DAQMAN REACHES 80 WINS AGAINST PRICEWISE: Daqman landed winning bet number 80 against Pricewise yesterday through Saint Calvados (WON 5-2) but Pricewise got in first with a rare 14-1 hit, bridging the gap between them to 783 points to 10pts level stakes.
ACCOUNTS UPDATE:
Daqman 80, Pricewise 38 (Daqman + 313, Pricewise – 470 to 10pt stakes)
Bulls-eye naps (8-16) 50% (256pts profit to recommended stakes)
Supernaps (24-41) 59% (49pts profit to 20-point stake)
FRENCH GIFT THE CRITERIUM TO AIDAN O’BRIEN: Another big day today, this time in England without the rain (Aintree going soft), but the Paris track at Longchamp is heavy, hence a depleted Criterium two-year-old championship of just three runners, fascinating nevertheless, as Aidan O’Brien fields two in a race with no French juveniles. Headlines:
🔹 ARMORY’S LAST-GASP GROUP 1
🔹 THE VETERANS’ TOUR OF DUTY
🔹 ONE FOR US AT 8.0 ON BETDAQ
🔹 TECHNICIAN COULD FIX FRENCH
🔹 KALASHNIKOV’S THE BIG SHOT
ARMORY’S LAST-GASP GROUP 1
1.00 Longchamp (Criterium International) We see-saw between a Derby trial at Longchamp and the Grand National venue at Aintree today.
With the Doncaster Futurity postponed until Newcastle on Friday, Aidan O’Brien looks for his first Group-1 juvenile-colt winner of the season (yes, you’ve gotta believe it).
His Galileo-sired Armory should certainly be thereabouts after his second to Pinatubo in the National Stakes. Ballydoyle is also represented by Wichita (No Nay Never), the Dewhurst third.
German raider Alson (Frankie Dettori) finished a short-neck in front of Armory when they were second and third in the Lagardere at the Arc meeting (also very soft).
Frankie is likely to try to dictate in the mud leaving Donnacha O’Brien to challenge late on the progressive Armory and duff Dettori, as he did with Kew Gardens over Stradivarius on Champions Day at Ascot.
THE VETERANS’ TOUR OF DUTY
1.50 Aintree We’ve just had a maiden and a conditional-jockeys-only race on this Aintree card – a double tonic for the layers so far – but this third event is usually a decent betting race.
Veterans’ chases go fairly much to form: two favourites and two 5-1 shots have won four of the last five in this class 2 on the Mildmay course. This one may not be too difficult to win.
Henry Oliver (Kilaro Boy), Stuart Coltcherd (Captain Redbeard) and Venetia Williams (Burtons Well) are all three out of form so that, as I write, I’m choosing from four only of nine declared, with Indian Temple and Carole’s Destrier both nonners.
On Tour has won just once in his last 20 starts but he was beaten only a neck first run back, dropped 13lb down the handicap, on the soft at Chepstow.
Theatre Guide, who was behind that day, has a similar profile, with good form in top-class races, but now 12 years old and has to give 10lb to On Tour.
ONE FOR US AT 8.0 ON BETDAQ
2.45 Wincanton (Desert Orchid Silver Cup) One or two are winning but most from the local yards of Paul Nicholls and Colin Tizzard are not striking and hard to know what to expect.
White Moon is a winning novice, looking high in the ratings for his first handicap after a second wind op, and a favourite I shall oppose today.
Coup De Pinceau has a similar profile and the same 137 rating. Stablemate Captain Cattistock, who likes trip and ground, was 3-3 at Wincanton over hurdles.
One Of Us, who was second over a similar trip at Wincanton in March (stumbled badly two out), afterwards won a marathon at Exeter. Related to a Grand National winner on the dam’s side.
You can’t dismiss any of these emerging chasers but I like the way One For Us is shaping, and he certainly looks one for us on value: 8.0 BETDAQ taken.
TECHNICIAN COULD FIX FRENCH
2.50 Longchamp (Prix Royal Oak) Last year’s Doncaster St Leger runner-up Lah Ti Dar likely runs her last race in this, taking on established marathon stars as she tries to step out of the frustrating ‘nearly horse’ category (placed in the past to Kew Gardens, Magical, Coronet and Enable).
The opposition includes the Prix du Cadran one-two, Holdthasigreen and Call The Wind, the same result as in this Royal Oak last year, with the same threeparts of a length between them.
The other English raider, Technician, almost has a second home in France, having won 2-2 at Longchamp, including the recognised Royal Oak trial, the Prix Chaudenay in very soft ground.
Way To Paris and Called To The Bar are both held by Holdthasigreen on earlier form but, with Pierre-Charles Boudot teaming up so well with him at the Arc meeting, I shall bet Technician (4.6 BETDAQ) on ground he loves, with Holdthasigreen as saver. Three-year-olds have won this three times in seven seasons.
KALASHNIKOV’S THE BIG SHOT
3.00 Aintree (Old Roan Chase) The Ryanair-winning team of Frodon and Bryony Frost face Manifesto scorer on this course, Kalashnikov, at a difference of a stone.
Harry Whittington’s Saint Calvados did us proud yesterday and the ground is right for Bigmartre but I can’t see that a Springtime success at Perth (raised 8lb) makes him the equal of Kalashnikov in this handicap.
Kalashnikov has never been out of the first two, still standing, from good to heavy, whatever the form of his stable.
Frodon has been kept mainly to good ground. He was receiving weight from the favourite when he won this race last year but is an 11lb better horse now.
In theory, the handicapper has equalised their chances.
Backers and layers seem to agree, with the edge to Kalashnikov, getting a lump of weight on a soft surface. That’s about right.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.00 Longchamp (supernap)
BET 20pts win ARMORY
1.50 Aintree (win 10)
BET 4.5pts win ON TOUR
2.45 Wincanton (win 50 bull’s-eye bet, place 10)
BET 7pts win, 6pts place ONE FOR US
2.50 Longchamp (win 20)
BET 4.25pts win TECHNICIAN
3.00 Aintree (win 10)
BET 5.75pts win KALASHNIKOV
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