Nap of the Day: Skelton’s Queen worthy of support on Monday

Despite it being the start of Betfred Derby week, it's Jumps fare from Market Rasen that catches my eye on Monday afternoon.

The Skeltons send a couple of runners up to the Lincolnshire venue, the first of which rates my Nap of the Day.

I'm backing QUEENSWORTHY to make a winning start over hurdles in the opener at Market Rasen on Monday.

The five-year-old Order Of St George mare joined Dan Skelton after finishing a distant second to a horse who fetched £120k at the Cheltenham Festival sales in an Irish point-to-point back in November.

The half-sister to Harry Derham's 131-rated Queensbury Boy was supposed to make her rules debut in a Class 2 mares' bumper at Uttoxeter in March, but she was declared a non-runner (self certificate). She then missed another engagement at Warwick the following month on account of the ground.

Her career eventually got underway at Southwell last month, against 12 rivals of the same sex. Sent off 5/6f, she obliged in the manner of a nice horse, travelling strongly throughout and pulling nearly three lengths clear in front over the final furlong.

The form is yet to really be tested, but the performance certainly passed the eye test.

Queensworthy no doubt has more to offer and connections have found what I believe to be an outstanding opportunity to get off the mark at the first time of asking over obstacles.

As per the betting ahead of this mares' maiden over 2m2½f, it's Appleshaw and Celestron Star who can give the selection most to think about.

The latter sets the standard in the field, courtesy of a couple of bumper wins either side of finishing 15/20 in a Grade 2 at Aintree's Grand National Festival earlier this year. She's respected, but at the same time vulnerable to a less-exposed type.

Harry Fry's Appleshaw is interesting. The form of her second on debut at Plumpton before Christmas is strong in the context of Monday's race, but she's been off the track for 168 days since. She's also six and has only been seen once, and wears a hood and tongue tie. Clearly, she's not easy to train.

Nine-year-old Saratoga Lass has spent a whopping 1086 days on the sidelines and is impossible to advise without any inside knowledge. Kill The Groove, Sharona and Coeur De Coeurs also do little to inspire.

It very much looks a three-horse race, with my vote going to Queensworthy.

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