We are hoping it stays dry for Nap Hand at Newbury on Saturday

Like every trainer, Alan loves a Saturday winner, but, with no runners at Cheltenham’s two-day meeting this week-end, he is relying on Nap Hand to bring home the money in the mile and a quarter handicap at Newbury’s final Flat fixture of 2024.

Nap Hand has done our sponsors, Goodwin Racing, who owns the four-year-old, proud this season, and Alan will be hoping Friday’s forecast of rain misses our local course as the gelding appreciates a decent surface.

The ground was fast when Nap Hand won first time out at Salisbury as a two-year-old, and the going was also good when he won his first handicap at Haydock month.

That success came over a mile, but Nap Hand has twice run creditably over this longer trip, particularly at Windsor in July, when there was maybe a little too much ease in the ground.

Nap Hand showed his well-being when returning to the all-weather three weeks ago, finishing fourth but being beaten only three lengths in a race in which, like others, he seemed unsuited by an uneven pace.