NAP of the Day: Sixty Plus and still getting better

It's a low-key start to the racing week on Monday with just two meetings scheduled in Britain as they go over jumps in the afternoon at both Carlisle and Kempton.

There is some decent action at both venues, including the Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Graduation Chase (14:15) at Carlisle and the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (14:30) from the Sunbury track, both Class 2 contests. Monday's NAP of the Day is on a real roll for trainer James Owen and may be good enough to defy the handicapper once more.

14:30 Kempton - Sixty Plus @ 11/4

Trainer James Owen has a rapidly progressive hurdler on his hands in the form of SIXTY PLUS and the handicapper may not have done enough to ground their winning sequence just yet.

The gelded son of Diamond Boy showed little in the way of ability during his time with Clare Hobson, bar running third at three-figure odds in a Fakenham bumper in April last year.

He toiled in a quartet of maiden/novice hurdles and made the switch to this yard at the beginning of the summer.

He was immediately made favourite for a novice handicap hurdle at Stratford (2m½f, good) but was bitterly disappointing under champion jockey Sean Bowen.

A visor was applied and he ran better when second at Worcester (2m, good) in July, seemingly encouraged by a switch to front-running tactics.

14:30 Kempton Odds

He was rated 75 that afternoon and the positive tactics have really paid off since with four wins in succession at Worcester and Market Rasen over 2m2½f/2m4f on good ground.

It has all come very easily to him with the visor retained and, while he only had two lengths to spare last time in early September, he was awkward at the final flight when clear and picked up again for the sounds of the hooves closing in on the run to the finishing line.

The runner-up, Tranquil Seal, won next time at Chepstow for the Dan Skelton team and the fourth, former smart chaser War Lord, obliged on next start at Fontwell from his decreasing hurdles mark.

Sixty Plus has gone up another 10lb in the ratings and now turns out off a mark of 124, but he's 4-5 under Sam Twiston-Davies and leaves the impression there is still a bit more to come from him.

He is up in class this afternoon but has been found a good target in this grade and the flat track at Kempton promises to suit his galloping style.

Click the links for all the latest Horse Racing Odds and Fast Racing Results

Tune into Betfred Insights regularly to find our experts' Nap of the Day