NAP of the Day: Don’t discount Almudena for in-form Prescott

By Graeme Rodway

The racing continues to come thick and fast on Monday and a busy schedule in Britain is complemented by a couple of meetings from Ireland, following their rare absence from any racing on Sunday.

There are four meetings in Britain, two in the afternoon and two in the evening, with Windsor’s regular run of Monday night meetings continuing. However, my Monday NAP of the Day comes in the 1m6f handicap at Wolverhampton, where red-hot trainer Sir Mark Prescott will be hoping to continue his superb recent run.

Three-year-old staying handicaps at this time of year can be tricky because it’s not always easy to know which horses are improving at the right time, but that statement probably applies to Almudena, who appears to take a drop in class in this 1m6f handicap (19:40).

The Sir Mark Prescott-trained filly has been given a similar career to many from her stable in that she showed little in three runs over 7f to a mile last season and has gradually improved with racing as she has gone up in distance this campaign.

Almudena was a disappointing 4-6 favourite when only fourth on her seasonal reappearance over 1m31/2f at Bath last month, but has been steadily progressive form in two starts since.

She was a closer fourth in a 1m4f handicap at Wolverhampton just 13 days after her return and took another step forward when upped to 1m6f at Sandown 10 days ago.

The selection was beaten only three lengths into fourth that day behind the upwardly mobile Cock And Bull and did well to get so close after coming from a long way back.

She recorded a career-best effort in a Class 4 that day but has dropped 1lb in the weights and now goes back into Class 5 company. That combination might do the trick.

19:40 Wolverhampton Odds

The icing on the cake is the form of the Prescott stable as the yard has been firing in winners for fun recently and it won’t take much more improvement for Almudena to add to their tally in a race that might not take a lot of winning.

The biggest danger might be Fred’s Mate, who also drops significantly in grade and is nicely handicapped on the pick of his form. However, he represents the Charlie Johnston stable and the yard definitely isn’t in the same sort of form as the Prescott team.

If there is no problem with the Johnston stable form then Fred’s Mate will have a solid chance, but there is little doubt that Almudena looks the more solid of the pair.

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