Nap of the Day: Let’s try again with 5/2 Camulus

The Nap of the Day on Tuesday takes us to Leicester, reinvesting in a horse who featured on this column just last week.

I'm keeping the faith in Venetia Williams' CAMULUS - my Nap of the Day at Ludlow last week before a last-minute abandonment - at Leicester on Tuesday.

The eight-year-old son of Walk In The Park, a half-brother to Irish Grand National winner Freewheelin Dylan who fetched £105k at the sales after finishing second to Willie Mullins' now 150-rated chaser Nick Rockett in a PTP, has failed to live up to the expectations to date.

He was sent into training with Christian Williams following the aforementioned effort between the flags but struggled, recording form figures of 4423536 in seven starts under rules.

There was promise in one or two of those runs - particularly his chasing debut when not beaten far in third - but for the most part he was bitterly disappointing given his makeup and lofty price tag.

Camulus was soon switched to Venetia's yard in Hereford and he posted a career-best effort on stable debut at Lingfield in February last year following a 357-day break. He was just two-and-a-quarter lengths behind a horse called Galway Mahler, who won eased down by seven lengths next time out and is 16lbs higher in the handicap today.

He was poor at Wincanton a month later and as a result was put away for the summer, before a highly-encouraging return at Lingfield in November.

Off a mark of 97, he finished third of eight, beaten 12 lengths by the appropriately-named Aworkinprogress who is now on a five-timer and rated 12lbs higher. The runner-up had won his previous two starts and was sent off 7/4f up significantly in grade next time out. He was pulled-up, but reported to have been struck into during the race.

On that evidence, I think the handicapper dropping the selection two pounds is rather generous.

He must do something he's failed to do before on Tuesday - back up a promising effort. However, they look to have enjoyed a clearer run with him this season and he's been afforded more time between runs, so I'm prepared to chance he'll be able to.

He can and should even build on it. He's certainly entitled to as a relatively lightly-raced individual, especially over fences and on proper winter ground.

This is a more competitive race than the one I fancied him for last week, but it's winnable nonetheless and hopefully he can defy a low mark and recoup a small portion of that lofty price tag.

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