NAP of the Day: Cut The Rope to land Gowran maiden

Ahead of a busy Saturday, I had many in mind for my NAP of the Day – and it’s a Paul Nolan-trained novice hurdler at Gowran Park that stands out at opening prices.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Cut The Rope open at 5/2 for this four-year-old maiden hurdle over the minimum trip. The son of Sea The Stars was odds-on to be favourite in my book, so it was a no-brainer to make him Saturday’s NAP.

He’s one of eight in this 17-strong field that boasts experience over flights, courtesy of a highly-promising second to a Willie Mullins-trained filly called A Penny A Hundred, who was 4/6f, at Limerick exactly three weeks ago.

She’s now 2-2 having bolted up in a good bumper at Sligo in the summer and earlier this week she was handed an eye-catching entry for the G1 Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in early December.

Clearly she’s talented, and I don’t think there was all that much between the pair the last day – certainly not as much as the official margin suggests.

They were neck-and-neck approaching the last, which is when the selection pecked on landing and lost his momentum. Sean O’Keefe was soft enough on him after, but he still had the rest of the field well-beaten, so it looks like decent form.

The market has it right in that Joyeux Vivo for John & Thomas Kiely is his main danger. He’s nicely-bred and was third in a strong bumper at the Punchestown Festival back in April, but lacks race fitness and might find this a bit too sharp first time out.

Given where they hail from, you have to respect Beckett Rock and Nathan Wells, but unless there’s a significant market move I wouldn’t be put off by them – while I’d be bitterly disappointed if any of these who’ve already had a run over hurdles were up to beating my pick.