JACKPOT DAY AT EDINBURGH’S ‘CHELTENHAM’: Daqman celebrates a quality Musselburgh card with jackpot bets in the Cheltenham-style championship races. He also has a lay (currently two out of two) and an AW yankee.
2.05 Musselburgh (Scottish Triumph Hurdle) Three of the last four winners had already scored at Musselburgh, which highlights the chances of Kie.
Six out of eight were favourite, and Creekside was strong at the front of the Betdaq market this morning. What’s to choose between Kie and Creekside?
Kie holds dual winner Chadford on October form, ran away with a small CD race a month later and was not disgraced in a Graded hurdle at Doncaster.
But you have to forgive the Old Vic gelding a ‘flat’ performance at Kempton over Christmas, when he took his customary lead but faded rapidly. The six-week holiday should help.
Creekside was smart enough to take in a Group 3 on the Flat in Ireland, and finished the season rated 97 (Kie 49).
He had only to be shaken up to beat Uncle Bryn when in receipt of 5lb at Catterick but a line through that one and Chadford has Kie a stone better.
Meanwhile, Uncle Bryn is 13lb better with Creekside for the two lengths and 10lb better with Chadford for a length and threequarters.
These are young horses and it’s early days in their careers but we have to bet with what we’ve got and Creekside doesn’t look the good thing that his 2.62 this morning suggests.
I’ll lay him and take Kie (5.9) and Uncle Bryn (5.6) to beat him at the weights. It will sharpen the mind for the jackpot races ahead.
2.35 Musselburgh (Stayers Hurdle) Arctic Court faded into fourth when trying to make all at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day but this drop down in level of race and the sharp track will suit him.
Dizzy River, who stayed on well enough over today’s trip at Aintree in October, and CD-winner Everaard (holds More Equity) also race prominently.
Early-doors punters preferred Moonlight Drive: overfaced in the Albert Bartlett but well supported in a decent handicap on heavy at Haydock in December, and likely to come into his own in today’s conditions.
3.10 Musselburgh (Scottish Champion Chase) Everaard is a pointer on recent course form to Kosta Brava (holds Wind Shuffle and Lightening Rod).
Lightening Rod ran second to Arkle favourite Sprinter Sacre at Doncaster in December but, when the jockey looked round, it seemed like he was peering through the wrong end of a telescope, down 24 lengths.
In those circumstances, that rider’s statement to the stewards afterwards – that he held ‘Rod’ up to make his challenge at the last because he was a bridle horse – was laughable but could be an important clue to this race today.
Of course, they went for the Pricewise horse Ultimate this morning: as the representative of last year’s winning stable, with pretensions to run in the Grand Annual, and taking in his first handicap today, he has to be respected.
Front-runners Safari Adventures, Wind Shuffle, Santa’s Son Quito Du Tresor and Carrietau will make this race too fast for many of these on a near-good-ground surface.
The shape of the race suits Kosta Brava (12.0 this morning), a CD winner with a featherweight here, and the pace and ground will favour Quito Du Tresor (18.0), who stays further and loves it this way round, whereas De Boitron – also intended for the Grand Annual – has never won righthanded.
3.45 Musselburgh (Scottish County Hurdle) Only one horse has won with more than 11st 4lb and the going that day in 2005 was riding rock hard.
Novices, like dual CD winner Ingleby Spirit, do particularly well – three of the last four – and, with the exception of Divers, today’s card is in keeping with the success of younger horses in the race.
Whatever happens to Ultimate, Brian Ellison has two well placed in this: Dontpaytheferryman (11.0 on Betdaq), looking for a hat-trick, and the grey Stormy Weather (9.4).
This is much more Stormy Weather’s teacup than the Grade 1 and 2 pots he attempted before Christmas, and he was back to form last time, though connections were hoping for rain and he has yet to show his ability righthanded.
Similarly, Palawi beat a bunch of these when dropped in class to this CD after a running a series of races at Cheltenham and Aintree, including against Zarkandar.
He has it to prove off top-weight, but 15.5 this morning was value.
Sandown Listed winner Ubi Ace should also go well, despite a big weight and conditions are right for Koup De Kanon, who didn’t like Cheltenham and hated it heavy at Hexham..
But the race is surely handed to Stormy Weather if he is the same force on today’s ground.
ALL WEATHER: Front-runners should set the race up for Taajub (1.40 Lingfield); there was a punt on Vhujon (2.30 Kempton) this morning; Rasheed (4.45 Kempton) was quickly alone at the front of the market; Postscript (9.20 Wolverhampton) is back to his right trip.
DAQMAN’S BETS
LAY to win 10pts CREEKSIDE, and BET 4.3pts win UNCLE BRYN and 4pts win KIE (2.05 Musselburgh)
BET 5pts win MOONLIGHT DRIVE and 4pts win ARCTIC COURT (2.35 Musselburgh)
WIN-30 JACKPOT: 2.7pts win KOSTA BRAVA, 1.7pts win QUITO DU TRESOR, and 1.2pts win (stakes saver) ULTIMATE (3.10 Musselburgh)
WIN-30 JACKPOT: 3.5pts win STORMY WEATHER, 2pts win PALAWI and 0.8pts win (stakes saver) UBI ACE (3.45 Musselburgh)
BET 6.5pts win (nap) POSTSCRIPT (9.20 Wolverhampton)
DAQ MULTIPLES (AW): Half-point yankee Taajub (1.40 Lingfield), Vhujon (2.30 Kempton), Rasheed (4.45 Kempton) and Postscript (9.20 Wolverhampton),
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