NAP of the Day: Superlative favourite looks the Truth

The highlight of all 52 races across eight meetings on Saturday is the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket - and my NAP of the Day is the current market leader, who can establish himself as one of the season's top juveniles.

Nine go to post for this Group 2 contest over seven furlongs and it's Charlie Appleby's ANCIENT TRUTH I fancy to come out on top.

The Dubawi colt made his debut at HQ a couple of months ago, over a furlong shorter, and made a strong impression, comfortably seeing off a subsequent winner in Richard Hannon's Principality.

That form has depth to it, too. The fourth-placed El Burhan, who was over four lengths behind, won his following two starts, culminating in a six-and-a-half-length triumph at Beverley under a penalty.

Speaking of penalties, Ancient Truth shrugged off a six-pound one on his next outing - this time over Saturday's course and distance. He cosily accounted for another Richard Hannon runner called Invited, who had previously finished a length behind the selection's exciting stablemate Anno Domini, who is also unbeaten after two runs.

I think it goes without saying that we're yet to get to the bottom of him. He's won with a good bit to spare on both occasions and now I fancy him to show us exactly what he's about.

It's not going to be quite that straightforward, however, as Richard Fahey's 103-rated Columnist is one of a few in this field of nine that poses a threat after his narrow third in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

Aidan O'Brien's The Parthenon is respected too. Clearly he's very highly-regarded, for he started his career in a Group 3 and fared very well, finishing less than a length off the eventual winner. He was a bit disappointing when 4/11f in a maiden last time out, however, and it's my opinion that he'll have to improve a fair bit to put it up to the favourite.

The 15:25 Newmarket Odds suggests the aforementioned two are his main rivals, with lesser threats coming from the others. I completely agree. These two-year-olds improve at unpredictable rates sometimes, so you can't rule any of them out with confidence, but I suspect Ancient Truth is ready for this step up in class before going onto even bigger and better things.

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