NAP of the Day: Back this 4/5 shot to fire for red-hot trainer

Following Wednesday’s winner, I look to the action in Ireland on Thursday as I bid for back-to-back NAP of the Day successes.

Ger Lyons is flying right now. In the last two weeks, he’s enjoyed six winners from 16 runners – an impressive 38% strike rate – and his RTF (ran-to-form) percentage as per the Racing Post is a whopping 94%.

The County Meath handler saddles six at Leopardstown on Thursday, including CHANTEZ in the opener – a two-year-old fillies’ maiden over seven furlongs.

The daughter of Wootton Bassett, who fetched 220,000gns at the sales in October last year, made her debut over course and distance last month, finishing a highly-promising second to Aidan O’Brien’s Frankel colt Exactly, who has since placed in Group 3 company.

Against experienced rivals such as the former and the 80-rated Queens Fury, who was over three lengths behind the selection in third, it was a huge effort for a debutant.

With that run under her belt and improvement expected, this half-sister to 2022 King George VII Stakes hero Changingoftheguard sets a high standard for her 11 rivals to better.

According to the 16:50 Leopardstown Odds, it’s Proxima Centauri and Indigo Dream for Jessie Harrington and Ross O’Sullivan respectively who represent the main dangers.

Proxima Centauri also showed ability first time out, albeit in a race of lesser quality, and she too ought to take a fair step forward, but the amount she’d need to progress seems unlikely.

Likewise, O’Sullivan’s Havana Grey filly can continue improving having bumped into a couple of top prospects the last twice, but can she find enough? Again, I highly doubt it.

Chantez holds an entry for the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh in September – an indication of the regard she’s held in at home – and if she’s to fulfil that engagement she really ought to be winning this. I expect her to do exactly that.

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