DOUBLE TROUBLE FOR DAQMAN: There are excuses in every race but Daqman is nursing a double hangover from yesterday’s Greenham and Scottish Grand National. At Ayr, Kim Roque’s rider lost a stirrup, and had to reach down rodeo-style to recover it (beaten less than two lengths, third) and at Newbury, though Zavateri was short of room then bumped, he was a length second in the Greenham. See story below.
EINSTEIN: NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Excuses; no excuse! Looking for a guide to the Guineas from the Dewhurst, October’s top two-year-olds trial, or from this week’s Craven Stakes and Greenham trials?
You’ll find the races overlap and are riddled with bad luck, contradictory form and excuses galore.
The positive must be the all-the-way success of Oxagon for Team Gosden in the Craven at Newmarket on Thursday.
Oxagon had finished fifth in the Dewhurst, splitting Zavateri (unbalanced, 4th) and Alparslan (hung left, 6th).
Yesterday at Newbury, Alparslan made all and had Zavateri (short of room, bumped) just a length down at the line.
But no legitimate excuses surely for the 9-4 favourite, Albert Einstein, though he, too, was ‘bumped’ inside the final furlong and was not punished to finish third.
Tenderly handled (6th) in the Gladness at the Curragh in March, he was likely to do much better in the Greenham, with that run behind him.
But, at 9-4 and hooded, was clearly not ‘expected’ as the next wonder of the world of horse racing, as had been billed. Did he look like a top sprinter, the alternative guess from trainer Aidan O’Brien?
Punters have seemingly had enough and this morning Bow Echo was 2,000 Guineas favourite.
They clearly prefer something straightforward, like the words of his trainer, George Boughey, after the colt won last year’s Royal Lodge at Newmarket: ‘I don’t think he needs to trial; he’s a Guineas horse and we’ll come straight back here next year.’
RHYME: NO REASON FOR TWAIN
⭕ 3.35 Curragh (Alleged Stakes) The winner of this race is usually one to follow. Including her 2016 success, Zhukova won seven races out of nine; Magical (2019) landed three in a row; White Birch (2024) also hit a hat trick. To name but a few, as they say.
You need a four-year-old going on to greater glory and, though it’s a long time since we’ve seen Twain, Aidan O’Brien has mapped out a glory route.
This Group-3 has been chosen instead of an ‘easy’ at Gowran Park on Wednesday; then it’s the Group-2 Mooresbridge back at the Curragh on May 4 or, if today goes well, never the Twain shall meet low-class horses again!
He’ll go straight to the Group-1 Lockinge on May 16. Red Letter or Beset would then be the likely Mooresbridge choice.
The spoiler from England today is a six-year-old, Royal Rhyme, a Group-3 winner back in 2024 but possible favourite, based on places at the highest level and with Twain likely to get tender handling after 539 days off.
Third in the 2024 Champion Stakes when last year’s European champion, Calandagan, was second, Royal Rhyme was third again in the Ganay last Spring beyond Sosie, who won the Ispahan next time out.
His trainer, Karl Burke, has landed eight winners in his last six days at the races, capped by a 49-1 double at Newbury yesterday, which included Alparslan the Guineas trial. Royal Rhyme’s form when fresh: 113.
HE’S THE MARKET CHOICE..
⭕ 4.37 Plumpton Sean Bowen, who has won three times on Market House, is back to better the James Owen gelding’s length defeat for Tom Bellamy here at Plumpton two weeks back. First-time visor.
⭕ 5.12 Plumpton Notnowlinda returned to form at Uttoxeter and could be the one (at least one!) from Dan Skelton’s six players here today.
DAQMAN’S BETS
on Betdaq Betting Exchange
★ 3.35 Curragh (win 21, nap)
BET 6pts win ROYAL RHYME
4.37 Plumpton (win 10)
BET 4pts win MARKET HOUSE
5.12 Plumpton (win 12)
BET 4pts win NOWNOWLINDA
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.
