NAP of the Day: Follow red-hot Rod in Sandown finale

Back to winning ways on Thursday, thanks to Aperoll at Sandown. A brilliant, front-running ride from Pat Dobbs and a brave performance from a talented filly. Lovely stuff.

Hopefully it'll be a similar story on Friday, with another NAP of the Day from Sandown.

Rod Millman is one of the most in-form trainers around at the moment. The 69-year-old is operating at a 32% strike rate, courtesy of eight winners from his last 25 runners.

That's a good omen for LYRA LEA, who I fancy in the lucky last at Sandown on Friday.

The three-year-old daughter of Lope Y Fernandez has only managed the one victory in 10 starts to date, but she's been knocking on the door this season.

On reappearance at Wolverhampton in May, she ran encouragingly despite finishing fourth of seven, before bumping into a nice type of William Haggas' at Chepstow in the first week of June.

That was the Simon Munir & Isaac Souede-owned Poetry Of Time, who's up another four pounds for his exploits in Wales. He might be ahead of that still.

Then, on the final day of last month, Lyra Lea was runner-up to Hot And Cold for Sir Mark Prescott. She's another well-handicapped individual in my book, after missing out by the narrowest of margins to Sandringham Stakes third Rosa Inglesa off four pounds higher at Ascot the other week.

Horse Racing Odds

I don't think there's anything of that ilk in opposition on Friday, in this 0-75 handicap over seven furlongs.

I'm certainly not worried about Decalogue who looks poorly handicapped - famous last words - while Unionville is completely out of form.

King Cherry is hard to get on a gauge on as he makes his handicap debut off an opening mark of 63. He needs a market check.

My idea of the main dangers are Berkshire Boom and Norfolk Blue for Andrew Balding and William Knight respectively.

The handicapper overestimated the son of Supremacy after winning a maiden at Chester 12 months ago, awarding an opening mark of 74. That's dropped to 68 after four defeats, so you'd imagine his time will eventually come. I think he needs more relief in the meantime, though.

Norfolk Blue is in a similar boat. He was originally rated 76 by the handicapper, but has dropped nine pounds after six defeats on the bounce. He was very close to winning at Doncaster on his penultimate outing, so perhaps poses the greatest threat on Friday.

But I am rather hopeful that Lyra Lea can defy topweight and put these rivals to the sword on Friday evening.

Check out our NAPs Table daily to find a list of the experts' best bets