Nap of the Day: In-form Skeltons set for further Fortune on Wednesday

My last Nap of the Day cruised to victory at 11/2, finishing eased down by over five lengths, which is going to be a very tough act to follow.

But I've got high hopes for Wednesday's fancy - a progressive hurdler for a red-hot yard who ought to be winning this if he's to target a big pot in the near future.

The Skeltons are flying at the moment. Dan is operating at a 25% strike rate courtesy of 14 winners from 57 runners in the past fortnight, while Harry has ridden 14/45 (31%) to success.

They've been particularly proficient over the past couple of days, which bodes well for MAJOR FORTUNE in this 2m1f handicap hurdle at Newton Abbot on Wednesday.

This six-year-old was extremely disappointing early on in his career, losing his first three starts over hurdles - two for Tom Lacey and one for Skelton - by wide margins before losing at 6/4f on his handicap debut last November off an opening mark of just 81.

However, he got off the mark at Market Rasen on Boxing Day off two pounds lower, before going on a run in the new year, rising from a mark of 82 to 118 as a result of four victories on the trot prior to a narrow second to Willie Mullins' Chosen Witness at Ayr in April.

In a recent stable tour with AtTheRaces, Dan said he thinks Major Fortune "will be better again this year" and, interestingly, mentioned the three-mile handicap hurdle staged at Haydock on Betfair Chase day in late November.

That's a Premier Handicap - essentially a Grade 3 handicap - and there hasn't been a single horse compete off a rating of 118 in the last 10 years. The lowest I can see was 121.

That means the selection will almost certainly need to win and go up in the handicap again before November 23. As there's only 24 days between Wednesday and that Saturday, this might his last chance to do exactly that and therefore the suggestion is he'll be very ready for this day.

I'm a little worried about the trip, for a lot of this horse's improvement seemed to come for tackling longer distances, but he's a completely different animal now and Skelton also told AtTheRaces he's a "smooth traveller", so fingers crossed he'll cope just fine.

Vocito is a danger, but he was relatively unfancied before winning a modest race from the front last time out and he's been raised six pounds for doing so. Post-race, trainer Olly Murphy admitted he got a "softish lead up front" and that experience told in the end. I found those quotes uninspiring.

Pirates Tale may give the selection most to think about under Harry Cobden. He was runner-up to one for Christian Williams that I think plenty of when last seen, and a mark of 114 looks generous.

But considering everything I've explained above, it's hard not to fancy Major Fortune at an attractive 3/1.

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