NAP of the Day: ‘Super’ 13/2 shot set for Royal success

An action-packed Saturday awaits racing fans, with the finale of Newmarket's Cambridgeshire meeting taking centre stage. It's from HQ comes the NAP of the Day - a promising juvenile I believe is being completely underestimated by the current market.

I was already keen on ROYAL PLAYWRIGHT for the Royal Lodge, but my interest has only grown after hearing Oisin Murphy wax lyrical about Andrew Balding's twice-raced colt ahead of this Group 2 assignment over a mile.

He's said to be in "super" form at home following a piece of work last Saturday that had the three-time Champion Jockey purring.

Murphy also suggests the half-brother to 114-rated stablemate See The Fire has matured plenty, both mentally and physically, since a highly-respectable third in the G3 Solario Stakes at Sandown late last month.

Not only did he bump into two exciting prospects in Field Of Gold (now rated 109) and Matauri Bay (107) that day in Surrey, but he was too keen out in front and looked a little one-paced when push came to shove.

On that evidence, and going by his breeding, an extra furlong ought to suit - and while it's impossible to be certain, I'm optimistic about him going on the ground as a son of Lope De Vega.

The selection is only a pound inferior to current favourite Luther - a Listed winner at Haydock the other week - on official ratings and yet he's over double the price. Why?

I would have James Owen's Wimbledon Hawkeye atop the 13:50 Newmarket Odds. His second to Aidan O'Brien's exciting The Lion In Winter in the Acomb at York last month is probably the strongest form on offer from this field of seven.

Speaking of O'Brien, his sole runner Puppet Master is interesting. Ryan Moore was on fire (when isn't he?) at HQ on Friday and this Camelot colt will no doubt have his supporters. Similarly, expensive breeze-up buy Angelo Buonarroti is likely to attract support.

However, I think Royal Playwright's claims are just as strong as his aforementioned rivals and he's well worth a bet at 13/2 - for me he's value at 4/1 or greater - to provide owner Jeff Smith with back-to-back victories in the Royal Lodge after Ghostwriter's triumph last year.

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