WHICH ARE THE VULNERABLE FAVOURITES AT CHELTENHAM? Daqman favours the unfancied at Cheltenham: that’s why he had 16 consecutive winning lays at the Festival. So which favourites are vulnerable this week? Check them out in his column today and don’t miss his lays during the meeting.
206 POINTS PROFIT ON JACKPOT BETS: With a sizzling six Saturday jackpots in a row, tallying 206 points profit, Daqman is the man in form and Betdaq is the place to bet.
King for a day! The word from Barbary Castle is that Alan King could land a first-day double and take an early lead in the trainer’s race at the Cheltenham Festival.
The stable’s Montbazon is one of those rare birds on Betdaq: he’s been at shorter offers than most bookies have priced him up for tomorrow’s Triumph Hurdle, which speaks volumes.
On the same day, Kingy’s unbeaten Hold On Julio is favourite for the JLT Speciality on his way to the Liverpool Grand National.
With Willie Mullins, Nicky Henderson and Paul Nicholls short all round, the 15.0 King is the only genuine outsider bet in a contest likely to be won by Mullins for Ireland but that yard has to win with ‘the obvious’, favourites made vulnerable by the drying ground.
If Barbary Castle’s double came off, King could stay in the race with Vendor, the market leader for the Fred Winter the following day, Wednesday.
Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to determine my lays for the week. I’m not making selections yet but have been running through the hot-pots to seek out the most vulnerable.
Maybe the training setbacks make Kauto Star and Peddlers Cross the two most likely among the short-priced horses in the week to bite the dust. Here’s how I checked them out:
KAUTO STAR 6-4 on that he’s beaten (Gold Cup) Age 12 (1-28) scores 0 points out of 10; run-up to Cheltenham 4-10 (training mishap); overall form 8-10 (Twice previous winner but beaten by Long Run last year).
PEDDLERS CROSS 11-10 on (Jewson Novices Chase) Age 7 (0-1) scores 0-10 but awarded 4 because of short history of the race; run-up to Cheltenham 4-10 (preparation interrupted); overall form 6-10.
SCOTSIRISH even money (Cross Country) Age 11 (0-7) scores 0-10; run-up to Cheltenham 8-10; overall form 7-10.
LONG RUN even money (Gold Cup) Age 7 (4-10) scores 4-10; run-up to Cheltenham 4-10 (beaten twice by Kauto Star); overall form 7-10
SPRINTER SACRE 6-4 against (Arkle Chase) Age 6 (1-10) scores 1-10; run-up to Cheltenham 10-10; overall form 7-10, the flaw being that, unlike most of the hot favourites in this list, he hasn’t beaten the opposition he faces tomorrow.
BIG BUCK’S 2-1 against (World Hurdle) Age 9 (1-24) scores 0-10; run-up to Cheltenham 10-10; overall form 10-10.
BOSTON BOB 2-1 against (Albert Bartlett) Age 7 (0-6) scores 0-10; run-up to Cheltenham 10-10; overall form 10-10.
QUEVEGA 2-1 against (Mares’ Hurdle) Age 8 (0-4) scores 0-10; run-up to Cheltenham 10-10; overall form 10-10
SIZING EUROPE 2-1 against (Champion Chase) Age 10 (0-15) scores 0-10; run-up to Cheltenham 10-10; overall form 10-10.
HURRICANE FLY 2-1 against (Champion Hurdle) Age 8 (2-10) scores 2-10; run-up to Cheltenham 10-10; overall form 8-10 with lack of rain a disadvantage.
DAQMAN’S BETS
LAY to win 10pts DUBAWI DANCER (2.10 Taunton)
BET 5.4pts win THUNDER CHILD (3.20 Taunton)
BET 7.5pts win (nap) TUSKAR ROCK (3.40 Stratford)
LAY to win 10pts RUSSIAN CONQUEST and 5.8pts win MARLENO (4.00 Plumpton)
LAY to win 10pts MAURITINO (4.10 Stratford)
ANTE-POST: 1.4pts win ALAN KING (15.0, Cheltenham Festival trainers’ title)
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