DAQ MULTIPLES TO HIT THE HEADLINES AGAIN: Firm ground has reduced Wincanton to small and tricky fields so Daqman concentrates on Market Rasen and Thurles, quality AW fare at Newcastle, and a farewell to Luca Cumani at Wolverhampton. After three doubles and a treble on Monday for 93 points, Daqman tries more Daq Multiples today. Headlines:
FIRE TO FLY IN THE FIRST AT RASEN
IRISH LASS IS THE NAP OF THE DAY
KITTEN PURRFECT FOR THE SURFACE
MONEY DOWN FOR THE SWAN SONG
FIRE TO FLY IN THE FIRST AT RASEN
12.55 Market Rasen Though Colin Tizzard has a local meeting today at Wincanton – a very similar track – he sends soft-heavy winner Queen of The Wind to Rasen to qualify her for Cheltenham, or at least give him a line to the Challenger Mares final.
The ground may not soften up enough for her, and last year’s winning stable has 3.98 BETDAQ offer Hillcrest Fire fit from the Flat.
She wouldn’t settle at Cheltenham in the Spring, so her Flat runs have been teaching her a thing or two about being patient by holding her up.
1.25 Market Rasen It looks like clever handling by Dr Richard Newland to have prepped Aaron Lad at Cheltenham last month with this in mind.
He is now returning Aaron Lad to the scene of his CD triumph off 119 in March, with Charlie Hammond’s 5lb bringing him down to the same mark, getting more than a stone from the two market leaders.
Or at least he was! Up-in-the-ratings and going for his hat-trick, Jersey Bean is still there as favourite, but Wotzizname, returning after a long lay-off, is double the paper price, offered at 8.8 on BETDAQ as I write.
Perfect Man was backed with the bookies last night and was strong at 4.9 offers this morning, with Aaron Lad a tempting 7.6.
IRISH LASS IS THE NAP OF THE DAY
1.05 Thurles CD winner here at Thurles for Mouse Morris, Alpha Des Obeaux has his third race for Gordon Elliott, seemingly back to form in a Grade 2 at Clonmel a week back, beaten three lengths giving 6lb to the winner, Kemboy.
Kemboy gets some solid words of praise from trainer Willie Mullins in advance of the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury next Saturday and has the King George on his agenda.
Valseur Lido, who has won three times after a break, also runs in the Gigginstown colours and, at the ratings, has the edge, in receipt of 10lb from Alpha Des Obeaux. But Valseur hasn’t won for two years, and not at today’s trip for four years.
1.35 Thurles Make sure you watch this one. Winners will come out of it. Leaving out the older horse, Cappacon, there’s only around 5lb covering the principals.
Gordon Elliott’s won it twice in the last three years and, though Monition hasn’t won a race, the recent form of his Fairyhouse third was boosted when the winner went in again over the same CD nine days later.
Joseph O’Brien will be worrying about the rain, as he hopes to get Los Alamos home again before the winter bogs. Back to the winning trip here of his maiden win.
But I’m begging Ruby Walsh not to try any flashy Flat finish with my nap, 3.3 BETDAQ offer Irish Lass. To my mind, heroics are not necessary to win this as Willie Mullins steps her up to a trip demanded by her breeding.
KITTEN PURRFECT FOR THE SURFACE
3.30 Newcastle Big Kitten’s first run for William Haggas came after a 227-day break, and it was on turf at Doncaster.
Now here he is back to the Newcastle Tapeta, on which he’s been first and second in two outings, one of them success by five lengths, travelling really well on the terrain. I took 3.55 in the BETDAQ orange.
That’s not surprising since progeny of his sire, Kitten’s Joy, have a massive 38% strike rate on man-made surfaces.
4.35 Newcastle Newcastle leaves the best until last, a big-field class-3 sprint, the sort of race five of those taking part have won here before.
El Hombre could be added to that list, in that he’s won on the course but over 6f, though he has won over the minimum on turf.
What makes him interesting is that he’s dropping down in grade from five consecutive runs in class 2, during which time he’s been eased 7lb in the ratings. The 17.5 on BETDAQ looks big.
Dynamo Walt’s success here was two years ago but he’s won again over CD in class 4 since. Erissimus Maximus is 12lb higher than when he scored over the Newcastle CD but he’s won twice at Ascot since and was second in a big-field at Doncaster on the last day.
Outrage and Landing Light are high enough in the handicap. Orion’s Bow, who raced with ratings between 103 and 106 in 2016 and 2017, has been placing off 84 and 85 recently.
MONEY DOWN FOR THE SWAN SONG
5.30 Wolverhampton Luca Cumani has his final runner of a 43-year-old career, with a Group-race tally that averages slightly more than one a year in that time at 45.
Swansdown is his swan song. Handicapping first time as low as class 6, down in trip, a daughter of Dubawi whose progeny can improve dramatically with age.
So more than sentiment behind a small punt at 2.5, clear by six points in opening exchanges.
DAQMAN’S BETS
12.55 Market Rasen (win 20)
BET 7pts win HILLCREST FIRE
1.25 Market Rasen (each to win 20)
BET 5pts win PERFECT MAN
BET 3pts win AARON LAD
1.35 Thurles (win 20)
BET 8.5pts win (nap) IRISH LASS
3.30 Newcastle (win 20)
BET 7.75pts win BIG KITTEN
4.35 Newcastle (win 30)
BET 2pts win and place EL HOMBRE
5.30 Wolverhampton (win 10)
BET 6.5pts win SWANSDOWN
DAQ MULTIPLES: 3 x 3pt win doubles and 1pt win treble Alpha Des Obeaux (1.05 Thurles), Irish Lass (1.35 Thurles), Big Kitten (3.30 Newcastle)
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