DAQMAN GOLD ON THE NAPS PODIUM: Daqman made it two winning naps out of three yesterday when Ryan Moore flew in and made virtually all on Gold Medal, though not even favourite for his only ride at Lingfield. As ever, Daqman’s staking plan created a profit on the day.
WON 5-4 GOLD MEDAL (Friday nap)
WON 5-4 BLUE TRAIL (Wednesday nap)
HE’S THE MAN FOR CHELTENHAM HITS: Don’t miss Daqman’s Cheltenham Countdown all next week, with stats and facts, plus ante-post bets to add to his Fortune Cookies, which have already won 15 times and secured 95.74 points profit. He also leads Pricewise 32-17 in value bets, and goes for full terrestrial TV coverage today..
KAUTO CAN STAR AGAIN
LAKE SHOULD TURN TIDE
NICHOLLS STRIKING 50%
ROMAY’S ALL READY NOW
KING IS SET TO BITE BACK
DO ME A FAIVOUR, HARRY
TAKE ALL THAT MALARKEY
KAUTO CAN STAR AGAIN
⭕ 1.15 Newbury Saint Xavier has never won a chase in England and had to go back to Auteuil to get off the market for Richard Hobson. He was out of sight behind Kauto Riko at Kelso a couple of years back.
Kauto Riko scored at Doncaster in December and is a hidden horse at this level, after being unable to cope with Graded chases since.
Christmas In April has won at today’s trip but has no form to speak of on high-grade tracks for more than three years.
If you backed Aso on his place form – second to Frodon (twice), Cloth Cap and Blaklion – you’d be counting your chickens. But they haven’t hatched for more than three years, and he’s a 12 year-old now. A 26lb slide in the ratings might help.
Indy Five has won at Newbury but that was four years ago, and he’s 12, too. Prime Venture has never won off a rating this high.
LAKE SHOULD TURN TIDE
⭕ 1.32 Kelso North Lodge (Alan King) and Richmond Lake (Donald McCain) are well tested for Cheltenham here by a race in which the entire field has won at least twice in the recent form figures listed beside their names on the card.
North Lodge stopped a hat-trick by a Nicky Henderson horse in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham in January but as a result must give 5lb to everything today.
He beat Richmond Lake little more than a length in receipt of a pound at Aintree in December and Richmond Lake has done well since: winner in a canter at Sedgefield, second to Jonbon at Haydock. BETDAQ 3.25.
But there is clearly potential elsewhere in a novices’ hurdle, such as in Sholokjack whose jockey hardly had to move on him the last day.
NICHOLLS STRIKING 50%
⭕ 1.50 Newbury (Greatwood Gold Cup) Paul Nicholls seems to have conjured back the stable mojo in time for Cheltenham.
He will certainly be disappointed if his current 7-14, still standing, including a Newbury double yesterday, is not enhanced in the Greatwood, a race he’s won five times in the last eight seasons.
You can’t see it in the recent lack-lustre form of Tamaroc Du Mathan, but that’s what you’d expect of a horse running under a stable cloud.
Last year at this time, he’d made it two out of three by winning the prestigious Pendil Chase at Kempton.
That’s a race Nicholls wins with animals being primed for the top rank, among them Cyrname (2018) and Pic D’Orhy last month.
Tamaroc’s best form has been on a soundish surface but he is a son of Poliglote, who got Politologue and Don Poli, and no rain is forecast for today.
Wind ops were a novelty until Nicholls progressed so many horses with them. Now Tamaroc Du Mathan needs them to resolve breathing problems which have been blighting his career. The market speaks for him: BETDAQ 5.5 taken.
But there has been no money for the Ditcheat supposed second string, Amour De Nuit, who must have a soundish surface by all accounts. Dublin Four was 2-2 at Newbury last year, including over the CD in November. Farinet looks high in the handicap.
ROMAY’S ALL READY NOW
⭕ 2.40 Kelso It’s rare to see horses of a double-figure age take a class-1 premier chase like this, against progressive youngsters. But are there any progressive youngsters?
Kim Bailey’s yard has been in fine form but, as a winner after each of four consecutive breaks, Espoir De Romay was made favourite at Carlisle after 305 days off but faded after the second last.
I think it’s fair to assume though that, unusually, he needed the run and that today’s longer trip – and Aintree – are the targets now.
He was in front when falling at the second last in the Grade-1 novices (3m 1f) at the last Grand National meeting.
KING IS SET TO BITE BACK
⭕ 2.55 Doncaster The Big Bite is 122 at Doncaster but his place odds will be miniscule and I’m not confident enough to go for the win only.
Alternatives are the old boy Bun Doran, who has dropped 23lb down the handicap inside the last year or so; and Cheddleton, who hasn’t quite been coping with a revised mark since back-to-back wins as a novice.
Another possibility – well backed when books opened yesterday – is King D’Argent, off a rating close to the second of back-to-back wins last March.
He has never won first time after a break so his effort on today’s course in January, finishing just behind The Big Bite, could have set him up for this return on the same track on better terms. BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE 5.5.
DO ME A FAIVOIR, HARRY
3.15 Kelso Jockey Harry Skelton is not at Doncaster for King d’Argent, presenting an opportunity for David England, who won for Team Skelton at Wincanton’s last meeting.
Harry rides for Dan on Faivoir, who was third as a novice in this race last year, the chosen one from several entries but caught out by a well-in Irish raider. BETDAQ 8.8.
That they’ve chosen the same race again is encouraging but face the same problem again with Jessica Harrington’s Autumn Evening (6.0 taken) coming close to a Graded success at Leopardstown the last day.
Nicky Henderson says that two-time Champion Hurdle winner Buveur d’Air, now 11, will need the run
ALL THAT MALARKEY..
⭕ 3.30 Doncaster (Grimthorpe Chase) A third jockey for Dan Skelton today, as Bridget Andrews takes the reins again on her Catterick novice winner Soyouthinksoagain, with a serious chance of the ground dries out a bit.
Some well-known names try to stop a hat-trick by Le Milos, and this has been a race for stamina horses reaching their peak: The Last Samuri and Definitly Red in successive years (2016-17), both aged eight.
Though giving weight all round, Cloth Cap is down in the ratings and won after a break last March. He has still to show the form that made him favourite for the Grand National, and it’s off-putting that he refused the last day.
As with the Newbury winner Storm Control, you straightway think of the handicaps for Cheltenham. That’s what makes this race so tricky (only one winning favourite in 10 years): is it just a prep?
Mister Malarkey (BETDAQ 6.0) is down a stone on his last visit here and was heavily backed last night after a wind op and change of stable. He might be the one in a race of ifs and buts.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.32 Kelso (win 10)
BET 4pts win RICHMOND LAKE
1.50 Newbury (win 18)
BET 4pts TAMAROC DU MATHAN
2.40 Kelso (win 10 nap)
BET 5pts win ESPOIR DE ROMAY
2.55 Doncaster (win 18)
BET 4pts win KING D’ARGENT
3.15 Kelso (win 20 each)
BET 4pts win AUTUMN EVENING
BET 2.5pts win FAIVOIR
3.30 Doncaster (win 10)
BET 2pts win MISTER MALARKEY
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.
