HOME AND AWAY FOCUS ON WESTOVER: Ralph Beckett’s Derby third Westover will have a pacemaker in a determined bid to win the £202,000-to-the-winner big race in France on Saturday. Success could rebuild his Arc chances. Daqman explains why Saturday is a big day for Westover, home and away.
A SOFT TOUCH AT YARMOUTH? Today’s tips concentrate on Newbury tonight but the nap is favoured by softer conditions at Yarmouth this afternoon.
WESTOVER TO STAKE ARC CLAIM
⭕ 3.55 Saturday, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud The forgotten horse in the early betting hubbub about the 2023 Arc is Westover.
But watch the racing Press wake up to his chances in their previews to Saturday’s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
Perhaps because of its position in the Racing Calendar, this particular French grand prix – there are four principal Cup races so called – has produced the Arc winner three times in eight years, more than any other stepping-stone race.
Way back its history is star-studded, with names like Rheingold, Dahlia, Teenoso and User Friendly and – this century – Montjeu and Youmzain.
But recently it hosted the great careers of Waldgeist (2018) and Alpinista (2022), while Treve won it after she’d already taken two Arcs!
Westover, third in the Epsom Derby and winner of the Irish version in 2022, was sixth to Alpinista in last year’s Arc, when the 2022 winner, Torquator Tasso was third.
Ralph Beckett continues to give the toughest assignments to Westover (by Frankel out of a Lear Fan mare).
He was runner-up for the £2.9m first prize in the Sheema Classic in March, behind the horse of the year so far, Equinox, and second again the last day at Epsom, beaten in the Coronation Cup only by Emily Upjohn, who carries the flag for the four-year-olds 15 minutes before the Saint-Cloud race, when she lines up for the Eclipse at Sandown.
* At 10.49 European time, The Foxes (Oisin Murphy for Andrew Balding) and Silver Knott (Charlie Appleby) are due to run in the Belmont Derby.
YOU CAN COUNT ON PALATINE
⭕ 5.35, 6.05 and 6.40 Newbury tonight Oisin Murphy has a full house of seven rides at Newbury tonight. He is on 90 winners for the year, 41 in the championship race (May to October),three behind the leader, William Buick.
One or more of Clove Hitch (5.35), Array (6.05) and Cynosure (6.40) may win for Murphy in this trio of 6f novices – all his mounts have handy low draws – but trainer Andrew Balding has made a poor start with his two-year-olds, showing just four turf winners and none on AW from a total of 44 runners.
The 6.40 is expected to go to Baheer for Richard Hannon, who has won this division four times in six seasons. Baheer also looks handy from 2.
But you are warned that he started his career on this course in May as 5-4 favourite in a similar contest but a 150-1 shot, Zoulu Chief, ran away from the field.
Zoulu Chief had been beaten 17 lengths at 50-1 in his previous race and, nothing ventured, literally nothing gained, afterwards finished last of 20 in the Coventry Stakes at 125-1.
Count Palatine also ran at Royal Ascot, down the field in the Chesham, but may do better dropped back a furlong to this 6f (stall 3). He is from a prolific family of Group winners.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 4.7 Count Palatine
SASSY AND SAFFIE ARE BACK
⭕ 7.15 Newbury (7f handicap) Oisin Murphy has to cajole Secret Moment into performing on turf as well as AW (both wins at Wolverhampton). Secret Moment has already had the persuaders of tongue-tie and cheekpieces so I’m not all that optimistic, though he holds Gold Medal, who is another who seems to prefer a manmade surface.
Yourenotforgiven is just the reverse; no aids required, poor on AW, but on grass up to a mile is 140101, the last one for today’s claimer Mollie Phillips.
However, the ground is on the soft side, which seems to be blamed for his only bad run (8th of 11 at Chepstow in May), though it was his first start of the season.
Sassy Belle has not been out of the frame, except for her run back in April after a break.
Her win at Leicester in the autumn was under Saffie Osborne with first-time blinkers. She has both blinkers and Saffie back on today; stable in form and 4.1 on BETDAQ.
SNUGGLE UP TO 6.0 BETDAQ BET
⭕ 7.50 Newbury In the second division of this 7f handicap, Snuggle could back up Sassy Belle and give Ed Walker a double.
Never out of the frame since gelded, Snuggle is raised a furlong in trip but his breeding gives it the nod and partner Connor Planas (claims 5lb) is riding at around 30% strike rate.
Another three-year-old, Eddie Temple showed potential the last day but is by a firm-ground sire. Al Baahy took 16 attempts to get off the mark and Daahes hasn’t yet done so.
Flying Secret goes for the hat-trick after a CD win here completed the double and Mia Nicholls takes off 7lb, but the handicapper was not impressed the last day, raising him just a couple of pounds.
He was receiving 18lb when short-heading one on a long losing run; that’s an indicator for us because the disadvantaged runner-up was trained Ed Walker.
WALKER TO MONOPOLISE THE DAY
⭕ TODAY’S NAP: I’m actually starting my day with Ed Walker, whose Monopolise (4.00 at rain-soaked Yarmouth; BETDAQ 3.35) has won on the soft.
The favourite, Roman Dynasty, scored on firm the last day for the first time in 27 starts, and is asked to do a quick repeat. Doesn’t seem like he’s ready very often! So it’s understandable.
Lordsbridge Girl has failed three times in a row to carry a small rise after winning only a class 6.
DAQMAN’S BETS
4.00 Yarmouth (win 12, nap)
BET 5pts win MONOPOLISE
6.40 Newbury (win 12)
BET 3.25pts win COUNT PALATINE
7.15 Newbury (win 12)
BET 4pts win SASSY BELLE
7.50 Newbury (win 10)
BET 2pts win SNUGGLE
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.
Did you know? DAQMAN’s tips are posted each and every day so he’s always on hand to help with your horse racing betting.
