the original date last month.

It's a treat to start the week for race fans, with a field of 11 runners declared for the feature race boasting an overall prize fund of £35k. My Nap of the Day is a Plumpton specialist with his eyes fixed firmly on revenge in the Sussex National.

Invincible Nao was a winner at this track a fortnight ago and returns now with sights trained on a bigger prize for Gary & Josh Moore, with Caoilin Quinn in the plate.

He had rivals here MORFEE and Vision De Maine for company in second and third that afternoon, the trio having stretched a long way clear of the remainder.

Vision De Maine went for home a long way out for Jack Tudor and trainer David Pipe and it was Morfee that went after him.

The Seamus Mullins-trained inmate really had to work quite hard to keep tabs on his rival, and it possibly meant that they set the race up for the market leader as Invincible Nao was produced at the final fence to score.

That was over 3m1½f and with this marathon trip ahead of them now - an extra three furlongs awaits - they could be well advised to keep the powder dry a little longer.

Stamina-wise, this is a step into the unknown for all three of them.

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Morfee is the oldest of the trio at nine years old and could be best suited to this extreme test.

He was pulled up on his first visit to Plumpton in January 2022, but since that boasts figures of 1212 in four runs here, three of them over fences and one win over 3m1f jumping hurdles.

Ground conditions are fine for James Best's partner and they have a 4lb pull at the weights after that last-time-out reverse behind Invincible Nao.

There were just six runners that afternoon and Best felt it was right to commit alongside Vision De Maine when the time came.

With 10 rivals now, he'll hope something else can carry him into the race.

In that scenario, this Plumpton specialist may prove hard to topple in the Sussex National and he'd be a fitting winner at his favoured layout.

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