Nap of the Day: Improvement beckons for Beckett’s Breton

On a stacked Saturday featuring NINE meetings across the UK & Ireland, we go to Ascot in search of another winning Nap of the Day.

I'm expecting a serious amount of improvement from Ralph Beckett's CAPE BRETON this season - starting, I hope, at Ascot on Saturday.

The three-year-old son of Frankel was bought by leading owners Juddmonte for 450k guineas at the sales in October 2023, but it's fair to say he's taking his time to prove his worth to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe-winning connections.

On debut at Ascot last September, over seven furlongs on soft ground, he finished last of four, beaten just under seven lengths by the reopposing Law Of Design.

In his defence, that was an above-average contest to start out in. The third, who was exactly four lengths in front of the selection, was the 90-rated Angel Hunter, who'd just won a handicap at York's Ebor Festival of a mark of 83.

Also, he was the last horse off the bridle and looked a huge danger approaching the two-furlong pole, before fading tamely.

Similarly, he bumped into some nice types when fifth of seven at Newmarket subsequently. The winner, Nebras, is rated 97, while the second and third - Wild Nature and Nakeeb - are 90 and 86 respectively. The selection was far from disgraced at HQ.

He then got off the mark at the third attempt at Lingfield in November, making all under Rossa Ryan for the first time. That form offers mixed messages. The 125/1 runner-up has done nothing since, but the fourth and fifth have - the latter, Lady Vivian, winning a handicap at Chester's May Festival this week off a mark of 80.

For me, Cape Breton was too immature, both physically and mentally, to do himself justice as a juvenile. But another year older, following a wind operation during the winter, I can see him being a totally different proposition as he steps up to intermediate trips this term.

His figure of 78 is workable, especially if he improves anywhere near as much as I'm suggesting he can. That makes him joint bottom-weight in this 0-88 handicap over 1m2f, and a dangerous proposition.

The likes of Chartwell Jack and Hokanee are respected rivals, but I'm hoping for a big showing from the Nap.

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