Nap of the Day: Southwell sprint for our top Thursday selection

Greetings dear reader. Typical modus operandi at the moment is tip something up at around 5/2, 3/1; watch it get hammered in to about 6/4; then find one too good! We've all been there, right? Any-hoo, onwards and upwards with Thursday's Nap Of The Day.

We're heading to an excellent all-weather meet at Southwell on the Tapeta, and a tried and trusted winning triumvirate. The race that I've especially got my eye on is the 19:30, but the fun starts (eight-race card) at 17:00.

Today's Horse Races

19:30 Southwell - Dash Gordon @ 2/1

Some combinations just have winners. They do. Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen spring to mind over the sticks. Gordon Elliott has also used Sean, as he used to with Richard Johnson. You just knew the chances were that the strike-rate would be high.

I feel we've another case in point here. Trainer Mick Appleby, he of Big Evs fame, jockey Billy Loughnane, he of teenage years but brilliant ability, and owners the Horse Watchers, a shrewd and dynamic bunch who know the game inside out.

Dash Gordon gets B Loughnane on top on Thursday evening, from the Mick Appleby yard, carrying the well-known silks of those aforementioned shrewdies.

These three elements often combine to win horse races, and last time out Dash Gordon finished a decent second at Lingfield, running on late. This track (where the four-year-old gelding has scored previously) is far more suitable for me in terms of stiffness, and you need to really see it out up that tough home straight.

He's tried a bit further but seems ideally suited to 5f, won on the course off a mark of 50 around three weeks ago, and looks to secure career win number three (from what will be 11 outings) off 53 tonight.

Eminently do-able, especially with The Kid doing the steering for his outstanding trainer and successful owners. Mick's only had the horse since just before Christmas, and will be getting to know him better with every passing day.

Dash Gordon achieved his joint-best Racing Post rating at Southwell too, so there's plenty of evidence that points to it being his kind of surface, and layout.

Nap Of The Day with Betfred Insights.