Nap of the Day: Cobden to steer 5/2 shot to chase debut success

It was a subdued but successful week for the Nap of the Day column, courtesy of two winners - at 15/8 and 9/4 - from three selections to actually give us a run for our money.

Fingers crossed for more of the same this week, which begins as far as we're concerned at Exeter on Tuesday.

A tactic I've enjoyed exploiting during the early stages of this Jumps season is backing chase debutants in handicaps off lowly marks, and I'm hoping Emma Lavelle's MOVE WITH THE BEAT can follow suit in this 0-100 contest over 2m1½f.

The five-year-old son of Doyen fetched £10k back in May 2022 and went pointing for Chris Barber, a top trainer in that sphere, before going novice hurdling for new connections a year later.

He was largely disappointing over the smaller obstacles, but not without promise. He travelled well for a long way on his debut at Taunton before weakening into a remote fourth, then unseated his rider at the first at Hereford on his subsequent start.

It proved ambitious sending him to Newbury in a higher grade just 13 days later, but it was his final run of the season at Exeter that offered the most optimism for the future.

On good ground over the minimum trip, he was beaten around 11 lengths into fourth, in a decent maiden won by the 120-rated Vincenzo, who was third in the G2 Persian War Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow the other week.

The selection was arguably travelling as good as anything in the field approaching the second-last, but got tired soon after causing a bad mistake at the final flight that halted all his momentum. Mark that up slightly.

Lavelle now sends the gelding over fences, off a mark of just 100, and there must be every chance we see a completely different and much-improved horse.

It's hard to gauge exactly how strong his PTP form is, but he won twice by a combined 10 lengths and was only narrowly touched off by a more experienced type in between. He's also bred to appreciate fences.

The booking of Harry Cobden catches the eye, too. He's been back among the winners in recent days and has plenty of ground to make, even at this early stage, in the Jump Jockeys Championship.

In an extremely modest affair, Move With The Beat rates a good bet at 5/2 for a yard who enjoyed a couple of winners over the weekend.

Betfred are offering your stake back (up to £10) as a free bet if your selection in the 15:18 Exeter finishes second.

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