Nap of the Day: Baron to lord over Warwick rivals

I had high hopes for Dig Deep at Warwick on Wednesday and the market suggested I was right to, but he ultimately failed to oblige for Nap of the Day followers. He needed to dig deep when it mattered, but didn't. Ironic.

Hopefully Thursday's selection fares better in one of the better-looking maiden hurdles this side of the Irish Sea so far this season.

Whether you're having a bet or not, I urge you to tune into the second race at Warwick on Thursday. It looks a belter.

I've been waiting for Harry Derham's Cristal d'Estruval, a four-year-old son of Crystal Ocean who fetched £400k at the Cheltenham Festival sales in March, to make his debut under rules. The point-to-point winner could be anything.

This is a tough introduction, though, and Derham has warned he "might be a horse that needs another year on his back". He's also regarded as a stayer who will be at his best over 2m4f and beyond.

Similarly, Dan Skelton admitted his runner Bossman Jack, a taking winner of a Wincanton bumper at the start of the year, was "a little behind" in a stable tour with Sporting Life a month ago. More recently, to the Racing Post, he said: "I think we're still dealing with quite a juvenile type."

Many of Skelton's novice hurdlers have looked in need of the run, too, so he might be one for another day.

With all that in mind, I think BARON NOIR is a good bet at odds-against.

Alan King's five-year-old joined the team at Barbury Castle Stables following two modest efforts for Daniel Murphy in Ireland and got off the mark at the first attempt, beating David Pipe's promising mare Kingston Queen at Plumpton last December. She went on to win her next two races, including a Listed event at Market Rasen, before placing in the G2 mares' bumper at Aintree's Grand National meeting.

Well into the new year she bumped into the unbeaten, Grade 1-bound Sober Glory in another lively Listed affair at Newbury and then put in a huge performance at the Punchestown Festival in May, beating £410k El Cairos and some other exciting types to scoop a €10k prize.

It goes without saying, that's a very smart piece of form and King is on record saying this is the most exciting horse he's trained in years. High praise.

Hopefully he's ready to rock first time out. The yard isn’t exactly banging in the winners of late, but Helnwein ran a stormer in the Greatwood on Sunday and The Doyen Chief went well at Bangor a few days prior. They’re going well enough for me.

The rival I fear the most is actually Loaded And Locked for Emma Lavelle. He cost £80k and was smashed into odds-on for his debut in Worcester bumper last month, which he won in good style.

Perhaps he's not as exciting or scopey as the aforementioned Bossman Jack or Cristal d'Estruval, but he's match fit and clearly talented in his own right.

But, I do think Baron Noir could just be a cut above. He sets a high standard for his rivals to reach.

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