Nap of the Day: Classy Andab-solutely the one to beat at Newcastle

The less said about Thursday's selection Tewkesbury at Southwell, the better. Desperate viewing, to be frank.

I'm expecting nothing of the sort from the Nap of the Day on Friday, which goes in the opener of a cracking all-weather card at Newcastle.

I expected ANDAB to open around the 13/8 mark for the opener at Newcastle on Friday, so he was a straightforward pick for the Nap of the Day at 11/4.

Joseph O'Brien's three-year-old son of Saxon Warrior is the class act in the seven-strong field for this Listed event over a mile in the North East, and I fancy he'll take plenty of beating.

A full-brother to Breeders' Cup winner Victoria Road for Joseph's father Aidan, he's bred to be useful and that was apparent on his very first day at school, as he won a Curragh maiden by just shy of five lengths back in May.

It was a serious effort in a Group 3 on return to the County Kildare venue a few weeks later, finishing third of six, just a length-and-a-half behind the highly-touted Albert Einstein. The runner-up, Power Blue, went on to win the G1 Phoenix Stakes in October. Strong form, then.

Andab was fourth in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on his next outing, before highly-respectable defeats in the G2 Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and the G3 Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville.

To sign off on his two-year-old campaign, he earned a much-deserved victory in a €28k Listed affair at Dundalk in October, beating former stablemate Which Wolf Wins and the 96-rated Frescobaldi. Hardly in-your-face form, but he wasn't troubled in getting the job done and it was his sixth run of the season, so I wouldn't have expected fireworks anyway.

On that occasion, and at Goodwood and Deauville previously, I thought he shaped like a horse in need of at least a mile, which he got on seasonal reappearance in the £168k Al Rayyan Mile Cup at Doha in February.

He was second, only a head behind the winner August George and as far in front of the 104-rated Pacific Avenue for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, despite a luckless trip. With a clearer round, I'm confident he'd have landed the spoils. Hopefully he gets that on Tyneside.

Andab concedes three pounds to his main rivals as per the betting - namely Billecart and New Monarch.

The former, trained by Karl Burke and owned by the big-spending Amo Racing, showed encouragement on his only run at two, before getting off the mark over course and distance on first run this season. He was entitled to at 1/6f, though.

This demands more of the Night Of Thunder colt, who's entered in the Betfred 2000 Guineas. He's thought plenty of at home, which alongside his fancy entry must be the reason he's the same price as the selection. On all known form, there's no reason he should be.

New Monarch rates a bigger danger in my book. Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy are on fire and this son of Acclamation is no mug. He does have 10lbs to find on official ratings, though, which is a fair ask.

Speaking of ratings, Timeforshowcasing boasts a lofty one (101) and receives a whopping eight pounds from the selection, so in theory she ought to be very dangerous. I'm sceptical of what she's actually achieved, however. So is the market, it seems.

Jel Pepper's another with a fair chance, while Padraig Dawn is very difficult to advise.

It looks a good opportunity for Andab, who is well up to winning this under Billy Loughnane.

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