Nap of the Day: Down Royal king to get off to a flying start

It was a return to the winners' enclosure for Nap of the Day followers on Thursday, courtesy of the exciting Taurus Bay for Ben Pauling at Stratford.

Hopefully we'll see another hot prospect at Down Royal 24 hours later, who I've got a vested interest in for the C-word in March.

It had to be, didn't it?

After tipping him at 50/1 for a race at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday, I'm back eulogising about THEFLYINGKING ahead of his hurdling debut at Down Royal on Friday.

The five-year-old son of Jukebox Jury, who sports the same silks as Supreme third Romeo Coolio who makes his debut over fences later on the card in Northern Ireland, appears the leading fancy of three for Gordon Elliott, who cleans up at this meeting every year, in the opener.

Elliott has won nine of the last 10 renewals of the 2m6½f maiden, including with the likes of Fury Road, Hollow Games, American Mike and most recently The Yellow Clay – and I strongly expect him to make it 10 from 11.

Theflyingking was being billed as one of the best of Cullentra’s bumper crop heading into last season, but it quickly became clear that, to use everyone’s favourite cliché, anything he did in that sphere would be a bonus.

He was about as green as they come on debut at Down Royal on Boxing Day. A big, raw four-year-old who took a keen hold throughout the early stages of the contest and was wandering all over the track at the business end.

And yet, he was only three quarters of a length behind the winner Kilwaughter, in receipt of seven pounds thanks to his jockey's claim. That rival went on to finish sixth in the Grade 2 bumper at Aintree on Grand National day for new connections, before placing behind a nice one of Alan King's and recent £410k buy El Cairos at the Punchestown Festival.

Theflyingking put in a more polished performance at Fairyhouse in the new year, and that form has worked out even better. The winner I'll Sort That, who was just a neck in front of the selection, has won three of his subsequent four starts, including two novice hurdles, and the third, fourth, fifth and sixth were also victorious on their next appearance.

The selection got off the mark at the third attempt at Wexford in March, beating Thedeviluno, who was 15 lengths clear of the rest of the field, by half-a-length in gritty fashion. The runner-up has since occupied the same spot behind Doctor Du Mesnil, one of my Five to Follow for the season, and the 131-rated Strong Link, so it's another fine piece of form.

I think there's so much more to come from this horse now he goes jumping over longer distances. He's out of a half-sister to a Cork Grand National winner and Elliott himself has labelled a "stayer" who will only get better as he goes out in trip in a recent stable tour with the Racing Post.

As for Friday's assignment, it looks a very winnable one. Five of his rivals with form in the book are extremely hard to advise - and of the four point-to-point recruits, two are stablemates. How often does Jack Kennedy, especially at this meeting, pick the wrong one?

That leaves Kaiser De Chanay and Some Song for Martin Brassil and Henry de Bromhead respectively. Both are interesting prospects, particularly the latter, and a market check is advised, but they’re lacking in experience and will need to be well above average if Theflyingking is as good as I hope he is.

Also, it’s Gordon Elliott at Down Royal. This is his playground.

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