DAQMAN LANDS HIS NAP AT 5-2 WITH AN UNRACED TWO-YEAR-OLD: Daqman pulled off a gamble that never was with his Navan nap yesterday, the unraced Prettiest (WON 5-2), fully expecting it to end up at odds on. Now he moves into Derby week with a Classic tip from the same source. Another Daqman bet attempting to make all yesterday, Pistol Whipped (2nd 5-1), was caught on the line and beaten a nose at Uttoxeter.
A GOLD START TO CLASSIC WEEK: There are 64 races on these islands today, an English Bank Holiday. Daqman checks them out in a double holiday focus: on highlights of the meetings and on the big race at Redcar, the Zetland Gold Cup.
🎩 DERBY COUNTDOWN: ABC GUIDES: Look out for Daqman’s ABC guides on the Oaks and the Derby ahead of the two big races at Epsom, Friday and Saturday.
DIVINELY THE OAKS VALUE AT 11.5
Mirror, mirror on the wall.. who was the Prettiest of them all, yesterday? I was temporarily in panic mode when the Aidan O’Brien filly I napped went out to 5-2 at Navan.
I was fully expecting the word to get out and a punt on her would develop, even into odds on. Or something would go wrong (the mirror crack’d!)
But apart from the SP, the prettiest thing about Prettiest was that she ran for the line straight as a gun-barrel, even though this was her first ever race.
My man in the long grass had told me she would be the name on everyone’s lips ‘for the next two summers’, with her first Group 2 planned for the Curragh at the end of next month but such immediate impact suggested a trip to Royal Ascot.
Prettiest is a daughter of Dubawi out of the Galileo mare Alice Springs, who won three out of four in 2016, including the Group-1 Sun Chariot.
I knew what you would ask this morning, so I put the question on your behalf last night: ‘If you’re really in the know, what’s the good thing from Ballydoyle in Derby week’?
Yer man declared that most were ‘shorter than they should be’ but, for the Oaks, Divinely, sister to Arc winner Found, was the one ‘coming through’ on the gallops.
Would Ryan Moore choose her? ‘If he doesn’t, I imagine Frankie Dettori will ride,’ was his answer.
BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE 11.5 Divinely
HOLIDAY FOCUS FROM THE 64 RACES
⚠️ HEADS UP: 64 Whit Monday races to try your luck, from the far North of England (Cartmel) to Thameside at Windsor and across to Punchestown in Ireland’s racing country.
⭕ 1.35 Windsor Eye Of The Water, a CD winner on the course, has twice before won second run back after a poor seasonal debut. Trainer Ronald Harris is currently 3-8.
⭕ 3.00 Cartmel I like to be with the 10-year-olds in veterans’ chases; they’re hardly veterans, are they? Here you should sort them for ground (not many old chasers like the going on top) and distance (this is 3m 5f plus).
Red Giant is just 3lb higher than when winning the Durham National in similar circumstances (Rock On Fruity behind). It’s first time over a trip this far for both Aaron Lad and William of Orange.
⭕ 3.25 Leicester Twilight Calls (BETDAQ 2.46) ran at grade-1 tracks last year and caught the eye beating a small field at Doncaster on the first of the month.
Uncle Jumbo has competed at a higher level but won only his maiden, always a bad sign.
Imperial Yellow is one to keep an eye on but hasn’t been seen for 317 days and may need the run.
Nelson Gay is up 20lb for three wins from four, running poorly at Goodwood, and has to bounce back.
⭕ 3.35 Cartmel Sue Smith is doing really well with Valence d’Aumont, three out of four over fences, successfully moving up in grade as his rating rises.
⭕ 4.15 Chelmsford Lethal Lunch, a course-and-distance winner, came back to form in April and was aimed too high on the last day. It’s a big opportunity for 7lb apprentice Alex Jary.
The sire, Lethal Force, won the Hungerford (7f) but dropped down to 6f to take the Diamond Jubilee and the July Cup. That’s truly lethal stuff in the bloodline.
⭕ 4.27 Windsor Epidemic, well backed last night for his handicap debut, has his first outing for the George Boughey stable going places. Boughey is 4-9 at Windsor.
BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE value 5.7 Red Giant (3.00 Cartmel), 18.5 Lethal Lunch (4.15 Chelmsford)
HOLIDAY FOCUS: 10.5 BIG-RACE BET
⭕ 4.40 Redcar (Zetland Gold Cup) Ages four and five are seven from eight. You need a middle draw (4, 5, 8, 9 together have scored six wins in eight seasons) for a bit of early manoeuvring to get behind the rails leaders, but without getting too far off the pace. They soon get strung out.
Makram was just run out of it, trying this trip at York; but close behind was a William Haggis off 85. He runs a 105 here!
That’s Faylaq, third in the Ladbrokes Magnolia Stakes at Kempton and second with cheekpieces swapped for tongue-tie at Ripon. Haggas likes to win in his home county and has a 33% strike rate at Redcar.
The horse that beat Faylaq at Ripon went in again on Guineas weekend to complete a hat-trick. Faylaq drops back to a more comfortable 1m 2f.
Hartswood appeared to need further when third over a mile at the Dante meeting at York.
Highwaygrey has won six times over 10 furlongs but was fourth the only time he tried today’s class 2. Baryshnikov is on the upgrade but has to step up again today
Good Birthday was 3-8 before being gelded; since then he’s 0-12, though has run well twice on the Rowley Mile course at nine furlongs, including when third in the 2019 Cambridgeshire.
BETDAQ value 10.5 Faylaq, 6.0 Hartswood
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.00 Cartmel (win 20)
BET 4pts win RED GIANT
3.25 Leicester (win 10, nap)
BET 6.5pts win TWILIGHT CALLS
4.15 Chelmsford (win 20, win 10 place)
BET 1.2pts win and 2.8pts place LETHAL LUNCH
4.40 Redcar (win 30)
BET 6pts win HARTSWOOD
BET 3pts win FAYLAQ
Ante-post (Oaks Friday; win 50)
BULL’S-EYE BET 4.75pts win DIVINELY
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.
