Nap of the Day: Hill to come out on top at Fontwell

It was unfortunate that Khrisma was a non-runner at Newbury on Thursday after failing to eat up. I felt she had an outstanding chance. She could run instead at Sandown on Sunday and although it won't be an 'official' selection from me, I couldn't put anyone off.

The wait for a Nap of the Day winner this week goes on, then, but I'm hoping we're not going to have to wait much longer.

It's hardly surprising that Kocktail Bleu is attracting support ahead of the opener at Fontwell on Friday.

The five-year-old for Chris Gordon, who's operating at a 29% strike rate with hurdlers this season, was a €54k point-to-point recruit who showed good ability in bumpers last term - especially in finishing second to subsequent Champion Bumper sixth Idaho Sun at Windsor in January.

However, it's very possible he's flattered by that particular piece of form, given he went on to finish a modest third at Exeter the following month, and he may be lacking for a bit of fitness on his seasonal reappearance.

Harry Fry's JP McManus-owned Hardly Surprising is a €80k half-brother to the classy Fiddlerontheroof who won his only start between the flags and he ought to be watched very closely in the market for this 2m1½f maiden hurdle.

The one for me, though, is DOCTORS HILL for the in-form Philip Hobbs & Johnson White.

12:50 Fontwell Odds

The five-year-old son of Doctor Dino was bought for a cool €125k and transferred to Hobbs & White's yard in Somerset following a fine effort in a Bellewstown bumper in April for Mrs Caroline McCaldin.

He finished runner-up to Gordon Elliott's odds-on shot Coyote Spirit and five lengths in front of subsequent winner Minella Supreme for John McConnell. For me, that's as strong as anything achieved by the selection's 13 rivals in West Sussex on Friday.

Crucially, Doctors Hill has already had a sighter over hurdles, placing in a novice event at the Welsh Racing Festival at Chepstow last month.

The winner, Masked Man for Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies, looks a very smart type and the second-placed Blue Carpet bolted up at Wetherby a week ago today, so the suspicion is that was a relatively strong race.

With the experience under his belt and the first-time hood to eke out further improvement, I think he's the most likely winner.

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