Nap of the Day: We’re off to Newcastle for Tuesday’s top tip

I'm happily involved in Nap Of The Day duties for Tuesday, October 21 - and by the way; where is the time disappearing to? Lots to look forward to in the coming weeks - Breeders' Cup and Melbourne Cup among the gems on offer, and before we know it we'll be trying to find room for another dessert while taking in the King George on Boxing Day. Fabulous.

Newcastle is the venue for Tuesday's Nap, and the case is duly made, below. Have a peep if you've a minute.

Horse Racing Odds

17:25 Newcastle Odds 

Fast Racing Results

17:25 Newcastle - Moonlight Warrior @ 11/8

There's an eight-race card on Newcastle's all-weather Tapeta surface on Tuesday late afternoon/evening, and I'm interested in an Andrew Balding-trained two-year-old contesting a 7f restricted novice.

Moonlight Warrior races in the familiar colours of Mrs Fitri Hay, who also bred the colt, and while the yard can't be said to be dominant right now they're still operating at around a hugely respectable 16% strike-rate during the last fortnight.

When you think they had by my reckoning half a dozen runners on Ascot's Champions Day a few days ago alone it's clear some have been very highly tried indeed among that number - and don't forget that the stable's Kalpana readily won the G1 Fillies & Mares.

The selection has had one run to date, 26 days ago - a one mile, seven-runner Newmarket maiden. The Gleneagles offspring, out of an Invincible Spirit mare, finished fourth beaten 5.25l under the champion Oisin Murphy, with the Racing Post race-readers noting, unsurprisingly, that he ran green inside the final furlong and made no really telling impression.

No Murphy this evening but the excellent PJ McDonald has been given the riding assignment and he's another ticking along very nicely at around 14%, recent winners-wise over the past 14 days. He secured a G2 success for the yard in Italy on Sunday too, so there's some useful momentum that can carry over to events in the North East.

He rides three on the night for the Kingsclere operation, with Moonlight Warrior my idea of his brightest chance. 'Moonlight' will know lots more about the game courtesy of that spin at HQ, and the winner there, William Haggas' Sea The Stars colt Maltese Cross, looks decent. The second, Godolphin's Del Maro, has since finished third in an HQ G3, and is now rated 101.

We're trusting that improvement will be forthcoming regarding Moonlight Warrior but that's surely a given. Top yard, big owner, fine jockey, and a well-bred juvenile. Lots to like, frankly, and every chance of getting off the mark at Gosforth Park in my book.

Nap Of The Day from Betfred Insights.