Nap of the Day: Nicholls can hit the Jackpot on Thursday

We're on a good run at the moment, courtesy of three winners - at 11/8 (R4), 13/8 and 5/1 (R4) - on the bounce.

Hopefully that run continues into Thursday, when we go to Taunton for the Nap of the Day.

I'm expecting a much-improved performance from Paul Nicholls' JACKPOT DES BORDES in this novices' hurdle over 2m½f at Taunton on Thursday.

The five-year-old, who fetched €120k (£100k) as a store in June 2022, was easily the best of this 14-strong field in bumpers. He won first time out in that sphere at Hereford around this time last season, before a highly-respectable second to the smart Celtic Dino, who's being talked about as a potential Supreme type after two facile victories over hurdles, in April this year.

It's for that reason he went off 5/2 joint-favourite for a maiden at Exeter exactly 36 days ago. He failed to reward punters that day, but I think he can make up for it here.

The fact is, Nicholls was in dire form last month. His string appeared in desperate need of a run, which is no doubt one of the reasons why the selection was so disappointing in Devon, finishing 25 lengths off the pace in sixth (of 11).

The yard's in much better form right now, operating at a 29 per cent strike rate courtesy of nine winners from 31 runners in the past fortnight. That's chalk and cheese when compared to last month's numbers.

Jackpot Des Bordes ought to come on bundles for the run. He should also jump better - and in fairness he'll need to, for he was very underwhelming in that department the last day. He was scruffy and went out to his right at the first, he was big and slow at the second, hesitant at the third - and so on

I wouldn't be too critical, though, for it was his first time jumping in public and just his third racecourse appearance in general. I'd imagine he's done plenty of schooling in the meantime.

It was also a fairly strong contest. The winner was set to bolt up at Wincanton next time out but for departing at the third-last, the runner-up won at Cheltenham's October meeting, the third was just touched off at Hereford this week and both the fourth and fifth have also been runners-up since.

He will strip fitter, that's for sure, and if his hurdling is noticeably improved - and it will surely be evident from an early stage then dare I say he could be hard to beat here. I'd like to think he's got more than enough natural ability to put these mainly modest rivals to the sword.

I say that under the assumption that Fergal O'Brien's Tripoli Flyer, who bolted up at Market Rasen on Wednesday, is a non-runner. He surely will be, which will result in yet another Rule 4.

In his absence, it's Dance And Glance, Saint Anapolino and Youdecide who represent the biggest dangers to the selection.

The former is penalised for winning a poor race just under a fortnight ago and looks vulnerable to me, while the latter has to improve markedly from his bumper run earlier this month.

Saint Anapolino is the one to watch closely. He was runner-up to two smart types in bumpers last season and looks up to winning a race like this. But hopefully the Jackpot Des Bordes' fitness and experience edge proves the difference.

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