2-1 SUPERNAP FOR THREE BIG RACE WINNERS IN A ROW: Daqman made it three consecutive big races in a row with a supernap on 7-lengths winner Sizing John (WON 2-1) in the John Durkan at Punchestown yesterday. It followed a double in the weekend’s top features on Saturday. In SP order:
WON 7-2 POLITOLOGUE (Tingle Creek Chase, Saturday)
WON 2-1 SIZING JOHN (supernap, John Durkan, Sunday)
WON 7-4 BLAKLION (Becher Chase, Saturday)
HE IS 42 POINTS CLEAR OF RACING POST’S PRICEWISE: This followed a 40-point supernap, On The Blind Side (WON 6-5, Friday), on a weekend which saw our man go 9-2 up on Pricewise, 42 points clear to single-unit stakes (Daqman +23, Pricewise -19). Where does Daqman get his winners from? Today’s article reveals how he constantly views and reviews the racing to find ‘the special ones,’ called Fortune Cookies.
THE SEASON’S FIRST FORTUNE COOKIES
Fortune Cookies for 2018 are under way in spectacular style. There were four weekend winners from Daqman’s horses-to-follow lists, which are automatically elevated to Cookies status.
Hoping the Cheltenham trials meeting (Friday-Saturday) beats the weather, the current contenders are listed again, søme with their targets.
Says Daqman: ‘Your form study is far better off for putting yourself in the role of trainer.
Pick horses to follow from viewing their races and then run with them through their season, deciding, as I have done below, when they are best placed – type of race and ground – and when to drop them.”
Additionally, look out tomorrow for Christmas Crackers, a holiday preview of horses not to follow for the season but which are specifically targeted at lower-level racing in the next three weeks. Here are the weekend hits, making up a super six Fortune Cookies so far:
WON 11-4 AINCHEA Sandown (2m), Saturday, for Colin Tizzard. Last after 3 out; long run, kept on flat. Needs further now.
WON 7-4 BLAKLION Aintree (3m 2f National fences), Saturday, for Nigel Twiston-Davies. Nine-lengths Becher Chase winner. This column has 20-1 with Corals for the Grand National.
WON 7-2 POLITOLOGUE Sandown (2m), Saturday, for Paul Nicholls. Voted star performer of the day when winning the Tingle Creek.
WON 2-1 SIZING JOHN Punchestown (2m 4f) yesterday for Jessica Harrington. Comfortable John Durkan winner over old-rival Djakadam.
BRISTOL DE MAI Elevated to Cookies level after his defeat of Blaklion and 57-lengths Lancashire Chase victory over Cue Card.
BUVEUR D’AIR Elevated to Cookies level after his win in the Fighting Fifth.
SATURDAY BIG RACE WILL BE CRUCIAL
Fingers crossed for another big weekend. One of the big tests for the remaining horses to follow is the winter gold cup at Cheltenham on Saturday. The winner will become a Fortune Cookie for the festival season after Christmas.
Altior (Nicky Henderson) Not seen since the Spring and has some catching up to do.
Apple’s Jade (Gordon Elliott) Long Walk Hurdle, Ascot, December 23.
Beer Goggles (Richard Wollacott) Ladbrokes Long-Distance Hurdle winner at Newbury has to prove that was no fluke.
Beware The Bear (Nicky Henderson) Silver Cup, Ascot, December 23
Braqueur d’Or (Paul Nicholls) Novice chase, Cheltenham, Friday
Cause Of Causes (Gordon Elliott) We await his reappearance before returning him to the Fortune Cookies list, with Cheltenham cross-country and Grand National in mind.
Charli Parcs (Nicky Henderson) Ascot, December 23
Don’t Tell No One (John Kiely) Troytown runner-up needs checking out in next test
Douvan (Willie Mullins) Finished lame in the Champion Chase and withdrawn last week.
Clan des Obeaux (Paul Nicholls) Target is the winter gold cup at Cheltenham Saturday.
Faugheen (Willie Mullins) Back with a runaway win in the Morgiana but concerned by stable query: ‘Now can we keep the wheels on him for Cheltenham?’
Le Prezien (Paul Nicholls) Engaged in the same race.Le Prezien (Paul Nicholls) Another engaged in the winter gold cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.
Jerrysback (Philip Hobbs) Look out for him in a novice chase.
Mengli Khan (Gordon Elliott) Surged to the front of the Supreme Novice Hurdle market.
Might Bite (Nicky Henderson) King George candidate.
On The Blind Side (Nicky Henderson) Another big gun for Cheltenham (Ballymore or Albert Bartlett)
Sam Spinner (Jedd O’Keefe) Long Walk Hurdle, Ascot, December 23.
Total Recall (Willie Mullins) Another probable for the winter gold cup on Saturday.
REJECTED: Ice Cool Champs, Thistlecrack, Pallasator, William H Bonney and Yanworth. Fox Norton put by for better ground in the Spring.
VOCALIST A GREAT SHOUT AT FONTWELL
A quiet start to the week with Fontwell over the jumps and a Fibresand card from Southwell. Racing at Musselburgh has been frozen off. It’s not looking great for tomorrow either, racing at Uttoxeter has already been abandoned due to snow on the course whilst Ayr’s card will be subject to an inspection. On the subject of racing tomorrow set the alarm clocks nice and early – the first race at Lingfield is 11.30am!
12.45 Fontwell The Dan Skelton newcomer Comrade Conrad doesn’t make a great deal of appeal at around even money on BETDAQ. It’s not the greatest looking juvenile hurdle by any means but Comrade Conrad didn’t seem to progress on the flat when trained by Roger Charlton after his Windsor debut win.
Alarmingly he was a tailed off last of seven, beaten 66 lengths, on his last flat start at Haydock which came on heavy ground. A run that hardly leaves you brimming with confidence about his ability to handle 2m 2f around Fontwell in the winter mud.
The Gary Moore locally trained Aiguille Rouge looks only modest and was beaten a fair way when third of six at Fakenham last time out and a bigger danger might well be Marettimo who looks a win and place option in a race where few can be given a serious chance.
Marettimo’s distant second at Ludlow to Phoenix Dawn doesn’t read so badly given that Phoenix Dawn when on to finish second in a Sandown handicap hurdle on Friday.
1.45 Fontwell I’m also taking on a Dan Skelton trained short priced runner here. Roksana won well at Plumpton last time out but it came on good ground and was in a weak looking race and this looks much tougher under a penalty.
Lurking at the bottom of the card is The Vocalist who makes her first start for Nicky Henderson. She won a bumper in good style at Carlisle when trained by Stuart Crawford and is very unexposed. It looks significant she has joined the Henderson stable and she can make a winning start.
3.30 Southwell Having course and distance form over this unique surface is a well documented attribute as is the ability to start well in a race that isn’t even over five furlongs (4f 214y to be precise).
Archie Stevens made all to win over course and distance a week ago and can follow up under a 6lb penalty.
He’s won off a mark of 80 earlier in his career so it might well be that now he has found his form again he could be very well in indeed off a current BHA rating of just 51.
DAQMAN’S BETS (win bets staked to win 20 points, place bet 10 points)
BET 3.0pts win and 4.3pts place MARETTIMO (12.45 Fontwell)
BET 11.6pts win THE VOCALIST (1.45 Fontwell)
BET 5.4pts win ARCHIE STEVENS (3.30 Southwell)
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