NAP of the Day: Batwomen to double up at Plumpton

There are three scheduled UK race meetings on Monday as we launch into the first week of December. 

Jumps cards are set to take place at Ffos Las and Plumpton, although the former venue must pass a morning inspection, while there is all-weather racing from Wolverhampton later in the day. Our Monday NAP runs for trainer Neil Mulholland and is looking to make it 2-2 in handicap company. 

Plumpton stages a seven-race offering over jumps on Monday afternoon and ground conditions are decent, with forecast for 'Good to soft (good in places on chase course)' ahead of the action at the East Sussex venue. 

The Handicap Hurdle over an extended two-and-a-half miles could be a decent spot for recent Fontwell winner BATWOMEN, representing Neil Mulholland with Brendan Powell in the saddle. 

13:50 Plumpton Odds

The Presenting mare was held in three bumpers in late 2022 and 2023 but immediately improved upon her switch to hurdling when finishing a neck second at Fontwell (2m3f, heavy) in this month last year. 

After that pleasing effort, she wasn't sighted again until September, when she proved no match for runaway winner Prince Imperial from the Olly Murphy string. 

That clearly well-treated rival has won two of three subsequent starts and is now rated 20lb higher. 

Batwomen, meanwhile, went back to Fontwell and won at the start of October on her own handicap bow. 

She made smooth headway to get into contention in that contest under Powell and responded generously when urged on by her rider as they came away for a two-and-a-half-length win from Fergal O'Brien's runner Ted's Friend. 

That form is not the strongest, but the runner-up has placed third since at Hereford over a longer trip. 

Today's Horse Races

Batwomen should have no worries handling this sounder surface based on her bumper effort and a 5lb rise in the weights looks manageable. 

She moves into Class 4 company this afternoon and the likes of Macari and Bertie B – second-best over course and distance and at Uttoxeter respectively on their most recent starts – are going to ask her questions. 

Batwomen is less exposed than both of those rivals, however, and is put forward as a confident selection to go and claim her second hurdles success.