National Honour lines up in the Unibet/British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes at Kempton this evening off the back of a debut second followed by a win last time out. Toby Moore takes the ride, claiming 7lb, for Charlie Appleby. At 7/4, he is today's NAP.
The Form
A form line of 2-1 shows exactly the kind of progression you want to see — a promising debut second followed by victory next time out, suggesting a colt who's improved with racing experience rather than one who caught a soft opportunity. He returns 31 days on from that win, a sensible enough gap that points to being brought forward at a reasonable pace.
Race and Conditions
Today's contest is a Class 3 novice stakes over 7 furlongs on standard to slow ground at Kempton's all-weather, worth £7,020 to the winner. An official rating of 84 gives a fair reflection of his form to date for a horse still building his profile at this level.
The Honest Assessment
No detailed breakdown of the rest of the field's figures is available for this one, so the case here leans heavily on the strength of the yard and the horse's own progression rather than a direct ratings comparison. Worth noting too that Toby Moore takes the ride claiming 7lb — an apprentice booking that effectively lightens the weight National Honour carries, though it's also a slightly less experienced hand than some of what he might otherwise have been booked with. Neither point is a significant concern on its own, but both are worth having in mind rather than assumed away.
The Connections
Charlie Appleby trains from Newmarket in Suffolk, and the yard's form right now is exceptional — 41% winners from 22 runners over the last fortnight, comfortably one of the strongest strike rates featured on any selection recently. A yard performing at this level gives real weight to any of its runners, and combined with a colt who's already shown improvement between his first two starts, this is a genuinely strong supporting case.
The Bottom Line
A debut second followed by a win, a sensible turnaround, and a yard in outstanding current form all build a strong case for National Honour. With no detailed rating comparison available for the rest of the field, the case rests more on the yard's exceptional form and the horse's own progression than a ratings edge, and the apprentice booking is a minor factor worth being aware of either way. At 7/4, National Honour is today's NAP.
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