DAYS FLIES THROUGH THE FIELD TO LAND DAQMAN PROFIT: Daqman made a profit on his bets yesterday, thanks to a storming run by Dubai Days (WON 100-30) at Wetherby, which took him from the rear to put six lengths and more between himself and 13 rivals; his second win in three races and clearly on the upgrade. Daqman again tries to balance his bets today so that one win covers all.
NOW CLEAR THE DECKS FOR TOUGH TIMES AT CHELTENHAM: The days fly by and Cheltenham approaches, so Daqman clears the decks, letting nothing get in the way – not even his Fortune Cookies – for what will be the same decision in most championship races: to lay or not to lay the favourite. He has a final-fling Cookies double lined up for this Saturday.
FORTUNE COOKIES DOUBLE DATE
A Saturday-special double. Two bets planned for Kempton will be the final NH Fortune Cookies as such. You can carry on following them, of course, but they will not necessarily be staked in this column.
I’m talking about those we tried and tested. For instance, Allmankind, Annie Mc, Appreciate It, Easysland, Free Flow, Honeysuckle and Roksana have all won for us.
Fortune Cookies have made a profit every season so far but, as I’ve said in the last few days, racing – like life in general – has not been the same this season.
Yes, we expect horses we pick early to be overtaken by improvers and by better animals from the same stable, but an additional blow to the form has been constant mud, mud, inglorious mud.
Top-of-the-ground horses have hardly been able to establish their form, and I’m thinking: what if the weather at Cheltenham and Aintree is fine and the going good?
Among those 11 Irish favourites I talked about yesterday will be mudlovers who simply won’t cope with the pace at Cheltenham. I need to be free to move quickly, in particular to lay.
I hoped the Cookies would get Great White Shark past the post at Punchestown today on the way to a possible Stayer’s Hurdle bid but the mare misses her prep run, with Punchestown abandoned.
In fact, that contrast in ground conditions I’m concerned about for Cheltenham happens today. While Punchestown is waterlogged and Ludlow is heavy, Doncaster has dried out and hopes for good-to-soft going at worst. Saturday’s double is:
1: HEROSS DU SEUIL 2.25 Kempton Saturday (Adonis Juvenile Hurdle)
2: MISTER MALARKY 3.35 Kempton Saturday (Grade 3 handicap chase)
PATROCLUS FOR NICKY AND NICO
⭕ 2.40 Southwell Bealach has dropped like a stone in the weights – actually 13lb – since last summer, and overnight money suggests that Gary Moore has him ready today.
Back up in trip and with a unique-for-the-week jockey booking: Bealach is Tom Queally’s only ride since last Saturday and he has no more until this coming Saturday. I took 7.5 in the BETDAQ Sportsbook this morning.
⭕ 2.55 Doncaster Nicky Henderson has runners at both Ludlow and Doncaster but Nico De Boinville elects – or was told – to go to Town Moor for Paros (1.45 in first-time hood) to take on fellow Triumph Hurdle contender Punctuation.
But my main fancy for Nicky and Nico, the Ant and Dec of jumps racing, is Patroclus in this NH Novices Hurdle qualifier. Shade better than evens on the BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE
His Warwick conqueror was beaten only three lengths in a Grade 2 the last day and the third horse home in his Exeter success won more than five lengths next time.
ROCKY’S A TOWN MOOR TREASURE
⭕ 3.30 Doncaster Stick with the 10-year-olds in these veterans’ chases, not yet over the hill and still able to reach a peak which means their strikes can be planned.
Kim Bailey himself has had some fabulous form peaks this season, not least his current 6-10, in fact six in a row still standing until a third at Wetherby yesterday
Rocky’s Treasure (BETDAQ 5.9 taken) returns to the scene of his December win in the same good to soft conditions over CD.
In fact, before his flop (too soft) in the Great Yorkshire on the last day, his Town Moor returns were 1101 on a soundish surface, reducing to 111 over 3m.
Flying Angel has not won a race since the autumn of 2019 and all success came over shorter, while the remaining 10-year-old, Beau Bay, tries 3m for a third time after two defeats at the trip. Guitar Pete has also scored only over shorter.
Of the older veterans, Fagan crashed down the handicap to win at Newbury but has been hiked 10lb for doing so; Ami Desbois will run off his highest-ever mark after a fine second at Kempton.
DAQMAN’S BETS
2.40 Southwell (win 12)
BET 1.8pts win BEALACH
2.55 Doncaster (nap)
BET 10pts win PATROCLUS
3.30 Doncaster (win 12)
BET 2.5pts win ROCKY’S TREASURE
What are points? Points facilitate a staking plan, which is the secret to creating profit. One point is whatever you choose: a pound, a euro, or whatever ….
Start with a bank and decide how much you can afford to lose over a period of time, and determine the size of your bets accordingly. Daqman makes this variation every day.
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
