Nap of the Day: No illusion about Mirage’s Chelmsford claims

It's a new week as far as I'm concerned and I'm hoping to begin it on a high, courtesy of a big-priced Nap of the Day.

They run at Chelmsford in the evening, for a trainer riding high following Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend.

It was a memorable weekend for Newmarket trainer George Scott. The 37-year-old saddled his first-ever Group 1 winner as Caballo De Mar landed the Prix du Cadran, just hours before Bay City Roller finished runner-up in the Prix Dollar.

Chelmsford on a Thursday evening is a far cry from Paris on the Saturday before the Arc, but Scott could be in for more success courtesy of MOONLIGHT MIRAGE in this nursery handicap over the minimum trip.

The two-year-old daughter of Acclamation debuted over six furlongs at Newbury in August, finishing fourth in a fillies' novice won by Richard Hannon's Slay Queen, who earned a rating of 80.

She dropped in trip for her next outing, on the all-weather at Wolverhampton, and got off the mark, putting a length-and-a-half between herself and the nearest of seven rivals.

The runner-up Westend Music is rated 74 and Yellow Diamonds, who finished third, is just four pounds inferior. On that evidence, the selection ran to somewhere near her opening mark of 79.

It's fair to say little went to plan for her latest run, back up to six furlongs at Kempton last month. She finished sixth of 10, almost seven lengths off the pace.

There's excuses for that underperformance, though. It was only 12 days after her win in the West Midlands and she raced too keenly under jockey Darragh Keenan, who maintains the partnership on Thursday.

Connections apply cheekpieces here, presumably in a bid to settle her better. If they have the desired effect, we could see a completely different animal in Essex.

There's no shortage of dangers, particularly Dark Angel Star for the in-form James Tate, but at the prices I think Moonlight Mirage is a cracking bet.

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