DAQMAN WEEKEND PROFIT 23 POINTS PLUS: Daqman’s bets were in play all day on a Saturday of three big meetings at odds from 2-5 SP to 16.0 on BETDAQ but he finished in front yet again, his second winning day of a long weekend which hasn’t finished yet. Profit so far 23.85.
Saturday profit on the day: 11.35
WON 5-2 ROYAL PAGAILLE (Peter Marsh Chase)
WON 2-5 JONBON (Fortune Cookie)
WON (w/p 3rd 14-1) PRETTY SWEET (Winter Oaks)
Friday profit on the day: 12.50
WON 11-4 METIER
WON 5-2 FANTASTIKAS
(Lays Logic: 2-2 on Friday. Total now 6-6)
DAQMAN GOES 24-13 CLEAR OF PRICEWISE: Daqman has now opened up a double-figure gap over Pricewise, with the score 24-13 and a profit of 91.94 points. Today’s action features the Surrey National on the final day of the Winter Million meeting at Lingfield.
SAVE THE CHAMPION CHASE
Match races started it. Wealthy owners challenging each other for a ‘purse’ on Newmarket Heath. Are we now back where we began?
Shishkin v Energumene was a fascinating contest, and a rematch will draw the crowds to Cheltenham.
BETDAQ Sportsbook now has 1.66 Shishkin and 4 Energumene, 9.0 bar two, for the Champion Chase in March.
The build-up to Ascot was electric. There was always Cheltenham and for once two equine stars would face off early. One was sure to trump the other yet the feeling remains among racegoers: they are two forever aces sure to give us more great days.
But can anyone remember a horse called Excelebration? Winner of the British Champions Mile? No. I didn’t think you would.
Excelebration was four times second, and once third, behind Frankel, but only Frankel’s name lives on. Energumene must turn the tables on Shishkin in March or he faces becoming an ex-celebration.
A pity one of them had to lose yesterday. I usually cringe at racing platitudes but the polish of Energumene and the power of Shishkin were both breathtaking.
If you hadn’t known who trained them, you’d have thought Energumene a typical dark warrior of the Henderson clan and Shishkin the tough-guy Irish mix of courage and stamina.
Even after the last in the Clarence House Stakes, it was hard to call as the elegant Energumene (Paul Townend for Willie Mullins) maintained his long stride with Shishkin (Nico de Boinville for Nicky Henderson) digging deep to fund a final surge of stamina.
The handicapper, who had them on a mark a pound apart, 172-171 in correct order, was one of the few who could genuinely say: I got it right. There was one length in it, with the rest 18 lengths behind.
But who were ‘the rest’; just two that didn’t matter. Come Cheltenham and there are still TWENTY others listed for the Champion Chase. Has all hope gone for them? Some at least must matter.
We don’t want another four-horse race and the racecourse should act now to create a deeper prizemoney spread; it’s worth ensuring at least an eight-or-10-horse field.
And bookmakers, by each-way and without-the-favourite(s) bets, can then give us a race within a race, so that we are not in the same boat of choosing between two at short prices.
LASKALIN THE HANDICAP PICK
⭕ 3.35 Lingfield (Surrey National) The Surrey National returns after two years’ absence, with Laskalin, a Venetia Williams multiple winner on heavy ground at Pau, one of the market leaders.
BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE offers this morning:
Laskalin 7.4 Has finally been given a chance by the handicapper, dropped 13lb three races on from his introductory mark for Venetia of 143 but still meets Samuel Jackson on worse terms than at Exeter on January 1.
Go Whatever 5.4 Won the Sussex National from Pemberley in first-time visor at Plumpton and could go on from there. He’s 7lb higher now but not yet back to his old mark and still behind his hurdles high when he was Graded placed.
Pemberley 7.9 7lb better off with Go Whatever but was no match for him at Plumpton, and his two wins from 16 starts both came at a lower level.
Eclair Mag 11.0 Third in the West Wales National last Spring, he was the gamble of the Lincolnshire National on Boxing Day but fell when held up in the rear.
Fado des Brosses 9.9 Needs long breaks after a win and in poor form since taking a beginners’ chase 14 months back but trainer Evan Williams considers him ‘an out-and-out stayer.’
Samuel Jackson 24.0 Won the Devon National at Exeter last February and first run back in November was promising, but overreached and cut off-fore when only fourth (Laskalin second) at the New Year’s Day meeting there.
Smooth Stepper 24.0 Won the Haydock Park Grand National Trial two years ago and took a veterans’ chase at Carlisle last March; 13 now but staying on when third at Cheltenham three weeks ago.
Just Your Type 10.5 Second in the Scottish Borders National just over two years back; now 9lb lower despite winning since (3m 2f) and fourth in the Tommy Whittle in December (blundered at the last).
The Galloping Bear 11.0 Strong hunter-chase winner who couldn’t get round over hurdles at Chepstow! After multiple Points success, too, he seemed as far out of his comfort zone over hurdles as a marathon winner who agreed to enter the dads’ egg-and-spoon race. Unexposed in today’s type of race.
Defuture Is Bright 40.0 A Westerner out of an Oscar mare, beaten less than a length in the Staying Chase Series Final at Haydock last Spring, he’s now back to his winning weight mark, dropped 7lb from his autumn efforts. I took 25.0 each-way.
Colonel Keating 32.0 Solid places here twice and at Chepstow last season, scoring under today’s rider at Lingfield five weeks ago after a long absence. This is tougher.
Little Red Lion 21.0 Won two chases and a hurdle around this time last year before going well when falling in the Eider Chase. Loves heavy ground but ‘never traveling’ first run back at Exeter. Trainer Pipe has just won the Somerset National.
ALSO: Exod’ela 32.0, Seaston Spirit 34.0, Echo Watt 46.0.
CROMWELL STAR AT LINGFIELD
⭕ 1.20 Lingfield (Winter Million Novices Hurdle) Fortune Cookie Blazing Khal is out for the season but we can still believe in his form.
Blazing Khal and Gelino Bello finished one-two twice before Gelino Bello ran a cracker in the Lanzarote. In their one-two at Cheltenham, Ballygriffin Cottage (BETDAQ 2.74) was a promising third for the Skeltons, who won three races out of four at Ascot yesterday.
Fameaftertheglory steps up in trip and is sent over by Gavin Cromwell with Darver Star (2.25), Champion Hurdle placed twice and now reverting to ‘the sticks’ after an unflattering chase career.
Darver Star (BETDAQ 2.66) went clear on heavy over this kind of trip at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve.
FLAME HAS THE EDGE ON FORM
⭕ 2.40 Thurles This Grade-2 mares novice chase sees Gavin Cromwell send out the improver Jeremys Flame (BETDAQ 3.55), who got within half a length of Concertista at this level at Cork, before the Willie Mullins mare comfortably stopped Darrens Hope at Limerick just after Christmas.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.20 Lingfield (win 10 nap)
BET 5.5pts win BALLYGRIFFIN COTTAGE
2.25 Lingfield (win 10)
BET 6pts win DARVER STAR
2.40 Thurles (win 10)
BET 4pts win JEREMYS FLAME
3.35 Lingfield (win 20)
BET 4.5pts win GO WHATEVER
BET 3.5pts LASKALIN
BET 1pt win LITTLE RED LION
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.
