BACK-TO-BACK NAPS AND WINNING LAUNCH OF FORTUNE COOKIES: Daqman landed back-to-back naps over the weekend. After his Clarence House supernap on Saturday, he scored with a high-stakes follow-up at Ayr for two out of three on the day. Then Elimay won as the first runner for the final list of Fortune Cookies so the day was worth 17 points plus the 20pts level stakes on a Fortune Cookie (total profit 28.42)
Saturday
WON 11-10 DEFI DU SEUIL (supernap)
WON 7-1 VINTAGE CLOUDS
Sunday
WON 4-6 ESCARIA TEN (nap)
WON 4-7 ELIMAY (Fortune Cookie)
DAQMAN ACCOUNTS UPDATE: ALL IN PROFIT!
📈 Daqman 27, Pricewise 13 (+344.40 to -31.00) 10pt stakes at SP
📈 Bull’s-eye bets 40% (+225.90 from 10-25) staked to win 50
📈 Bulls-eye naps: no bets yet in 2020
📈 All Daily Naps 45% (+36.50 from 30-67) 10pt stakes at SP
📈 Supernaps 50% (+15.69 from 10-20) 20pt stakes at SP
📈 Fortune Cookies 100% (+11.42 from 1-1) 20pt stakes at SP
2020 VISION: After his Champion Hurdle ratings yesterday, Daqman today gives his current verdict on the Gold Cup. Tomorrow: Heads Up for Cheltenham Trials day.
CLASS OF 2020 FOR THE ALBUM
It’s a Photo finish! But last year’s Gold Cup winner is a long way ahead in my top-ten ratings for Cheltenham 2020.
Al Boum Photo ended Willie Mullins long wait for Gold Cup glory last March. He won it at the same young age as Best Mate and Kauto Star, who both went on to win again at eight or nine, or both.
Yes, at this stage, I think he is a double or triple gold contender but, of course, I can be persuaded by results as the season progresses.
There’s a Festival trials day at Cheltenham on Saturday (more about that tomorrow) and the following weekend Leopardstown tries to steal the Cheltenham thunder with a fantastic two-day festival, which will include Ireland’s own Champion Hurdle and Gold Cup, which are sure to affect the the big March meeting.
My ratings update for the Cheltenham Gold Cup are given alongside the official figures (after the horse’s name).
Before you criticise discrepancies, remember I am rating for the Gold, like a future rating, not a base rating, and not for a King George or a Grand National, to which some of these are better suited.
175 Al Boum Photo 175 Willie Mullins 5.5 BETDAQ Sportsbook
171 Kemboy 177 Willie Mullins 7.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
169 Clan des Obeaux 173 Paul Nicholls 7.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
168 Lostintranslation 173 Colin Tizzard 8.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
167 Native River 168 Colin Tizzard 15.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
163 Delta Work 169 Gordon Elliott 10.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
163 Presenting Percy 167 Patrick Kelly 9.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
162 Monalee 168 Henry De Bromhead 26.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
162 Santini 163 Nicky Henderson 9.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
160 Frodon 168 Paul Nicholls 26.0 BETDAQ Sportsbook
GETTING IN THE BLACK ON MONDAY
1.30 Newcastle Black Abbey made a highly encouraging debut at Fontwell on Boxing day when runner-up to Manucci and should be able to go one better in this company. The form looks solid enough by Fontwell standards given that Manucci went on to finish third in a much tougher class 3 contest at Ascot.
Black Abbey seemed to relish the soft ground at Fontwell and put daylight between his rivals behind. That was his first start for Harry Whittington having joined the stable from France where he was a winner in the provinces.
The Whittington stable deserve a change of luck after their last three runners have all finished second.
Three Castles had soft ground form on the flat and looked unlucky on his hurdling debut at Musselburgh when he took a crunching fall at the last having just taken up the lead. He was on the deck for some time and unsurprisingly has been given a break since that run in November but it remains to be seen as to whether his confidence has been impacted.
Artistic Language also comes into the reckoning, although has been a beaten favourite in his last two starts. He just seems to be struggling to get home.
2.30 Newcastle I’m giving the two runner novice chase a miss as it looks a real spin of the coin event between the pair and I couldn’t even name which one will go off favourite they are that closely matched.
This mares event looks a lot more interesting and is not a bad event.
Last time out winners Clondaw Caitlin and Whatsdastory are the obvious starting points but both have penalties to defy and might prove vulnerable on the testing ground.
Clondaw Caitlin bids for a hat-trick after two wins at Wetherby and is up in trip again whilst Whatsdastory is down in trip having made a winning start for the Dr Richard Newland stable last time out at Southwell.
Both have obvious claims but the interesting runner is the lightly raced Lugg River who has decent bumper form including a third at Aintree and might be a spot of value here on her hurdling debut and in receipt of weight.
Prior to Aintree she was a staying on fifth at Sandown in a Listed bumper and both the ground and trip should suit today.
I’ll back her in both the win and place markets for a WIN 10 return in each.
6.25 Wolverhampton I’m not sure I want to be taking short odds about Snow Ocean given he is taking a big step up in trip and that’s not guaranteed to suit.
A safer bet might be Matewan who deserves a change of luck but is at least proven over course and distance and was headed on the post when last running here.
DAQMAN’S BETS (each staked to win 10 points)
BET 7.9pts win (nap) BLACK ABBEY (1.30 Newcastle)
BET 1.5pts win and 6.2pts place (both WIN 10 stakes) LUGG RIVER (2.30 Newcastle)
BET 4.2pts win MATEWAN (6.25 Wolverhampton)
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