FORTUNE COOKIE IN IRELAND TONIGHT: Daqman’s second two-year-old runs under the FORTUNE COOKIES mantle at Tipperary tonight. The first one, Elite Status, was a winner. Daqman also looks ahead to top juvenile races tomorrow in Ireland and in France next weekend.
TOMORROW: Look out on a Saturday of seven cards tomorrow, led by the Curragh and Haydock, with the Shergar Cup series at Ascot.
THE O’BRIENS’ THREE-CARD TRICK
HARD to bear! Aidan O’Brien’s plans for the top two-year-old races this weekend and next are tinged with regret.
River Tiber, favourite for the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow, has been diverted to the Prix Morny next weekend, with Unquestionable now his number one for the Phoenix.
Only this week he has had to announce that his Phoenix winner last season, Little Big Bear, has had to retire through injury.
His winner of last year’s Morny, Blackbeard, who had also won the Robert Papin, and completed a two-year-olds treble in the Middle Park, was retired – also injured – while in training for the 2022 Breeders Cup Sprint.
Victory for Unquestionable in the Phoenix would give O’Brien a winners total of 18 for that race but his rating is a pound behind Bucanero Fuerte, who pipped him a short-head in the Railway Stakes, with His Majesty, an Unquestionable stablemate, also declared for tomorrow, in third.
Just 4lb behind, but a filly claiming 3lb, is Donnacha O’Brien’s Albany winner at Royal Ascot, Porta Fortuna.
River Tiber had Bucanero Fuerte a length back in third in the Coventry but the handicapper gave them both 111. It’s a jigsaw until one of the O’Briens’ trio improves past the others.
⭕ 7.00 Tipperary tonight (Churchill Stakes): Daqman has Donnacha O’Brien’s Bremen among his early juveniles for FORTUNE COOKIES, lining up for this 2yo Listed.
By Galileo out of a Fastnet Rock mare, Bremen is brother to Ribblesdale winner Warm Heart. He showed a smart turn of foot to win at Killarney last month.
Aidan O’Brien runs a winning Gleneagles filly, Brilliant, but Paddy Twomey’s dual winner, Deepone, is the target if the market has it right.
CASE OF COUNT THE NON-RUNNERS
⭕ 4.00 Brighton Bullet Last year’s winner Pink Crystal off 81 would step up and up to a current mark of 99, so it wasn’t a bad effort by Batchelor Boy (not clear run) to get within a couple of lengths of her.
He’s failed to score since, however, including on this track: second twice, third twice and fourth twice, starting with third in the race last year. But he ran not too badly on Wednesday in a class 4.
Meanwhile, at Yarmouth same day, a change of stable lifted Razzam, and Bezzas Lad ran third here at Brighton over half a furlong less.
Which, if any, of the runners earlier in the week who are backing up today will grace you with their presence? It is not known as I write, a serious insult to punters in my view. And, if they do run, how well will they perform?
Antiphon third four days ago.
Batchelor Boy fourth two days ago.
Bezzas Lad third two days ago.
Crows Nest ran two days ago
Granary Queen second here yesterday Razzam second two days ago.
I’ll swerve them all – run or not – and take Count Otto to land a hat-trick, raised a total of just 4lb for scoring at Epsom and Windsor, which – in deference to his age – still has him 13lb lower than when he won a class 2 at Newmarket in his prime.
⭕ 7.10 Newmarket Seemingly transformed by cheekpieces, Finest Leader has improved out of all recognition and there’s no greater gift to your wallet than a three-year-old going through the ranks at this time of year.
DAQMAN’S BETS
4.00 Brighton (win 20, nap)
BET 4pts win COUNT OTTO
7.00 Tipperary
FORTUNE COOKIE BET 20pts win BREMEN
7.10 Newmarket (win 10)
BET 5pts win FINEST LEADER
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