Nap of the Day: Elusiveness to find winning formula

There are three meetings across the UK on Tuesday, with jumps fare in the afternoon from Hexham and Taunton preceding the evening all-weather card from Newcastle.

Tuesday's NAP is looking to gain a first hurdling success for a trainer/jockey combo that were celebrating royally at Cheltenham a fortnight ago this very afternoon.

The Par Inn Cornwall Mares' Handicap Hurdle at Taunton could be a decent spot for ELUSIVENESS to get her maiden success over timber.

She's trained by Jeremy Scott and ridden by Lorcan Williams – the partnership that teamed up to win the Champion Hurdle with Golden Ace a fortnight ago.

She won't be in the same grade as that mare any time soon, but looks up to shedding her maiden tag here.

Elusiveness had a pair of placed efforts at Exeter last spring, the best of them when second on handicap bow over 2m2½f in April on good ground off a mark of 88.

She chased home Bullets Hill that afternoon, clear of the rest, with the winner obliging again next time at Ffos Las and now rated 109. The Exeter race has produced multiple winners.

In four runs since coming back from a break in October, Elusiveness has been tried over a variety of trips from 2m2½f-3m with limited success.

She was fancied at Exeter last time but folded rather tamely in finishing fifth. She's now dropped to a career-low mark of 85 and a pair of first-time blinkers are being tried in a bid to sharpen up her finishing effort.

Her Ffos Las fifth in November suggests this near three mile trip is within her range and if the headgear has a positive effect, this could be her moment.

Sevenofus is forecast to head the betting for this contest but she's hardly a reliable conveyance and can be opposed.

A field of 10 will line up and in truth, most of them have reasons to be wary. This looks a weak enough race on paper for the grade and so Elusiveness is unlikely to find herself a better opening.

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