14-1 BIG-RACE WINNER AND SUPERNAP UP: Daqman was flying with big wins at both ends of the spectrum yesterday, and in both racing amphitheatres to survive the rain in England and Ireland. He landed a second successive best bet with a supernap at short odds at Kempton, and a big-time 19.5 BETDAQ outsider which won at 14-1 at Leopardstown.
FOUR BETDAQ HITS INCLUDE 19.5 AND 6.0: His supernap on Politologue (WON 8-15), which took the Desert Orchid Chase, followed a 30-point profit from his Tuesday nap, 6.2 BETDAQ offer King Of Nepal (WON 11-4). His Leopardstown hit, Anibale Fly (WON 14-1), was 19.5 on BETDAQ in the morning. He had four winners altogether yesterday:
WON 14-1 ANIBALE FLY (from BETDAQ 19.5)
WON 7-2 TINTERN THEATRE (from BETDAQ 6.0)
WON 11-8 REDICEAN
WON 8-15 POLITOLOGUE (supernap)
DOUBLE DARE ‘NATIONAL’ FLYER
A double is two bets. Don’t forget that as you struggle in the mud to find just one wallet-saver to get your betting day home unscathed.
While I deliver that message as something of a warning, I’m going to declare right now that I intend to pull off the double that never was.
Before Chepstow was abandoned yesterday, Anibale Fly (WON 14-1) was doubled in my column with a horse in the Coral Welsh National. The Chepstow marathon will now be run on January 6.
To complete a single-point double, I shall put 15 points from Anibale Fly on my original Welsh National selection. I know what it is, of course – but I’m not telling you! – and I shall stick to it, all things being equal on the day.
As I said, a double is two bets. All the winnings from one horse are invested on the second horse. So boldness be my friend!
I had watched my bet Reel Steel crash out when leading at the last and gift the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown to the Pricewise tip, Whiskey Sour (WON 9-1). I willed Anibale Fly home to get back 33 points in front!
Why do I persist in the contest with Pricewise, when I’ve beaten him season after season for years? Because you have to stiffen the sinews in this game, give yourself something to aid concentration in your fierce battle with the odds.
Picking the Welsh National winner to a 15-point stake will be one of them. I double dare you to beat me that day, Pricewise!
HOOFNOTE: Daqman now has a 10-5 lead over Pricewise of the Racing Post in the search for value, and is 33 points clear (+23 against –10).
SIZZLING SIZING RISES TEMPERATURE
Given planes are not taking off at Stansted and there is widespread sub-zero temperatures across the country, racing has been quite lucky today.
Thankfully the big card at Leopardstown goes ahead, as does Limerick in Ireland. Both courses passed morning inspections.
In the UK we’ve lost Leicester and Kelso (tomorrow) but Catterick goes ahead alongside an eight race card on the all-weather at Lingfield.
3:00 Leopardstown Christmas Chase (formerly Lexus) This looks an absolute belter of a renewal with the market headed by the sizzling Sizing John who has 4lb in hand on the field on official ratings.
The scary thing for his opposition is that he may well be getting better at the age of seven, soon to be eight!
SIZING JOHN Bids for a sixth straight win with the sequence taking in both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cups.
He was weak in the market on his seasonal reappearance at Punchestown in the John Durkan but stayed on in great style to beat Djakadam comprehensively. The market expected some early season rustiness but it couldn’t have been more wrong.
DJAKADAM The gap is widening in defeat by Sizing John in three consecutive races at Cheltenham and Punchestown since this time last year. That’s when Djakadam was only third (Valseur Lido was fourth and is having his first race since then) in today’s race. Worryingly for Djakadam supporters, the John Durkan was a ‘home match’ for him with seemingly everything in his favour in a race that he has dominated in recent seasons.
YORKHILL Has never raced beyond 2m 5f over regulation fences but has given the impression it will suit. Off the course for 256 days though when he was beaten by Road To Respect.
ROAD TO RESPECT at six is entitled to improve in a first-time hood but has been beaten by both Outlander and Yorkhill in two of his last three starts.
OUTLANDER Has been generally disappointing since winning this last year. Did bounce back to form in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal when beating Road To Respect by half a length but I’m not sure that was brilliant form given the favourite Our Duke ran such a poor race – it also was run on soft ground and it will be a little quicker at Leopardstown today.
VERDICT The collateral form all points one way – to Sizing John. He rates a SUPERNAP on the basis I can’t find any weakness or negatives in his form. He’s 2.24 on BETDAQ in mid-morning trading.
VARSOVIAN FOR LINGFIELD REPEAT?
3.30 Lingfield I thought the Dean Ivory trained Varsovian won with a bit up his sleeve over seven furlongs a couple of weeks ago and he may well be able to defy the resulting 4lb penalty over this shorter trip. He seems equally as effective over this distance and should make some more hay off this kind of mark. At around 6.8 on the win market he looks a tempter with a place ‘stakes saver’ running alongside.
3.35 Leopardstown Bacardys was only third when favourite for his chasing debut at Naas but the benefit of that run and experience should prove pivotal in today’s race. Sutton Place might just need this on his first start since pulling up lame at the Punchestown Festival and Snow Falcon doesn’t seem the most resolute in a finish, although his proximity to Death Duty at Fairyhouse would put him in a with a winning chance if reading that form at face value.
DAQMAN’S BETS (Staked to win 20 points except SUPERNAP)
SUPERNAP: 20pts win SIZING JOHN (3.00 Leopardstown)
BET 3.4pts win 2.4pts place (stakes saver) VARSOVIAN (3.30 Lingfield)
BET 9.3pts win BACARDYS (3.35 Leopardstown)
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