Nap of the Day: Ski Lodge to peak on chase debut

It was a great end to a frustrating week, watching Il Etait Temps - advised at 10/11 to Nap of the Day followers - bolt up in the Tingle Creek at Sandown on Saturday.

Fingers crossed for another winner on Tuesday, as I put my faith in a fascinating chase debutant at Uttoxeter.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Alan King's SKI LODGE can do over fences this season.

The six-year-old son of Gatewood, owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate, is a lightly-raced individual, accumulating only five runs under rules in his career so far.

He was runner-up, admittedly by a fair distance, to David Pipe's useful Jurancon in a heavy-ground bumper at Chepstow on this exact date in 2023, before opening his account over course and distance in the new year.

It was another wide-margin defeat he succumbed to on hurdling debut at Ffos Las 13 months ago, but again he improved significantly to win over three miles at Haydock on his subsequent start.

That wasn't a bad little race, with James Ewart's Jo Coko finishing runner-up and the 111-rated Grand Geste, in receipt of three pounds, filling the third spot.

Ski Lodge wasn't seen again last season, with King telling Sporting Life in a recent stable tour the reason was pulled muscles and later quick ground.

He also said this: "When he sees a fence I think he could be very exciting." Nice to read.

Connections decided to give the selection another spin over hurdles for his seasonal reappearance at Lingfield last month. It was over an inadequate 2m3f, off an opening mark of 115, and under the circumstances he fared encouragingly behind Olly Murphy's odds-on favourite Scorpio Rising, fresh off the back of victory over a nice one of Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore's at Perth in October.

That ought to have put him spot on for the start of his chasing career, as he takes on six rivals back over three miles.

Venetia Williams' Sole Solution is the main danger according to the betting. He was progressive earlier in the year but must defy a five-pound rise on his comeback from 311 days on the sidelines. Also, the yard could be in better form.

Madaket hasn't taken particularly well to chasing, while the nine-year-old Autonomous Cloud appears to be regressing at a rapid rate.

Itseemslikeit has time on his side but he's had wind surgery during a 284-day layoff - while Bells of Peterboro and Popova are hard to advise on all known form.

This looks a good opportunity for Ski Lodge to make a winning start over the bigger obstacles.

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