Nap of the Day: Opera to hit the right notes at Sandown

On a busy Thursday featuring seven meetings across the UK & Ireland, Sandown is the venue for the Nap of the Day.

They go in the penultimate race on the card - a Listed affair for three-year-olds.

Despite a disappointing return - at least on the face of it - in the G3 Craven Stakes at Newmarket last month, I have lost zero faith in Charlie Appleby's exciting OPERA BALLO.

The three-year-old son of Juddmonte International hero Ghaiyyath burst onto the scene at Kempton back in January, bolting up by eight-and-a-half lengths in a maiden his trainer has used for some very good horses in recent years.

He won it last year with subsequent Betfred 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech (rated 122), having saddled Group 1-winning globetrotter Measured Time (118) to victory a year prior - and in 2021 it was Highland Avenue (110 at his peak).

It was a seriously impressive debut from the Godolphin colt, who followed up in much stronger company over course and distance a month later.

Runner-up in February was the 94-rated Hott Shott, beaten by four widening lengths, and a further length adrift in third was Roger Varian's Saddadd, winner of a competitive handicap at Newbury the other week off a mark of 95.

Those victories earned him a crack at the aforementioned Craven Stakes at HQ. That was of course won by Field Of Gold, emphatic in the Irish 2000 Guineas last weekend, with the likes of Wimbledon Hawkeye (114), Amori City (113), Benevento (104) and New Century (110) in behind.

The selection was just over seven lengths behind the selection on the Rowley Mile, which considering how inefficiently he raced wasn't actually that bad of an effort.

Opera Ballo took a fierce hold under James Doyle, for at least the first three furlongs. He understandably ran out of steam at the business end, exaggerating the losing margin, but he was bang in contention just before that.

In a bid to settle him better in the Heron Stakes, a Listed contest over a mile, in Berkshire on Thursday, connections have opted to apply a first-time hood. That, plus a return to a track featuring a bend, ought to help a lot in that department. William Buick back in the saddle is another positive.

If he indeed races more economically, I think he'll take all the beating in this company.

George Scott's Bay City Roller is unbeaten after three victories, including in the Betfred Champagne Stakes at Doncaster's St Leger Festival, as a juvenile and he is undoubtedly an exciting prospect this season. However, he has a five-pound penalty and a 257-day layoff to defy.

Matauri Bay is hard to advise after beating just one of 13 rivals in his last two starts either side of wind surgery, while Nebras, Jackknife, Pellitory and Suhail Star all have it all to prove as far as I'm concerned.

Click the links for the latest Horse Racing Odds and Today's Horse Races

Tune into Betfred Insights regularly to find our experts' Nap of the Day