NAP of the Day: Take 10/3 about improving Group 3 hopeful

We cross the Irish Sea on Thursday in search of a winning NAP of the Day.

The first of two Group 3 contests at Leopardstown on Thursday is the Desmond Stakes – a mile-long affair for horses aged three and above – which sees Aidan O’Brien’s highly-rated Ylang Ylang return to action after a disappointing run in the Betfred Oaks just over two months ago.

A torn muscle was reportedly the problem at Epsom and O’Brien has already warned that the Frankel filly, who has been on the sidelines for 69 days, will need the run, so I’m taking her on.

You could make a fair case for the majority of her eight rivals, but my choice is GALEN for Aidan’s son Joseph.

The three-year-old son of Gleneagles began his career by finishing runner-up to City Of Troy, who went on to win the Dewhurst and has landed the Betfred Derby and Eclipse already this term, in a Curragh maiden last summer, but a subsequent injury held him back for the rest of the campaign.

His reappearance at three was solid. He came second again, over the same course and distance, to a nice filly for Paddy Twomey and a couple of lengths in front of the 85-rated Kortez Bay.

He’s gone from strength to strength since, winning back-to-back events over a mile at the Curragh and Killarney by a combined 20 lengths.

Don’t get me wrong, these weren’t the strongest races, but the distant runner-up at Killarney the last day had earned a mark of 94 and he had the other two runners trailing by over six lengths (17L+ off the selection).

Thursday’s assignment is much tougher, but I suspect Galen is ready to take the step up in class in his stride. He’s race-fit, progressing with each outing and conditions suit.

I consider him a good bet at 3/1 or greater.

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