DAQMAN’S UNIQUE ABC GUIDE TO THE ECLIPSE: Daqman insists that Saturday’s Eclipse at Sandown is wide open. Here are his views expressed in an analysis based on the following stats:
A Aged three (5 out of 12), four (4-12), or five (3-12)
B From first three in the betting (9 out of 10)
C Officially rated 120-124 (5 out of 12, with five not rated, so 5 out of 7)
D Ran in the Derby, 2,000 Guineas or Queen Anne Stakes; placed Prince Of Wales’s Stakes or St James’s Palace Stakes (10 out of 12)
E One to three runs in the season so far (10 out of 12)
ABDE So You Think Only Group-1 win in British Isles was in five-runner Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh yet the reason he doesn’t get a ‘C’ for rating is that he is actually higher – off 126 – than the normal for this race.
So You Think has won six Group-1s altogether, but mainly in Australia, and he ticks all the other boxes on the strength of his second to Rewilding in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, just losing out in a memorable finish, after which trainer Aidan O’Brien said the colt was ‘not fit enough.’
ABC Snow Fairy Has not won in England since last year’s Oaks but completed Oaks double at The Curragh and last seen winning the Hong Kong Cup at Shah Tin over today’s trip in December.
A late withdrawal at The Curragh on Saturday because of soft ground and, though she is among the first three in the betting, trainer Ed Dunlop says ‘we’ve got to start somewhere.’ A decision on her participation will be made this morning.
ABE Workforce Derby winner who was eclipsed by his own stablemate, Harbinger, in the 2010 King George but came back with a brave Arc de Triomphe win in a rough race on soft ground.
It was again soft when Workforce won his only race of the current season, the Brigadier Gerard, over today’s CD, when the runner-up was rated a stone behind him in the ratings.
ADE Cape Blanco Irish Derby winner and King George runner-up to Harbinger before taking the Irish Champion Stakes but not in the first three since, including poor run in the Arc and run off his feet in this year’s Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.
ADE Sri Putra Has won only a Group 3 in these islands but a regular bridesmaid on the big occasion, with qualifying tick in the Group-1 qualification by third place, six lengths behind So You Think (second), in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
AE Jan Vermeer Another long-term nearly-horse, fourth to Workforce in the English Derby, third to Cape Blanco in the Irish version. More than a distance behind in the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.
A Alexander Pope The sole representative of this year’s Classic form but has won only the Group-3 Gallinule and was third in the ‘Ascot Derby’, King Edward V11 Stakes.
E Confront Group-3 winner in 2009 but has won only a handicap since and, 21lb inferior to him, is surely only pacemaker for Workforce.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 2.3pts win and place CROWN COUNSEL, and 1.3pts win (saver) EZDEYAAD (4.00 Haydock)
BET 6.6pts win POETIC LORD (6.50 Epsom)
BET 10pts win (nap) YAA WAYL (7.35 Newbury)
BET 4.8pts win SPACE STATION (7.55 Epsom)
