SEVEN UP! NOW FOR KING GEORGE: Three winners yesterday gave Daqman seven possible returns in the last two days. His Saturday Fortune Cookie, Dartmouth, lays it on the line in the King George at Ascot this afternoon.
30.0 INTERNATIONAL BETDAQ BET: First the flying Frankel filly Fair Eva defends her reputation in a big field for the Princess Margaret Stakes, and the King George is the conclusion of a right royal day in which he goes for a 30.0 shot in the International Stakes.
TREBLE BID IN VALUE CHALLENGE: Daqman is defending a 56-25 lead in his value challenge to Pricewise of the Racing Post in the 2.45, 3.20 and 3.55 at Ascot.
JUST HOPING FOR A PLACE BEHIND EVA
2.45 Ascot (Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes) The last three winners of this had run at Royal Ascot or had scored on the course.
Step forward Dainty Dandy, in the firing line most of the way in the Albany.
But just in front of Dainty Dandy in the Albany was Kilmah, who went on to run fourth in Roly Poly’s Cherry Hinton, a short head behind National Alexander.
She, in turn, had been left standing four lengths at Haydock in June by the Frankel filly Fair Eva, getting crazy quotes as favourite for the 1,000 Guineas.
Magical Fire, fifth in the Cherry Hinton, is also held by Fair Eva on these collateral lines to form, and Fair Eva also comes out in front of Minding’s sister How (through the Albany winner, Brave Anna).
But Kocollada, who has won on firm ground, is the forgotten filly on her fourth in the Queen Mary (Roly Poly and Kachess behind).
Easy, isn’t it? No, unfortunately the Queen Mary was run on soft ground over 5f and both Kocollada and Kachess can do better over today’s extra furlong on fast.
The good news is that BETDAQ offers you a 108% overround, in which it’s 12.5 bar the odds-on Fair Eva, every one of them a better price for a place than Fair Eva to win. I’ll try Kocollada at 22.0 and put Fair Eva in my Daq Multiples.
MOORE OR SPENCER? NEW STAR CLASH
3.20 Ascot Collateral form is the only way to bet if you are mental enough to try to divine the result of a big two-year-old race, but here’s an example of how misleading (or not?) it can be because of the ground differences.
Manson, fourth to Von Blucher at Newmarket (firmish), had been only 19th behind Zodiakos, Folkswood and Taurean Star on the soft in the Britannia at Royal Ascot.
Ryan Moore had at least three to choose from in this but prefers Von Blucher (they were together when the colt broke his maiden).
A 4.5 BETDAQ offer, Von Blucher travels well in his races and we do hope not to have another Irish Rookie situation, particularly with Jamie Spencer likely to be in the firing line on CD-winner Taurean Star (at 8.2).
Ironically, Taurean Star was unluckily beaten at Lingfield by Red Box, who was awarded yesterday’s drama race, with my nap, Irish Rookie, only second, though the one most sinned against.
WITHERNSEA WILL LOVE STRONG PACE
3.55 Ascot (International Stakes) Four-year-olds 7, Five-year-olds 3; the rest nowhere. And massive SPs: 40-1, 33-1 (twice), 25-1, 16-1 all in the last seven years.
Brazos, down in the ratings, was brought back to form on the last day. Had no chance in this on the soft drawn high last year. I took 15.0 in a 105% BETDAQ orange.
But high numbers could hold sway this time around and the big field will suit the finisher Withernsea, 30.0 on BETDAQ
It’s a huge day for George Wood, whose 7lb allowance could get Bunbury Cup and Victoria Cup placed Mutawathea in the frame again.
WINGS A BIG WORRY FOR DARTMOUTH
4.30 Ascot (King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, ABC Guide in Wednesday’s column) My Fortune Cookie, Dartmouth, has been easy to back since the first euphoria for fans of Sir Michael Stoute – and those lovers of prostration before the royals – after Postponed’s absence.
Maybe Her Majesty hasn’t had the Maundy Money on yet and 5.0 looks good value for a Stoute horse on the up after winning the John Porter and the Ormonde, now 41lb higher than his first handicap win in May 2015, so yet another huge improver in the hands of racing’s horse-whisperer.
Highland Reel heads him in the BETDAQ market this morning, presumably because of the firm ground and because it’s the received wisdom that he needed the race in the Hardwicke, when runner-up to Dartmouth on the soft at Ascot.
The Galileo colt has won his Group/Grade-1 races on firmish ground at Sha-tin (Hong Kong Vase) and in America (Secretariat Stakes at Arlington).
The ground is also what makes Wings Of Desire a dangerous rival. Red Verdon has boosted their Derby running, and Wings Of Desire’s best form to date is on a firm surface.
His Dante success now looks much stronger since Deauville won in America, and he receives 12lb from the older horses.
With Fortune Cookies all backed at a 20-point level stake, I shall have a ‘normal’ bet on Wings Of Desire, at similar odds in a fabulous 101% BETDAQ orange.
DAQMAN’S BETS (to win 30, except Fortune Cookie)
BET 1.5pts win and place KOCOLLADA (2.45 Ascot)
BET 7pts win (nap) VON BLUCHER and 4pts win and place TAUREAN STAR (3.20 Ascot)
BET 2pts win and place BRAZOS, and 1pt win and place WITHERNSEA (3.55 Ascot)
BET 7.5pts win WINGS OF DESIRE, and (20pt Fortune Cookie) DARTMOUTH (4.30 Ascot)
BET 8pts win SHOZITA (6.50 Salisbury)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 6pts win double Fair Eva (2.45 Ascot) and Von Blucher (3.20 Ascot) and 1pt win treble with Shozita (6.50 Salisbury)
£25 IN FREE BETS
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