DAQMAN BID FOR BACK-TO-BACK BANKERS: The Irish Derby meeting at the Curragh opens this evening, with Daqman in form after a banker yesterday, Curiosity (WON 5-6). There’s another one today at Newcastle.
HORSE-BY-HORSE IRISH BIG-RACE CHECK: Daqman launches the Irish Derby meeting with an ABC Guide to Saturday’s big race. His bets today cover Chester, Doncaster, Newcastle and Yarmouth, as well as The Curragh.
IRISH DERBY ABC GUIDE
A Winner or placed Epsom Derby (5/6)
B Trained Aidan O’Brien (7/10)
C Winner at Group level or 1m 2f+ (8/10)
D Raced within the last month (10/10)
X-factor: Stable in top form
* Daqman’s current ratings are in brackets
ABCDX WINGS OF EAGLES (115)
His sire, Pour Moi, won the Epsom Derby with a sustained run which caught the non-stayers flat-footed. But he never raced again.
Was Wings Of Eagles just lucky to get a second wind when most had cried enough, or is he a standout now among colts? So many pacesetters from the same yard could set him up for the same again.
AD CRACKSMAN (113)
The sole English raider, in theory already well held by the favourite, having finished third behind Wings Of Eagles in the Epsom Derby.
Excuses that he didn’t come down the hill yet he had won the Derby Trial on the same course. However, just three runs in his life, suggesting a major step forward is likely any time soon.
BCDX CAPRI (110)
A nearly horse, always in the first four, until one-paced sixth at Epsom, just behind Royal Ascot Group-3 winner, Benbatl.
BCDX DOUGLAS MACARTHUR (109)
Another rated at Group-3 level, winner of the Derrinstown Derby Trial and seventh, a length behind Capri, at Epsom.
BCX THE ANVIL (106)
Only a nose behind Wings Of Eagles when third in the Chester Vase and his lagging 23 lengths in rear of the same horse at Epsom is partly explained by the pacesetting task which left him short of finish.
BDX TAJ MAHAL (108)
Fourth in the French Derby and the Royal Ascot Group 3 won by Benbatl, has had 12 races now and looks exposed as a nearly horse.
CDX WALDGEIST (111)
French Derby runner-up to Brametot, who had won their Guineas a short-head from the subsequent Jersey Stakes (Group 3) winner. Dam half-sister to St Leger winner so this first attempt at 1m 4f could bring improvement. Trainer Andre Fabre sees it that way.
CD GRANDEE (98)
Grandee and Dubai Sand finished one-two in a Curragh maiden last October. Neither has reached the heights, but this one was back to form in a Listed on the soft at Leopardstown, showing propensity for a stamina test.
– DUBAI SAND (96)
Last of five (behind Douglas Macarthur and Capri) in the Derrinstown trial. Trainer retains faith but needs genuinely good ground. Cheekpieces first time tomorrow.
HILLS FORM A MOOT POINTER
3.30 Doncaster Century Dream is down in the racecard as hooded and tongue-tied first time. In fact, he’s tongue-tied and hooded first time. He should outrun these on the soft ground, dropped back to his maiden-winning trip and with William Buick booked. One for your multiples.
3.40 Yarmouth Charles Hills has suddenly hit some form with three winners in five days, and Mootaharer is better than the bare results, now dropped in grade and back to his maiden-winning trip. I can see him attempt to make all: 7.4 BETDAQ offers as I write.
START THE MEETING HAPPILY..
5.45 The Curragh If Aidan O’Brien makes a sizzling start to the meeting, it will most likely be with Happily, sister to Classic winners Gleneagles and Marvellous (2.74 in the BETDAQ orange, early mouse).
In fact, O’Brien, who has won this race four times in eight years, is (at 7-27) a shade below this season’s juvenile-turf strike rates of Ger Lyons (4-14) and Jim Bolger (5-19), who run Shalailah and Back At Dawn respectively.
Back At Dawn (5th) and Happily (7th) come from the maiden won by O’Brien’s subsequent Chesham winner, September, who is already favourite for the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas of 2018.
6.45 The Curragh Ducky Mallon has dropped to a pound below his last winning mark. He’s top of the Racing Post future ratings for this, and he’s in the stall adjacent to his gate-13 victory over 25 others on today’s course last summer. BETDAQ offers of 17.0
7.15 The Curragh (Apprentice Derby) Three-year-olds are 6-9 in this, and Joseph O’Brien and sister Ana are lined up with Thomas O’Malley for a repeat of last year’s success with a second-season animal.
But the improver among the three-year-olds is Steeleyed, who stepped up from a claimer win to just miss out in a 1m 4f Fairyhouse handicap two weeks back.
Danger to all is the well-drawn Zeftan, who bolted up nine lengths in the Ladies Derby here last July. I took 7.4 Zeftan and 10.5 Steeleyed.
BANKER BOUQUET OF DAISIES
7.00 Newcastle (Gosforth Park Cup) Art Collection, Distant Past and last-year’s winner of this, Orion’s Bow (up 13lb) are all CD winners on the Tapeta surface.
But they are handicappers and may not have the class of first-time-blinkered Afandem, a Group-3 winner at Chantilly, fourth in both Flying Childers and Cornwallis Stakes. A bit of 16.0 win and place in the hope that he’s trained on..
8.05 Newcastle Chain Of Daisies has 11lb to spare over the best of her rivals here, if the official handicapper is to be believed. Fifth in the race last year but said to have been better readied for a hit today. Slightly above even money on BETDAQ this morning.
8.15 Chester Winner of this from the front last season out of gate 4, Gabrial The Tiger is in the adjacent stall 3, dropped in grade from his last run, is back down below 80 (his last winning mark on the course) and has got his ground. So 8.8 on BETDAQ looks mighty big.
DAQMAN’S BETS (stakes to win 20 points unless otherwise stated)
BET 3pts win MOOTAHARER (3.40 Yarmouth)
BET 1.3pts win and place DUCKY MALLON (6.45 The Curragh)
BET 1.3pts win and place AFANDEM (7.00 Newcastle)
BET 3pts win ZEFTAN and 2pts win STEELEYED (7.15 The Curragh)
BANKER: BET 20pts win (nap) CHAIN OF DAISIES (8.05 Newcastle)
BULL’S-EYE BET (to win 50): BET 6.4pts win GABRIAL THE TIGER (8,15 Chester)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 1pt win yankee Century Dream (3.30 Doncaster), Mootaharer (3.40 Yarmouth), Happily (5.45 The Curragh) and Chain of Daisies (8.05 Newcastle)
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