TODAY: FORBRA ‘FARGES’ THE NAP AT FOUR MEETINGS: Daqman dissects the big race at Ludlow, the Forbra Gold Cup, and naps Roalco De Farges as a horse ‘having his Cheltenham’ today. All his tips are at Ludlow but there are more meetings, at Kempton, Southwell and Taunton.
TOMORROW: FEBRUARY FINALE: SIX BETDAQ RACES AT DONCASTER: Jumps racing is on the brink of its festival season. And what better way to celebrate than a six-race sponsorship by BETDAQ on Town Moor at Doncaster tomorrow. Look out for Daqman’s guide.
3.30 Ludlow (Forbra Gold Cup) Ballyoliver, trained by Venetia Williams, who is having a great season, runs off the same mark as when winning the race last year but has been in poor form this season, beaten a total of 108 lengths in three starts.
Tom George won this in 2009 with Kilcrea Asla, the same age as his course winner Forgotten Gold today but carrying a lot less weight, and ‘gold’ is a misnomer for this one after his awful season so far: unseated, fell and beaten 80 lengths.
Cootehill has finished in the first five in 26 consecutive starts, still standing, but has scored just once in 22 months, despite ups and downs of only 10lb in his rating in that time. Slow or what!
Altogether, Cootehill has raced 19 times at Ludlow, including his last five starts, with form figures of: 0200422214014303233. His wins were over 20f, not today’s 3m.
Tony McCoy has been booked for Brass Tax, whose trainer Ben Case is in terrific form with every runner in the frame in the last fortnight for figures of 1423124, and with a 40% record in chases this season.
McCoy has ridden him once before, when the partnership went down only half a length to Cedre Bleu, giving that one 4lb at Ascot. But we’re talking December 2012 and that was his penultimate start.
Rouge Et Blanc has struggled with his penalties for back-to-back wins over 20-21f a year or so ago but is claimed off and unexposed at today’s trip.
I could write that Roalco De Farges looked progressive, as a novice winner at Chepstow who was not disgraced a fortnight later – second to Tidal Bay – in the Sandown Gold Cup.
But again we’re talking 2012 and he was pulled up on his reappearance run at the same course recently, albeit going well for a long way.
Firebird Flyer is a Ludlow winner – he beat Ballyoliver on good ground – but yet again we’re going back to 2012, though he bounced back last time out, second in the West Wales National at his favourite track, Ffos Las.
The consistent Lamboro Lad bit off more than he could chew last time but is back to a more suitable trip in his class, though is festooned with tongue-tie and cheekpieces. Clearly needs all the aids.
DAQMAN’S VERDICT: The choice must be a horse with a future, proven at today’s trip, and from a stable in good form.
Brass Tax, Roalco De Farges, Ballyoliver and Lamboro Lad all have Cheltenham Festival entries, suggesting that they are horses with some future.
Ballyoliver, Firebird Flyer, Forgotten Gold and Roalco De Farges are the only previous winners over three miles.
Brass Tax (gives weight all round), Forgotten Gold (out of form), Cootehill (place chance), Roalco de Farges and Ballyoliver (out of form) are from stables in particularly good heart this season.
The grey Roalco de Farges appears in all categories, ran well on bad ground at Sandown and is as short as 16-1 in places (Brass Tax and Ballyoliver 33-1 and 40-1) for the Kim Muir at the festival.
Roalco De Farges is number 80 out of 109 entries for the Kim Muir and is unlikely to get in, so I’m assuming that today is his ‘Cheltenham’. My 1-2-3: 1 Roalco de Farges, 2 Firebird Flyer, 3 Brass Tax.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 10pts win DANCINGTILMIDNIGHT (3.00 Ludlow)
BET 6.6pts win (nap) ROALCO DE FARGES (3.30 Ludlow)
BET 4pts win and place CHIEF HECKLER (4.30 Ludlow)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 3pts win double DANCINGTILMIDNIGHT (3.00 Ludlow) and ROALCO DE FARGES (3.30 Ludlow)
NEW !!!
You can now follow BETDAQ updates on Google+
For further details – CLICK HERE
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
