CHELTENHAM CHAMPION: THE TOP TIPSTER: A 3-1 winner yesterday extended Daqman’s superb sequence to 13 consecutive days with at least one win. These are his standings for the opening day at Cheltenham:
➡️ WINNER-A-DAY: 22 wins in 13 consecutive days
➡️ BEST BETS: Five winning naps out of six
➡️ BULL’S- EYE NAPS: Three from three (no losers)
➡️ FORTUNE COOKIES: 586.76 points profit
➡️ DAQMAN 30, PRICEWISE 16
CHELTENHAM CHAMPION: THE HURDLES ACE: Daqman says there’s a ‘monster’ in the Champion Hurdle but he also has outsiders running for him from the Fortune Cookies pool (see full list for the week yesterday and individually at the head of each race. The headlines:
HOLD YOUR BREATH: IT’S DAY 1
HARDLINE CAN TOUGH THIS OUT
I’LL OPEN A BOTTLE OF VINTAGE
APPLE’S JADE LOOKS A MONSTER
BENIE THE BANKER OF THE DAY
STAR IS HUGE AT BETDAQ 19.5
HOLD YOUR BREATH: IT’S DAY 1
1.30 Cheltenham (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle)
FORTUNE COOKIE: Angel’s Breath 6.6 on BETDAQ (all Cookies are 20pts win at SP)
BREEDING: Angel’s Breath, The Big Bite, Thomas Darby, Tokay Dokey
RATINGS: Klassical Dream, Elixir De Nutz, Aramon, Al Dancer, Grand Sancy
TRAINER: W Mullins (3 in the decade). JOCKEY: Ruby Walsh (4)
STATS: Elixir De Nutz and Klassical Dream have won the same prep races as recent winners of this. Ireland has won 11 out of 18, of which 13 had raced in bumpers; 18 out of the last 20 winners had scored in their prep race.
FORM: The grey Al Dancer has won four in a row, including one here at Cheltenham and one open handicap at Ascot, though that form has not worked out especially well.
Not much between Klassical Dream and Aramon, the pair clear at Leopardstown (good) of Vision d’Honneur. Fakir d’Oudairies won the Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle Trial (4yo) so easily that he’s taking on his elders here instead of going for the Triumph.
In the Tolworth Hurdle, Grand Sancy finished in front of Southfield Stone, who beat Angels Breath at Kempton when receiving weight.
BETDAQ VALUE: Angels Breath has been my fancy all along, and will be spot on today. Now I need something to beat him, in case it all goes wrong!
My man in the long grass reports that Fakir d’Oudairies (8.0 this morning) is a champion in the making for J P McManus and can emulate Hors La Loi, the last juvenile winner in 1999.
HARDLINE CAN TOUGH THIS OUT
2.10 Cheltenham (Arkle Challenge Trophy)
FORTUNE COOKIE: Lalor (7.4 on BETDAQ this morning)
BREEDING: Clondaw Castle, Kalashnikov, Knocknanuss, Slate House.
RATINGS: Hardline, Us And Them
TRAINER: W Mullins (3), N Henderson (3). JOCKEY: R Walsh (3), B Geraghty (3)
STATS: Key races: Supreme Novices Hurdle (Kalashnikov second last year). Footpad and Douvan won the same three prep races, including the Leopardstown Arkle. Nine of the last 11 winners had won or been placed over 19f
FORM: Hardline had beaten Us And Them further than did sidelined Le Richebourg in the Leopardstown Arkle. Duc Des Genievres stepped up to 2m 4f to score easily on the last day and the fourth horse scored on Saturday.
Glen Forsa had Kalashnikov out of sight at Sandown but may have been flattered. Lalor was impressive at Cheltenham in defeating Dynamite Dollars.
BETDAQ VALUE: There will be power play from the start from Duc Des Genievres and power play up the finishing hill from stablemate Hardline, who has won over further. It’s one for Willie Mullins, with Hardline the toughie at 6.2.
I’LL OPEN A BOTTLE OF VINTAGE
2.50 Cheltenham (Ultima Handicap Chase)
FORTUNE COOKIE: Up For Review (BETDAQ 10.5)
BREEDING: Up For Review, Give Me A Copper, Beware The Bear
RATINGS: handicap
TRAINER: Jonjo O’Neill (3). JOCKEY: Tom Scudamore (2), Richie McLernon (2)
STATS: Horses aged seven and eight combined have scored 8-10. Twelve out of 17 carried 11st or less, and today’s ground should favour the lower end of the handicap.
FORM: Coo Star Sivola has raced 10 times at Cheltenham: third in the Fred Winter, fourth in the Martin Pipe, then won this race last year (going heavy), with Vintage Clouds third, Beware The Bear fourth, Singlefarmpayment fifth (O O Seven 10th).
Vintage Clouds had come even closer to winning the year before but fell. Singlefarmpayment was second that day, beaten a short-head. Beware The Bear was back to form at Cheltenham on the last day after a wind op.
Minella Rocco is 13lb lower than the rating he was given after running second in the 2017 Gold Cup. Up For Review was third in the Grade A Thyestes Chase.
Mister Whitaker is a stone higher than when winning a handicap at last year’s festival. Calipto has also run at the festival before and his February win was a career best.
BETDAQ VALUE: Beware The Bear and Calipto (25.0) are in form. Coo Star Sivola, Vintage Clouds (26.0) and Flying Angel have chances at the lower end of the handicap, and Minella Rocco (12.0) has the handicapper on his side.
I dropped Vintage Clouds from the Fortune Cookies (and look what. happened when I discarded Tiger Roll, won 25-1) but he has gone close hat the festival, including in this race, and looks a sound place bet.
APPLE’S JADE LOOKS A MONSTER
3.30 Cheltenham (Champion Hurdle)
FORTUNE COOKIES: Laurina (4.1), Sharjah (24.0), Verdana Blue (50.0).
BREEDING: Espoir D’Allen, Brain Power.
RATINGS: Buveur d’Air 172, Apple’s Jade 166 (but Apple’s Jade has 7lb sex allowance).
TRAINER: N Henderson (4), W Mullins (4). JOCKEY: R Walsh (4), B Geraghty (3).
STATS: Horses aged six and seven are 8-10. Previous winners, like Buveur D’Air (last two years), have a good record. Favourites 5-8. Willie Mullins 4-8.
FORM: Hat-trick seeker Buveur d’Air is 12-14 over hurdles, 11 of them on soft-heavy, but has to give 7lb to the mares Apple’s Jade and Laurina.
Apple’s Jade is on a roll and ran away with the Irish Champion Hurdle. Laurina is unbeaten in five starts since coming over from France, and her stablemate, Melon, was runner-up to Buveur d’Air here a year ago.
BETDAQ VALUE: Apple’s Jade looked a monster in the Irish Champion Hurdle and I need her (at 3.2 offers) to save me from too many wild cards in the Fortune Cookies pack.
BENIE THE BANKER OF THE DAY
4.10 Cheltenham (Mares Hurdle)
BREEDING: Momella, Good Thyne Tara
RATINGS: Benie Des Dieux, Limini, Good Thyne Tara
TRAINER: W. Mullins (9)
STATS: Mullins had eight in a row and is said to rate Benie Des Dieux his best of the meeting!
FORM: Going for a repeat but without a run, Benie Des Deux beat Apple’s Jade at Punchestown last time we saw her. Roksana and Limini are also lightly raced.
Third in this in 2016, Limini, within a couple of lengths of Presenting Percy in the Galmoy, was well beaten by Good Thyne Tara over Christmas after that one was thrashed by Stormy Ireland at Punchestown but will Stormy get today’s trip?
BETDAQ VALUE: Evens or better Benie Des Dieux
STAR IS HUGE AT BETDAQ 19.5
5.30 Cheltenham (NH Chase)
BREEDING: Ballyward, Ok Corral, Discorama, Chef Des Obeaux, Atlanta Ablaze.
RATINGS: Ok Corral, Ballyward, Chef Des Obeaux.
TRAINER: G.Elliott (3), W. Mullins (2). JOCKEY: Jamie Codd, with seven festival wins, and Derek O’Connor (two in this).
STATS: In the last four years, this has produced a Grand National winner and second for Gordon Elliott.
FORM: Last year’s Albert Bartlett second (Ok Corral) and fourth
(Ballyward) and Martin Pipe runner-up Discorama lead the market, and all three are bred for the race.
BETDAQ VALUE: Impulsive Star (huge at 19.5) is another to have gone well here before, fourth in this marathon last year, and with the rain come for him. Le Breuil (18.5) is strongly fancied at this trip and has Jamie Codd in the saddle.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.30 Cheltenham (win 30)
BULL’S-EYE BET: 4.25pts win FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES
2.10 Cheltenham (win 30)
BET: 6pts win HARDLINE
2.50 Cheltenham (win 50)
BULL’S-EYE BET: 4.5pts win and place MINELLA ROCCO
BULL’S-EYE BET: 2pts win and place VINTAGE CLOUDS
3.30 Cheltenham (win 20)
BET: 10pts win APPLE’S JADE
4.10 Cheltenham (win-20 supernap)
BET 20pts win BENIE DES DIEUX
4.50 Cheltenham (win 30)
BET 4pts win A PLUS TARD
BET 3pts win RIDERS ON THE STORM
5.30 Cheltenham (win 50)
BULL’S-EYE BET: 2.85pts win and place LE BREUIL
BULL’S-EYE BET: 2.75pts win and place IMPULSIVE STAR
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