Ian Ogg provides the best bets from around the tracks this Saturday with a progressive hurdler carrying the Nap at Haydock.
Saturday selections
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BEL OMBRE - 16:20 Taunton
He has yet to translate his useful bumper form to hurdles (three relatively quick runs) but handicap company should offer a better opportunity to BEL OMBRE to start putting everything together. He had some fair horses around him when midfield at both Doncaster and Kelso in bumpers which suggests he's on a fair opening mark for all it's one that his hurdles form merits having tended to race too keenly (although results were largely in line with SPs). Bel Ombre will need to settle better to improve but looks capable of doing so in a race which may not take too much winning.
ALNAYEF - 20:00 Southwell
ALNAYEF is a 16-race maiden and hasn't always looked the most resolute in the finish but his best form has come at around this trip while he ran well on his sole course run to be beaten a little over a length over 14 furlongs in October. He's dropped a little more in the weights since - on a career low mark - which allows him to drop to a Class 6 for just the second time in his career and the combination may be sufficient to see him home in front having had a run to blow away the cobwebs after a short break.
Sunday selections
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YES DAY - 15:35 Windsor (NAP)
The claims of Special John are clear but last year's winner Planned Paradise has tumbled down the weights and Jack Tudor replaces a relatively inexperienced amateur who has been on board for his last four starts. It's no surprise that he's already been nibbled at in the betting but, as yet, there's been no such interest in YES DAY who beat Planned Paradise in the Devon Stayers in March. He is worse off at the weights but is below his last winning mark; the stable's horses ran well on the first day of the meeting and his run here on New Year's Day over an inadequate two and a half miles has the look of a very acceptable sighter for this prize.
CASTANEA BREEZE - 13:00 Fakenham
Lucy Wadham is a trainer to be feared at Fakenham and she appears to have found a decent opportunity for CASTANEA BREEZE. He showed fair form in a couple of bumpers and the odd glimmer in three starts over hurdles before finding his metier once handicapping, getting off the mark at the first time of asking. Castanea Breeze couldn't quite manage to give weight to a similarly unexposed winner at Wetherby but that rates a fair effort and dropped slightly in trip on this sharp track on slightly better ground, he should take the beating.
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2025-26 winners (Naps competition Oct 19 - Apr 25)
- Morrophore 6/5
- Lewisham Grove 9/4
- Maximising 15/2
- Big Zouk 11/8 (NAP)
- Silver Thorn 3/1
- Merrimack 13/8 (NAP)
- My Champion 11/4
- Fasol 4/1
- Nebras 7/2
- Mapledurham 5/2
- Soldierofthestorm 9/4
- Lake Como 11/10
- Ballymackie 5/6 (NAP)
- Kruger Park 3/1
- Indeevar Blue 9/2
- Kitzbuhel 13/8
- Gazette Bourgeoise 7/2
- Supreme Malinas 7/2
- Heart Over Head 4/1
- Saint Cyr De Pail 7/2
- Westcombe 7/4
- Intervention 7/2
- One Big Bang 8/11
- Zryan 4/1
- David's Well 6/4 (NAP)
- Atreides 5/4
- Salver 6/4 (NAP)
- Castanea Breeze 3/1
- Ribble Vibe 6/4
- Medieval Gold 6/5
- Fierce Warrior 11/10
- Mambonumberfive 5/2 (NAP)
- Bibendum 85/40
- Seasmoke 10/3
- Teardrops 2/1
- Secret Vino 11/2
- Blenkinsop 7/4 (NAP)
- Roaring Conquest 6/4
- Molto Bene 7/4
- Nocte Volatus 11/4
- Sparkling Duke 9/2
- Chuggy 11/10
- Germanic 3/1
- Special John evens
- Fat Harry 5/4 (NAP)
- Formel Park 3/1 (NAP)
- Sixmilebridge 6/4 (NAP)
- On The Go 2/1 (NAP)
- Ikarak 13/8
- Clearpoint 3/1
- Bahadur 2/1 (NAP)
- L'Empire Vert 3/1 (NAP)
- Without Compromise 2/1
- Solarize 3/1
- Hartington 7/1
- Bloodsweatandtyres 9/2
- Pep Talking 13/2
- Tigers Moon 8/11
- Sea Poetry 2/1
- Fine Interview 7/2
- American Flight 7/1 (NAP)
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