NAP of the Day: Rally behind Haggas filly on Saturday

It has all the makings of a tricky Saturday for punters, but I'm hopeful we can get off to a strong start courtesy of the NAP of the Day, who goes in the first of six races at Ascot.

RELIEF RALLY was a brilliant juvenile, but it's fair to say she's not replicated those heights at three. Yet.

William Haggas' Kodiac filly won four of five starts at two, including the Super Sprint Stakes at Newbury in July and the Lowther at York the following month. Her only defeat was in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, by the smallest of margins.

She returned this season with a sub-par effort in a Group 3 at Newbury, but that was her first try over seven furlongs and she didn't look to stay the trip.

Her subsequent effort, at Listed level over a furlong shorter, was an improved one. She was a couple of lengths behind the useful Elite Status, with her other 12 rivals trailing in her wake.

For one reason or another, connections gave her a good break afterwards - 126 days to be precise - before taking in the G3 World Trophy Stakes at Newbury, back over the minimum trip for the first time since July last year.

Given that was her first run in a while and she was laboured out the gates and in the early stages of the contest, it was highly-promising she managed to finish a staying-on second, with the 114-rated Annaf and the reopposing Democracy Dilemma immediately behind.

I absolutely expect that form to be confirmed, with improvement expected and Relief Rally receiving an extra four pounds from Robert Cowell's four-year-old.

I'll be extremely disappointed if she can't also beat Go Athletico, Rumstar and Miaharris, while Beautiful Diamond - the big danger according to the 13:50 Ascot Odds - is burdened by a three-pound penalty and isn't sure to appreciate testing conditions.

That won't be an issue for Relief Rally. In fact, she thrives on such ground and being honest I fancy her to look as good as she did last season on Saturday.

Click the link to see all Today's Horse Races

Tune into Betfred Insights regularly to find my NAP of the Day