DAQMAN’S WINNER A DAY FOR A WEEK: Daqman’s 5-1 winner yesterday gave him at least one strike a day for the last seven days. Big races are a tough call at this time of year and the challenge of Daqman (15 winners) v Pricewise (11) needs an injection of form this week.
WON 5-1 THE AFRICAN QUEEN (Tuesday) 7.53 BETDAQ XSP
WON 7-4 HATADORA (Monday)
WON 7-4 SARDINIAN WARRIOR (Sunday)
WON 15-8 JONBON (Saturday)
WON 4-5 IMPAIRE ET PASSE
WON 1-1 HAND OF GOD (Friday nap) BETDAQ 2.69 taken
WON 11-2 SERIOUS EGO (Thursday) 7.31 BETDAQ XSP
WON 13-8 TAKE NO CHANCES
WON 5-2 MEATLOAF (Wednesday)
WON 6-4 GUNSIGHT RIDGE BETDAQ 3.0 taken
SEARCH IS ON FOR BIG BETDAQ VALUE: Daqman has an early nap at Ascot, and tries to bag a bit of BETDAQ value in the big races of the day, Punchestown Gold Cup and Sagaro Stakes at 18.0 and 6.2, and dares some Daq Muliples.
DOCKLANDS A BIG IMPROVER
⭕ 1.40 Ascot (Queen Anne Trial) Epictetus won the Derby Trial at Epsom last year but his rating went up just ONE pound in seven subsequent races.
Docklands closed to within 7lb, up 23lb with a hat-trick, including the Britannia Handicap here at the royal meeting. I took 3.1 on BETDAQ.
The German 2,000 Guineas winner Maljoom had a run back in the autumn after a long absence; keep an eye on the market.
Quddwah can only be watched, having taken a year off since a novice-stakes double; his stable is currently 0-15.
QUICK-OFF-THE-MARK SAGARO
⭕ 2.15 Ascot (Sagaro Stakes) Coltrane won this on his seasonal reappearance last year on similar ground, with Trueshan fourth, after the pair had finished the previous season separated by a head, with the prize to Trueshan in the Long Distance Cup on Ascot Champions Day.
Both stables are in hot form this Spring but the the year-older Trueshan has penalties which force him to give 7lb from clear top spot.
Coltrane has already been seen in the Dubai Gold Cup, though he wouldn’t want much more rain.
Coltrane was out of form when Quickthorn ran clean away with the Lonsdale at York in August 2022 and Quickthorn did the same again in the Goodwood Cup, with Coltrane six lengths away third.
It’s very much a case of which stayer is at his best; I shall wait for the ‘off’ and be poised to take some 6.2 or so Quickthorn on BETDAQ if he goes straight to the front; then I can wait and see if Coltrane is poised in the final quarter mile.
The handicapper Sweet William ran second to Trueshan in the Doncaster Cup but doesn’t have the depth of form yet. He might have after today!
STARLUST FOR SPRINT TRIAL
⭕ 2.50 Ascot (Commonwealth Cup Trial) Only Adaay In Devon, El Bodon and Got To Love A Grey have been seen out this year.
Karl Burke has had 13 winners in 14 days and Got To Love A Grey finished fifth in the big-field Queen Mary here at the royal meeting.
The Churchill colt El Bodon, runner-up in the Greenham Classic trial just 11 days back, drops down to his winning distance.
The Greenham winner had been pipped by Purosangue in the Rockingham at York in the autumn, after a four-lengths defeat by Jasour in the July Stakes but Jasour’s stable has yet to strike form.
Starlust, who has taken his holidays in Meydan, was within about a length of the flying Big Evs in the Breeders Cup Sprint.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 4.7 Purosangue, 5.4 Adaay In Devon, 6.5 El Bodon, 6.6 Starlust. 8.6 Got To Love A Grey, 11.5 Jasour. Check for moves on these morning offers.
HEWICK THREAT TO GALOPIN
⭕ 5.25 Punchestown (Gold Cup): Willie Mullins has won 50% of the last 10 runnings of this; four favourites and one at 4-1. His last two winners, Kemboy and Allaho, went to post off 174 and 176. Compare with today’s ratings:
180 GALOPIN DES CHAMPS (Willie Mullins) Though he won the John Durkan here in December 2022, and completed a Grade-1 hat-trick in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Hewick fell two out), he was then beaten twice at Punchestown by Fastorslow.
He must lay the Punchestown bogey against the same horse today but has already beaten him at Leopardstown and held on to his Cheltenham gold this year in another Grade-1 treble.
170 FASTORSLOW (Martin Brassil) It was an end-of-the-season run below par that caught out Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown gold against Fastorslow but it would never be repeated though Fastorslow tried in the Irish Gold Cup (2nd) and the Cheltenham Gold Cup (UR). Wind op may help.
169 HEWICK (‘Shark’ Hanlon) Hewick is the each-way bet; he has prepped over hurdles for this and wears first-time blinkers today.
He has never raced at Punchestown, but hadn’t won a Grade-1 chase before outstaying Bravemansgame and Allaho to take the King George at Kempton in December.
Hewick’s success in the 2022 American Grand National helped his prizemoney soar to £617k but that’s less than half Galopin’s £1,378k
166 CONFLATED (Gordon Elliott) Winner of the Savills and Irish Gold Cup double of 2022 unseated rider in both over Christmas and early Spring last season. Placed at Cheltenham (Ryanair) and Aintree (Melling Chase) this year, dropped back to 2m 4f.
162 CORACH RAMBLER (Lucinda Russell) Beat Fastorslow in the Ultima at Cheltenham 2023 (same trip as today’s) before winning the Grand National.
Back to form, third, 13 lengths behind Galopin des Champs for this year’s Cheltenham gold but stumbled at the first and unseated in the Grand National.
DAQMAN’S VERDICT: Galopin des Champs has avenged defeat in this by Fastorslow more than once but Hewick (BETDAQ 18.0 taken) in his first-time blinkers and Corach Rambler (21.0) can bring stamina to bear if given the chance.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.40 Ascot (win 20, nap)
BET 10pts win DOCKLANDS
2.15 Ascot (win 30)
BET 6pts win QUICKTHORN
BET 2pts win (saver) COLTRANE
2.50 Ascot (win 33 each)
BET 6pts win EL BODON
BET 6pts win STARLUST
4.50 Punchestown (win 10)
BET 6pts win JASMIN DE VAUX
5.25 Punchestown (win 30)
BET 1.75pts win and place HEWICK
DAQ MULTIPLES
4 x 2pt win in doubles
2.15 Ascot (Sagaro)
QUICKTHORN
COLTRANE
5.25 Punchestown Gold Cup)
GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
HEWICK
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