Nap of the Day: Chief to execute new plan at HQ

I took great pleasure in watching Echoing Silence, advised to Nap of the Day followers at 5/2, oblige at Punchestown on Thursday - not only for the obvious reason, but because it validated my opinion on Henry de Bromhead's current form. Sweet.

That was a good confidence booster going into Cheltenham's Christmas Meeting, which is where Friday's selection comes from.

This is very much Plan B for THE DOYEN CHIEF after a non-event in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury a fortnight ago.

Alan King's eight-year-old went to post for the Grade 3 worth £142k to the winner, but was pulled-up within seconds of the starter dropping his flag.

That's because he planted his feet and reared up, losing somewhere between 10-20 lengths on the rest of the field. Jockey Tom Bellamy sensibly decided to call it a day.

Undoubtedly frustrating for connections, but I suspect they'll have forgotten all about it come 13:55 at Cheltenham on Friday for the son of Doyen looks to have standout claims in this handicap over 3m2½f.

The son of Doyen was progressive over fences last season, rising from a mark of 125 to 137 in a matter of five starts, winning the Challenger Staying Chase Series Final at Warwick on the ultimate one.

He reappeared for the current campaign at Bangor exactly a month ago and fared encouragingly behind Christian Williams' useful Deep Cave. The rest of the field, headed by a fair yardstick in Richmond Lake, were over 15 lengths behind.

No doubt King left a bit to work on, with the Coral Gold Cup in mind, so expect improvement. I suspect he's set for a career-best performance.

In his way are eight rivals, including one L'Homme Presse. Winner of the Brown Advisory in 2022 and fourth in the Gold Cup a couple of years later, he's the class act in the lineup.

However, he's rising 11 years old and trainer Venetia Williams could be in better form. He also concedes plenty of weight. It's a fair ask.

There's question marks about some of the others, too. Herakles Westwood is nine pounds out of the handicap. The Short Go is becoming expensive to follow and might want drier ground.

Henry's Friend was a good winner of the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup at Ascot last time, but was that his peak? Is King Turgeon at his limit?

I really like The Doyen Chief here. It might be Plan B, but it's a plan I'm hopeful he can execute.

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