WINNING YORK NAP IS A CLASS ACT FOR DAQMAN: Sea of Class (WON 7-4, nap) yesterday added to Roaring Lion (WON 3-1) on the opening day to continue Daqman’s big-race domination of Pricewise of the Racing Post at York, taking the scores to 61-21 to Daqman (PLUS 85 to MINUS 90 to single-point level stakes). Today’s headlines:
MORNING DEW WORTH TAKING AT 8.8
STRADIVARIUS: HORSE IN A MILLION
BUICK IN BRIGHT GIMCRACK CHANCE
PUT A BLUE PENCIL THROUGH THE LOT
MORNING DEW WORTH TAKING AT 8.8
1.55 York There’s been just one wide-drawn winner of this in the decade and results by stall so far on the turn this week have been 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, so again just the one high gate.
Since six of the front nine in the BETDAQ market for this 1m 4f handicap are from stalls 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 20, something’s got to give!
The low draw boosts Mister Belvedere, Caliburn, Reshoun and First Nation, while Erik the Red, Melting Dew and Royal Reserve are a high-stalls trio who do best switching late from behind.
Pacify (in 10) just failed to catch Mister Belvedere over CD (class 3) in June but got his revenge by a wide margin (class 2) last month, and was not disgraced giving 3lb to Melting Dew over further at Glorious Goodwood.
The handicapper thought that represented improvement in Melting Dew (8.8 in the BETDAQ orange early mouse) after a gelding op, and he looks capable of coming wide to catch his old adversary, First Nation (5.8).
The ‘hidden horse’ is Caliburn (15.0 offers). He won well over this kind of trip in June, before a Group race over a further, then a handicap over shorter, didn’t play to his strengths.
STRADIVARIUS: HORSE IN A MILLION
2.25 York (Lonsdale Cup) A £1m bonus awaits Stradivarius, who would be a third consecutive winner for my Fortune Cookies in the major race of the day at York this week, following Roaring Lion and Sea Of Class.
Fortune Cookies’ followers could yet be on a 1,000-points profit, as we continue to recoup the losses at Goodwood when we were on 961.
But, after Ascot Gold Cup, Yorkshire Cup and Goodwood Cup, Stradivarius is unbackable today at around 5-2 in morning offers.
That’s a bonus to place backers. Every one of his eight opponents was at bigger odds a place in the BETDAQ orange than Stradivarius to win and, with nine runners, you get three chances of a return, not one.
Red Verdon has Melbourne on Ed Dunlop’s mind and Idaho has more than six lengths to make up on Stradivarius on his Goodwood third. Behind were St Michel and Desert Skyline, who is now 0-6 when taking on this favourite.
I think the ground will suit St Michel (but not Desert Skyline, Red Verdon or Max Dynamite). Lightly raced this season with this in mind (44.0 to win, 4.1 a place).
BUICK IN BRIGHT GIMCRACK CHANCE
3.00 York (Gimcrack Stakes) Seven winners out of nine from the low five stalls. Kevin Ryan three wins, Aidan O’Brien two, but nothing since Rock Of Gibraltar in 2001.
O’Brien’s The Irish Rover, third in the Phoenix, was carried right at the start at Royal Ascot when the grey Shine So Bright was fifth and Cosmic Law (led) ointh in a big field for the Coventry.
Space Traveller was the one for the money this morning, but takes a huge leap in class and a huge leap of faith in Richard Fahey is required.
If Cosmic Law doesn’t lead, they may all be looking at each other here, and place William Buick in the driving seat, where he shines so bright (5.3 BETDAQ offers). Buick is top gear!
PUT A BLUE PENCIL THROUGH THE LOT
3.35 York (Nunthorpe Stakes) Stalls 7 (one), 8 (three), 10 (two) and 11 (two) have won the eight recent Gimcracks.
Michael Dods, who has Mabs Cross in 10, has won twice in the decade.
Mabs Cross has been beaten less than a length twice this season by the rave-noticed Battaash, Kings Stand runnerup and winner of the King George at Goodwood.
But seven of the last nine King George winners have failed to reach a place in this (one won, one third), while just three of eight Kings Stand winners have placed with, again, just the one winner.
So it may not be quite as easy as the 1.74 Battaash on BETDAQ suggests this morning for a race which only one clear favourite has won in the decade.
The Nunthorpe is already a bogy race for Battaash. He got worked up last year, reluctant to load, and finished only fourth.
Sweating and mounted off the track, Battaash also beat himself in the Kings Stand, and Blue Point swept past him to go nearly two lengths clear at the finish.
Blue Point won the Gimcrack on today’s course at today’s meeting, and that helps persuade me to him.
Though he’s best known for 6f now, I think the tough York final furlongs will play to his strength.
The same worry – too sharp a track – applies to Mabs Cross and she had drited to 20.0 this morning, with Sioux Nation a boy named Sue, laughed at, 32.0.
These are massive odds where BETDAQ excels, with a low overround 105%, and the place market is again of interest against an odds-on favourite.
But it was tempting to Blue-penciled all the options on the grounds of value, that I’m getting 4.5 in a two-horse race.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.55 York (each to win 30)
BET 6.25pts win FIRST NATION
BET 3.75pts win MELTING DEW
BET 2pts win and place CALIBURN
2.25 York (win 50, place 30)
BET 1.25pts win and 10pts place ST MICHEL
3.00 York (win 30)
BET 7.5pts win SHINE SO BRIGHT
3.35 York (win 30)
BET 8.5pts win (nap) BLUE POINT
DAQ MULTIPLES: 3 x 3pt win doubles and 1pt win treble Stradivarius (2.25 York) with Shine So Bright (3.00) and Blue Point (3.35)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
