NAP of the Day: Ukantango to step forward at Warwick

On an action-packed Saturday featuring a whopping 63 races across nine meetings, it's fair to say I wasn't short of options for the NAP of the Day.

Singled out is a runner from the bang in-form Olly Murphy yard at Warwick - specifically the 2m4f handicap chase at 18:35. 

A couple of years back, UKANTANGO looked a fair prospect for Olly Murphy.

The seven-year-old, who fetched £68,000 at the sales in late 2021, won his first three starts under rules - a bumper and two novice hurdles - before a highly-respectable second in the G2 Supreme Trial at Cheltenham in November '22.

However, for whatever reason he then started going backwards. He was pulled-up next time out in that season's Tolworth Novices' Hurdle before a convincing defeat in the Dovecote at Kempton - and then he ran deplorably in a handicap hurdle at the Aintree Festival off a mark of just 128.

After that he was given a 211-day break, returning to the track in November last year in a handicap chase off a four-pound lower mark. He performed even worse, finishing 80L behind the winner in last place. It looked a long way back from there.

But his next attempt over the bigger obstacles, just a few weeks later, was much better. He was runner-up in another handicap off 121 and his subsequent effort in a higher grade at Doncaster was adequate too.

Connections decided to give him a wind op after Donny, and applied a tongue tie for his next and most recent outing at Market Rasen just a couple of months ago. Again, he ran a fine race, finishing second to a decent yardstick for the Skeltons.

Given that was his first run after having his wind done, improvement can be expected. I also expect a better showing on account of the ground. The selection's best form all comes on good to soft or better, while his record on softer surfaces leaves a lot to be desired.

With all that in mind and Murphy in such good form - his fortnightly strike rate is 27% - I will be disappointed if he can't at least go close in this company.

This is the weakest race he's contested in a while. Hurlerontheditch is frankly uninspiring and has to bounce back from a woeful effort last time out, while Glen Cannel, Crypto Currency, Next Left and Another Folly have to improve significantly on their form over hurdles for jumping fences in public for the first time.

Find our NAP of the Day here at Betfred Insights