NAP of the Day: Leafy Lingfield is the venue for Saturday’s cosy cracker

So much sensational racing on offer on Saturday; and plenty of it covered in these Insights columns for your scrutiny, dear reader. For our NAP of the day I'm off to a nice little basement handicap at leafy Lingers, and the gelded son of a G2 scorer.

Kindly allow me to elaborate ...

Horse Racing Odds

Lingfield 18:00

18:00 Lingfield - Homeland @ 1/1

One of the season's most sought-after claimers is Jack Callan, down to 3lb now and enjoying a terrific season. Son of evergreen pro in the saddle Neil Callan, Jack rides for a huge spread of trainers and that will likely stand him in great stead when his claim disappears.

On a very busy Saturday he finds himself riding at Lingfield's evening meeting with as I write three booked mounts - the most interesting of which in my book is Thomas Faulkner's four-year-old Land Force gelding out of a War Chant mare - Homeland.

The selection has just two wins from 18 career starts, but has slipped to the kind of mark that demands our attention. Last time out 11 days ago at Ffos Las at this 10f trip he won nicely by 1.25l under the presently slightly-maligned Rossa Ryan (who incurred a lengthy ban on Thursday as he appeared to fatally relax for a split-second, allowing a pursuer to get up on the line when he looked sure to prevail).

That win was achieved off a mark of 54, and he's up - yes, you've guessed it - 3lb today, to 57. If Central Casting was engaged to secure the services of a standout 3lb claimer to offset that rise, it's a very reasonable bet that they'd send Jack.

Homeland has been very competitive in the past off higher marks - he won off 60 for example at Ripon about 12 months ago - and today's 57, reduced of course in reality with Jack's claim, means something along the lines of a Ffos Las repeat could well see him in the winners' circle once again.

The trainer has only had the horse since November, having shipped in from the Michael Dods yard, and his winning Racing Post rating of 62 was his best yet for the stable in four runs for new connections.

It compares favourably to anything achieved in that regard with Michael too, with the high being 64, recorded a couple of times last summer. The horse is evidently well, doesn't look to have anything too sensational to find on top of his last winning performance, has the benefit of both Jack's talent and allowance, and given luck in running I'm extremely hopeful.

NAPS Table with Betfred Insights.