CHAMPIONS-DAY COUNTDOWN: FRENCH RAIDER WHO LOVES THE MUD: He’s top-rated and he’s won three races on very soft or heavy going among six wins in a row. This French ace is a Daqman spot in his series of previews to Saturday’s British Champions Day at Ascot.
MORE RAIN PAIN FOR ASCOT: Ascot Clerk of the course Chris Stickels said earlier today he remained concerned about forecast rain with the going still heavy on the straight track. Friday’s Redcar card has been called off due to waterlogging.
PUNTERS RUSH FOR REVENANT
⚠️ HEADS UP Best backed horse of the week so far is mud-lover The Revenant, trained at Lamorlaye by Francis-Henri Graffard to win six races in row, including the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc Saturday (going very soft).
3.20 Ascot (QE 11 Stakes, British Champions Mile)
Only soft-heavy ground winners listed (in ratings order)
126 The Revenant (4-6 on soft, 3 on very soft or heavy) F-H Graffard, Pierre-Charles Boudot
117 Lord Glitters (3-6, one on heavy) David O’Meara, Daniel Tudhope
114 Century Dream (4-7, one on heavy) Simon Crisford, William Buick
114 Happy Power (2-4) Andrew Balding, Silvestre de Sousa
113 Safe Voyage (3-7, one on heavy) John Quinn, Jason Hart
112 Move Swifty (1-1) William Haggas
109 Raising Sand (1-7) Jamie Osborne
107 Imaging (2-5, both on heavy) Dermot Weld
⚠️ HEADS UP: Addeybb is now a confirmed runner in the Champion Stakes, with a quote of ‘the softer the better’ from connections.
4.00 Ascot (Champion Stakes, revised version)
Only soft-heavy ground winners listed (in ratings order)
122 Magical (2-7) Aidan O’Brien
114 Addeybb (3-7, one on heavy) William Haggas, James Doyle
114 Coronet (1-4, one on heavy) John Gosden
107 Pondus (1-3), James Fanshawe
PROGRESSIVE IS STILL AHEAD
1.40 Wincanton Clearly a micro-climate at tropical Wincanton with good ground. Nickolson shaped really well on debut at Ayr when winning a bumper – justifying strong market support on his racecourse debut. However the form hasn’t worked out all that well and he faces a big rival here in the shape of Nebuchadnezzar who might just have a bit too much experience for the favourite.
Nebuchadnezzar has already had three starts over hurdles – most recently finishing fourth in a decent class 4 juvenile event at Warwick.
Nickolson might well be the best horse in the long term but at BETDAQ prices today (2.1 v 4.5 at the time of writing) I have to be with the second favourite.
3.05 Brighton Not a bad class 4 contest by course standards and stacked with potential improvers. My starting point was that I wanted to be against the favourite Merryweather who shaped well on debut at Nottingham but failed miserably at Goodwood on second start when beaten 18 lengths on soft ground.
Whilst any horse can be forgiven a bad run at the early stage of her career, and certainly excused a poor run at quirky Goodwood, I don’t really want to play at short odds to assume a bounce back in form – especially with soft ground also forecast at Brighton today.
I prefer the chance of Sly Minx who should come on bundles for her second start. She was unconsidered at 100/1 on debut at Newmarket but in the end beaten less than 10 lengths and showed she had promise. Hollie Doyle rides again and in a much easier contest can go close.
7.15 Wolverhampton Progressive Rating is living up to his name and you couldn’t have failed to be impressed with his seven length romp at Kempton last time out. If in the same kind of form here, the penalty is not going to be stopping him.
Second Love also won well last time out and is is also penalised. He’ll be no pushover but will hopefully hold up the market for the nap.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 10 points)
BET 2.8pts win NEBUCHADNEZZAR (1.40 Wincanton)
BET 2.0pts win SLY MINX (3.05 Brighton)
BET 12.0pts win (nap) PROGRESSIVE RATING (7.15 Wolverhampton)
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