DAQMAN NAP JOINS IN THE CHAMPION’S ROMP: Upswing (WON 7-4) landed Daqman’s nap yesterday among super-champ Tony McCoy’s five-timer. It was the fourth winning nap from the last seven. Neither of today’s McCoy mounts at Fakenham was favourite on BETDAQ this morning. What is Daqman’s verdict?
You couldn’t write the script. On the day I scoffed at the ‘law of averages’, Tony McCoy gets a five-timer and the last-race winner is called Five In A Row.
That Mr McCoy is above average, and defies all the physical laws of ageing and jading, is well enough known but this served as a warning, if we needed one, that the maestro is as hungry as ever as he approaches his 4,000th winner (16 needed).
Without everyday competition from his best buddy, Ruby Walsh, he is seemingly flying solo on cloud nine until we get to the dogfights of Cheltenham.
While McCoy tweeks the joystick and heads for Fakenham today, 104 winners already this season – nearly half a century more than his nearest rival – the Flat continues to fade at Newbury and Doncaster.
2.20 and 3.25 Fakenham McCoy fans will hit Bear’s Affair (2.20) but Paul Nicholls (Wonderful Charm) is currently 1131 in beginners’ and novices’ chases.
Wonderful Charm won the Persian War Novices’ Hurdle last year and then stepped up to top senior class and trip in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham (reported to have a ‘breathing problem.’)
Before the race, P. Nicholls said: ‘We’re a bit in the dark about him.’ You can say that again, as we see him now, back in trip and starting a novice-chase career. Has the maestro trainer solved the breathing problem and found his métier as a chaser in the long gap since. Anything is possible in Camp Ditcheat.
But, with Bear’s Affair having already jumped fences, and McCoy in such form, I preferred the 3.05 offers Bear’s Affair on BETDAQ this morning to the odds-on Wonderful Charm.
Another Cheltenham failure in March, Forgotten Gold (3.25) did good either side of that and will be hard to beat today, with Dawn Commander unlikely to decimate this field as he did at Exeter on firm ground.
The danger is surely McCoy’s mount, Victor Leudorum, at a big price this morning (10.5 offers on BETDAQ) if, as I do, you suspect that his last-day defeat was because he came out too quickly, attempting back-to-back success at Worcester inside a fortnight in August.
‘Victor’ needs pushing and shoving and doesn’t find much in front. Isn’t that just an ideal ride for McCoy, who could pump the Broads near Fakenham totally dry, single-handed.
2.10 and 2.40 Doncaster These two-year-old races produced The Lark (2.10) last season, with her trainer, Michael Bell, now saddling By Jupiter, and Gregorian (2011) from the John Gosden stable now responsible for Wannabe Yours (2.40).
3.10 Doncaster It’s been a year for top apprentices and Spinatrix (23.0 on BETDAQ this morning) has been consistent in decent handicaps for 5lb-claimer Connor Beasley.
3.35 and 5.10 Newbury I got egg on my face supporting maidens first time in a handicap yesterday, but William Buick’s preference for Martagon Lily (3.35) over Trapeze (thought worth a tilt at Royal Ascot) suggests that I should stick to my guns.
Lily’s stable, that of John Gosden, which handed me an 11-2 winner this week, should also go close with hot-pot Blessington (5.10), a stakes saver for the Lily bet.
3.45 Doncaster This trip may suit Cesarewitch Trial third Brockwell but he’s beginning to look a flatterer, high in the handicap, with success only at Haydock and never beyond 1m 4f.
Jonny Delta finished in front of him in the Cesarewitch proper, after being hampered, and is the same price today (BETDAQ offers of 11.0 on each as I write).
But this race has gone to a three-year-old eight years in a row, and Queens Vase fourth Mister Impatience (8.0 as I write) and the lightweight Zipp, favourite this morning, should be thereabouts, though I worry that Zipp’s family doesn’t normally get this sort of trip.
4.20 Doncaster Ajman Bridge is a galloper who doesn’t do anything quickly but whether Groundbreaking can quicken up on this deader ground as he did over CD (officially ‘good’) in August also remains to be seen.
The one already known to quicken off today’s surface on today’s course over today’s distance is Zain Eagle. That cost him a 10lb rise but wasn’t it asking for trouble to take that penalty two weeks later to a grade higher race on a turning track (Chester)?
Can Squire Osbaldeston translate a comfortable maiden win at Lingfield from AW to turf when Lady Cecil’s string has flopped out of form (only one win from 13 starters in the last fortnight)?
The question mark over Matrooh (6.2 this morning) is: does he deserve another chance after being slow away (Doncaster) and ‘not clear run’ (Newmarket) or was he creating his own problems?
William Haggas certainly seemed to think that Matrooh was being a bad boy, as he’s gelded the son of Distorted Humor (I doubt Matrooh would see the joke) and given him a holiday. Could bounce back.
DAQMAN’S BETS (Stakes on main selections are to win 20 points)
BET 10pts win (nap) BEAR’S AFFAIR (2.20 Fakenham)
BET 0.9pts win and place SPINATRIX (3.10 Doncaster)
BET 3.2pts win MARTAGON LILY (3.35 Newbury) and 2.2pts win (stakes saver) BLESSINGTON (5.10 Newbury)
BET 2.8pts win MISTER IMPATIENCE, 2pts win JONNY DELTA and 1pt win (stakes saver) ZIPP (3.45 Doncaster)
BET 3.5pts win MATROOH (4.20 Doncaster)
BET 4pts win FORGOTTEN GOLD, and 2pts win and place VICTOR LEUDORUM (3.25 Fakenham)
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