Nap of the Day: In form – and we go to HQ looking for a double

Always great to kick off with news of a success - our NAP Moonlight Warrior duly obliged yesterday at a slightly surprising and in my eyes generous 9/4, after I'd tipped it up at 11/8 overnight. Lovely!

So to Wednesday, and our bid to follow-up. Let's head to flat racing HQ, Newmarket, and a potent old combination ...

Newmarket 15.33

Fast Racing Results

15:33 Newmarket - Explosion @ 13/8

Brilliant Brazilian jockey Silvestre De Sousa has ridden many a winner down the years for the Middleham Moor training base in North Yorkshire that's home to the mighty Johnston clan - first under father Mark, and now under the command of son Charlie.

I'm guessing Dad's still on hand with his vast expertise on tap, but the winners keep on rolling - 121 as I write this calendar year, and counting. The yard send a couple to HQ on Wednesday, one of which is my Nap Of The Day selection Explosion.

This is a two-year-old contest, but this Showcasing colt has already shown himself to be progressive, talented and tough. Four runs to date - a promising third on debut in a June Leicester maiden (beaten 2.5l) and a similar effort at Yarmouth in a novice two months later.

He came alive stepped up to a mile from 7f at Windsor in early September, taking another novice by 1.75l, then last time out at Chelmsford 34 days ago he took a handicap apart off a mark of 79, winning under today's jockey SDS by a yawning 7l.

He's up to 87 this afternoon and crucially for me gets a pop up to 10f. It's one of those cliches in racing - Johnston horses stepping up in trip gradually, often to great effect.

Breeding-wise, this lad could be all about speed with Gimcrack winner Showcasing as his sire - but crucially his dam Pleasach, a Godolphin mare trained by Jim Bolger, was a very fine middle-distance performer (winning the 12f G1 Yorkshire Oaks being the highlight).

I could see Silvestre looking to be handy, perhaps trying to make all, and see just what reserves of stamina his rivals possess. This is as far as two-year-olds travel, 1m 2f, and this is a stiff old test on this championship course, too.

I understand the ground is predicted to be good, so that will hopefully ensure a relatively level playing field as far as preferences go. He looks predominantly to have Charlie Appleby's Commanding Officer to beat, who only just got home over a mile at Haydock last time and interestingly has a 7lb claimer, Toby Moore, booked for the riding engagement.

Big ask for a youngster pitted against De Sousa, but in any event what a fascinating affair we have in store. Fingers crossed that in the familiar colours of the Kingsley Park Owners Club Explosion can create just that, on the rolling expanse of the Rowley Mile.

Nap Of The Day with Betfred Insights.