SEASON’S FIRST LAY FLOORED AT ODDS ON: Daqman launched his jumps season yesterday by laying hot favourite First Lieutenant (3rd 4-5) and tipping Flemenson (WON 11-4) for a profit on the day of 10.60.
THE OLD FIRM BACK AT CHELTENHAM: Irish raiders set some top jumping tests alight at Cheltenham today. Daqman’s Sizing up the action!
CHAMPIONS DAY TOMORROW: His Friday nap is a 6.8 chance at Haydock. Now look out for British Champions Day at Ascot tomorrow.
The Old Firm are back in battle gear again. The very word ‘Cheltenham’ lights up Irish eyes for the renewed jumps contest against the English, with 64 festival prizes in their bag since 2005.
The long road to March kicks off on the course today with a race which last year launched The New One, who reappears at Kempton on Sunday, only 8.2 on BETDAQ for the Champion Hurdle.
But the most significant test over the years has been the novice-chase (3.50) introduction to the Cheltenham fences for its recent winners Chicago Grey, Gungadu, Iris’s Gift, Joe Lively and Just Amazing.
Ireland’s Henry de Bromhead (Sizing Symphony) and Gordon Elliott (Raajih) – he’s won it twice before – take the bait in that race today but there are big English fish in the swim.
According To Trev, who has taken in Graded hurdles on the course, has landed back-to-back chases at Southwell, and Pantxoa is on a four-timer after success around the country which has sent his official assessment soaring from 119 to 142.
Two of them were handicap chases, and Alan King has switched him back to novice events, mindful that his new mark shoots him through the handicap roof.
When the same thing happened to Twirling Magnet (also on 142), he found Listed level too much for him but, back to the novice grade, now has his chance of revenge on Pantxoa.
When Pantxoa beat him over today’s trip at Ffos Las, the winner had to be ridden out, despite being in receipt of 12lb.
However, Twirling Magnet’s jumping has gone to pieces the last twice, which is why he is 7.6 to Pantxoa’s 4.1 on BETDAQ this morning. Can he bounce back under A P McCoy?
The form horse must be Sizing Symphony on his third last time out to Toner d’Oudairies, who won yesterday’s Grade 3 at Punchestown.
Sizing Symphony has the good ground on his side and gets 3lb from most of the field but will he stay the 3m?
We know Irish-import Minella For Value will, Oscargo will, Faultless Feelings has taken a three-miler from the front, and it’s Raajih’s best trip (he was outpaced over shorter last time).
Ultragold, on his first run here from France, is one of those ‘could be anything’ horses but seemingly wants it soft.
But we must be looking for class and, over hurdles, According To Trev was 143, Sizing Symphony 142, Oscargo 140, and I just feel that Sizing Symphony has raced like a three-miler. I took 6.2 win and place.
Strictly on form, Rum And Butter (2.10) looks set to follow in The New One’s hoofprints, having beaten Life And Soul more than 20 lengths at Newton Abbot, where Saint Roque had earlier finished only five lengths in front of the same horse in June.
But there’s not much in it when the weights are taken into account, and Saint Roque had Rum And Butter more than 14 lengths behind going back to handicaps in the Spring.
The New One’s stable launches Pure Science in this today after championship level bumper form and no hurdles penalties, so in receipt of 8lb. But I still prefer Saint Roque.
Viking Blond (3.15), runner-up in the Pertemps qualifier last year, has been ‘got up’ for the race today, blinkered for the first time: 9.0 on BETDAQ
On the Flat (5.10 Haydock), both Modern Tutor and Gold Hunter went to the front plenty soon enough on the same day in their respective races at Ascot, both caught at the business end.
The ground remains in their favour and the morning BETDAQ offers means I don’t have to choose etween them. I can back both at 4.5 and 8.0. But watch the market for a springer. That’s what happens at this time of year.
Some shrewdies had their money on Perfect Heart (5.40) at Ascot but the grey slipped at the start and was always struggling.
Should turn around the placings today with Man Of Plenty, having been the ‘moral’ in Aquila’s Thirsk race, when beaten two lengths giving weight to the winner. Aquila was then placed in a Listed.
I’ll go nap at 6.4, knowing I can save on Forced Family Fun, getting lumps of weight but winner of a poor contest at Ayr.
At Wolverhampton, they want a win out of Barbary (8.00), first time in a handicap with the hood applied. He’s entered in the sales and 10.0 this morning is a steal.
Rayoumti (offers of 5.8) has also been switched to a nursery but, again, I can back both and save on the hat-trick seeking Shyron but Shyron is too short this morning and would narrow my margin to a no-bet situation, so I’ll decide later whether to ‘stick’ on what I’ve got or twist another card, the favourite.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 6.6pts win SAINT ROQUE (2.10 Cheltenham)
BET 2.5pts win VIKING BLOND (3.15 Cheltenham)
BET 3.8pts win SIZING SYMPHONY (3.50 Cheltenham)
BET 5.7pts win MODERN TUTOR and 2.8pts win GOLD HUNTER (5.10 Haydock)
BET 3.7pts win (nap) PERFECT HEART and 2pts win (stakes saver) FORCED FAMILY FUN (5.40 Haydock)
BET 4.1pts win RAYOUMTI and 2.2pts win BARBARY (8.00 Wolverhampton)
NEW !!!
You can now follow BETDAQ updates on Google+
For further details – CLICK HERE
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.
