NAP of the Day: Consider this 5/2 shot at Leicester

Once again, the hopes of my NAP of the Day for Wednesday relies on a racecourse - Leicester in this instance - passing a morning inspection.

Fingers crossed it gets the go-ahead and we at least get a run for our money.

When it comes to selecting a NAP, my preference is for smaller fields featuring at least a couple of no-hopers.

In the case of this seven-runner novices' hurdle over just shy of two miles, it's Meraki Mist, Lunar Ocean and Jo Lescribaa I'm keen to rule out straight away. Famous last words...

Of the four I give at least something of a chance to, it's Dominic's Fault - who hasn't been seen since falling on his racecourse debut nearly two years ago - and Donald Llewellyn - who was much too green for my liking when well-beaten on his first attempt over flights - that appeal least.

That leaves Tommie Gun and Wal Buck's.

The former has opened a relatively short-priced favourite and deservedly so. Nigel Twiston-Davies' five-year-old, who has improved for every run to date, sets the standard based on his winning hurdling debut at Southwell last month.

He and the runner-up Schmilsson pulled over 17 lengths clear of the rest of the field that day, but I just can't shake the fact that the aforementioned Olly Murphy horse was beaten out of sight on his previous two starts.

Tommie Gun also carries a six-pound penalty and could be seen as a doubt on heavy ground, so I'm taking him on with Wal Buck's.

Lucinda Russell's five-year-old son of Buck's Boum - the sire of two-time Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo - was fourth in a red-hot PTP in February last year before finishing an eye-catching fifth in a Carlisle bumper nine months later.

Then, in December, he made what I'd call a satisfactory debut over obstacles when a rallying fourth, beaten as many lengths. That form is decent-enough in the context of this race and I'd expect significant improvement both for the experience and a return to deeper ground.

This step back in trip is a concern, but these conditions at a testing course like Leicester should counteract that and, in receipt of nine pounds when you factor in the extremely useful claim of in-form jockey Patrick Wadge, he gets my vote.