Nap Hand toughs it out to win at Newbury

The Friday deluge at Newbury did not materialise, which meant that, despite an early morning inspection after overnight rain, the ground, though officially heavy, was not as testing as it might have been for the final Flat meeting of 2024 on our local course today.

We had been walking our box wondering whether Nap Hand‘s stamina would hold out over the mile and a quarter if the ground became bottomless, but, as it was, our only runner of the day was always holding the challenge of Sir Lowry’s Pass in the last 300 yards, winning by a length and a half.

It was Nap Hand’s third win on turf, He was a May foal, so it was a surprise that he was able to win first time out as a two-year-old, but he has improved again this season for our sponsors, Goodwin Racing, today’s success being preceded by a comfortable victory over a mile at Haydock.

Alan said:”The fact that Nap Hand got the mile and a quarter here in deep ground was very encouraging with regards to a switch to hurdling. Sure, there might be a slight doubt whether he will stay two miles over timber, but if he doesn’t we can always revert back to the Flat. It has all been about getting Nap Hand to settle, but I am delighted how well he won today.”

We also have just the one runner on Monday, Advert Rules, who has been placed in his last three races at Wolverhampton, switching surfaces as he heads off to Southwell for a mile and six handicap.

The first two were over a mile and a half, but he stepped up to this longer trip at Dunstall Park, and, wearing blinkers for the first time, he ran a very pleasing race, only tiring in the last furlong and a half to be beaten by a well-handicapped horse in Simiyann, who has franked the form by winning again since.