Nap of the Day: Balzac a compelling play on Wednesday

The risk of backing a debutant in a four-runner race on the all-weather on the final day of March backfired. Spectacularly. It's easy in hindsight, isn't it?

I'm sticking to the flat on Wednesday, with a Betfred Derby entrant running at Kempton catching my eye. He's the Nap of the Day.

If connections are to even consider taking up his entry in the Betfred Derby at Epsom in June, then BALZAC has to be winning at Kempton on Wednesday evening. Plain and simply.

Jane Chapple-Hyam's three-year-old son of 2019 Juddmonte hero Japan, third in the Derby himself earlier that year, is a half-brother to stablemate Claymore - a Royal Ascot winner rated 111 at his peak.

So, it was no surprise to see him start out last September in a Class 2 maiden at Newmarket of all places. It was surprising, however, that he was sent off as big as 22/1. Perhaps the main goal was just to gain some invaluable experience.

He outran those odds and then some, finishing third of seven, just over two lengths off the winner Maltese Cross for William Haggas. He's a son of Sea The Stars who cost 350k guineas and was runner-up in a strong maiden at Ascot on debut. He's also entered in the Betfred Derby.

So is the runner-up, Del Maro for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin. The Camelot colt was even costlier (€850k) and he went on to place in the G3 Zetland Stakes back at HQ in October.

Adding further depth to the form is Moonlight Warrior (fourth) who obliged on his next start, Ranga Tang (fifth) who's earned a rating of 80 and Moment Of Light (sixth) who landed a handicap at Kempton off a mark of 72 just over a month ago.

I thought Balzac was a significant eye-catcher on the Rowley Mile under seven-pound claimer Alexandra Egan. He showed greenness out of the gates and was doing all his best work in the final furlong or two, when looking to get the hang of things. It was a highly-encouraging start.

He's open to any amount of improvement and in receipt of weight from a number of his rivals, including those closest in the betting, this looks a great opportunity for him to open his account.

Two of the penalised runners are Magic Trip for Andrew Balding and Richard Hughes' Winding Stream. The former won a modest event at Bath on debut in October before a mediocre effort in a Group 3 in Italy the following month and has a bit to prove on his return to action.

Winding Stream - another Betfred Derby entrant - is one-for-one after bolting up at Southwell in October, but it was another weak affair and he's got to give seven pounds to the selection. I'll be very disappointed if he's able to do that.

As for the other 10 runners, I see little to be worried about. Balzac should take a lot of beating.

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