Nap of the Day: Second time could be a charm for promising novice

The Nap of the Day column was back in the winners' enclosure on Saturday courtesy of a Willie Mullins-trained novice hurdle beaten on debut - and I'm sticking to that same formula at Naas on Sunday.

KALIX DELABARRIERE disappointed on hurdling debut at Leopardstown over Christmas, but I fancy him to leave that effort well behind at Naas on Sunday.

Willie Mullins' five-year-old son of Galiway beat subsequent Listed winner Seo Linn in a bumper at Ballinrobe in May and, on top of rave reviews in various stable tours, came into the current season with a fair reputation.

So much so, he was actually sent off shorter than stablemate Kaid D'authie, favourite for the two-mile Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival next week, for a 2m4f maiden hurdle on December 28.

The aforementioned JP McManus horse won the race and the selection could only manage fourth, beaten over 23 lengths, but that doesn't tell the full story.

He was keen through the early stages of the contest and didn't jump great. That was particularly evident at the third-last, which he clattered into. He got back on the bridle quickly enough, but it must have taken a good bit out of him.

Mullins has come out in the meantime and said he reckons he'd have been right in contention with a clear round - and that's an opinion that must be respected.

He's got 14 lengths to make up on the reopposing Krak, but given how much Kalix Delabarriere did wrong in Dublin, that's perhaps not as big of an ask as you'd think.

A Dream To Share is arguably the bigger threat. The 2023 Champion Bumper winner ran relatively well in defeat on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse in late November, himself open to plenty of improvement, but that form is a mixed bag and I'm not convinced about his appetite for a longer trip on testing ground.

Ballybow is given a squeak, nothing more, while I'd be surprised if any of the other 10 runners were up to winning this.

At 7/4, I think there's every reason to give Kalix Delabarriere another chance. He still retains plenty of potential and if he's nearly as good as connections think he is, this is a very winnable race.

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