Nap of the Day: Take ‘highly-attractive’ 5/2 about Thursday’s fancy

We lost the winning thread on Wednesday as the Nap of the Day could only manage third, but I'm hopeful of picking it back up again at Wetherby on Thursday.

I think NARRAGANSETT is a highly-attractive proposition at 5/2 for this juvenile hurdle over the minimum trip. I thought he'd open significantly shorter.

Neil Mulholland's four-year-old reached a mark of 74 after a handful of runs on the Flat for Andrew Slattery in Ireland, before making a highly-encouraging start over hurdles for new connections at Market Rasen last month.

The Inns Of Court gelding pushed Harry Derham's well-regarded Viyanni, sent off odds-on in Lincolnshire, all the way to the line, putting over 30 lengths between himself and the rest of the field.

That rival did the form plenty of favours at the weekend, finishing just over six lengths behind short-priced Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba in third at Ascot. He was even closer to the 111-rated Flat recruit Mondo Man, despite giving away six pounds.

It is, in my book, a conclusive form boost that doesn't seem to have been factored into the selection's price on Thursday - nor is the fact the horse was given a Triumph entry earlier in the week.

There's good reason to expect an improved effort, too. Not only was it his first time jumping in public, but he was rather keen early on and given a fair bit of ground to make up on the eventual winner. He made smooth headway to close the gap between the final two flights and wasn't slowing down at the line.

I would argue that's at least as much as any of his seven rivals at Wetherby have achieved, despite the majority having a win on their record.

That works to our benefit here, as Narragansett receives seven pounds - plus a further three courtesy of the very useful Dylan Johnston's claim - from the four shortest in the betting.

Inappropriate and Cruden have already failed to defy a penalty, while Melon was beaten a long way in Grade 2 company at Chepstow over Christmas. He could bounce back, but a leap of faith is required.

Bust A Move is probably the one to fear most, but can he or any of the others I've mentioned concede 10lbs to the favourite providing he runs to form? I certainly can't see it.

Mulholland is enjoying a good spell at the moment, operating at a 20 per cent strike rate in the past fortnight courtesy of three winners from 15 runners, which only furthers my confidence.

It's fair to say my hopes are quite high about this one.

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