Nap of the Day: We’re off to Sandown for our Sunday best

Just time to lay down a nice little Nap of the Day for Sunday, November 10. Hurtling headlong towards Xmas, and yet it doesn't seem five minutes since the Betfred Derby at Epsom.

I'm heading to Esher, and Sandown Park. Their closer is a National Hunt flat race, a bumper, and hopefully we've got one that won't change our lives but might win us a nice bottle of wine or similar. It's the Sandown 16:00.

Today's Horse Races

16:00 - Kiwi Rush @ 13/8

Berkshire trainer Harry Derham is very much a man of whom much is expected in the game.

He was briefly a jockey, a Cheltenham Festival-winning pilot no less, but he then for several years honed his present craft at the right hand of the great Paul Nicholls. He's establishing himself as a potent force now from his base in Boxford, and I'm hoping he can add to his numbers and reputation by scoring with Kiwi Rush.

This is a four-year-old gelding by Mahler that's had two spins so far, both in Points, close-up each time, and who was secured for £85,000. Paul O'Brien rides, and Harry has scored with two of his last 10 runners. Couple of those were placed, too.

Some good yards oppose - a who's-who of the training ranks in fact - but those two point-to-point sorties can stand Kiwi Rush in good stead here because Sandown is a tough, Grade 1 track with a very stiff uphill finish. No gliding home on a smooth, flat, billiard table surface.

There will need to be a decent helping of grit and determination shown, and I'm hoping those qualities will be present in abundance as he's been three miles twice in the pointing field, in yielding ground, and this is 'merely' two. Should be hitting the line strong, and that's what's required here for sure.

Fingers crossed - let's end what's been an epic weekend for racing on a high.

Nap Of The Day, from Betfred Insights.