82 POINTS UP FROM TWO-DAY HIT: After a 60-point profit on Wednesday, Daqman went centre stage with a top-of-the-bill nap on a 9-2 winner, Footlight, yesterday to bring the winnings to 82 points in two days with these three crackers:
WON 7-1 Alee Bleue
WON 9-2 Footlight (nap)
WON 4-1 Goodtoknow
NAPS PROFIT FIVE WEEKS RUNNING: The 9-2 best bet guarantees that, whatever happens in the last three days of the week, Daqman will make a profit on his naps for all five consecutive weeks at the start of the New Year. He’s had 18 successful since January 1 for a 55% strike rate.
THE ERA OF MANY MARATHONS
Time to think about the National. Musselburgh looks a banker to beat the bad weather tomorrow on a day that sees the first running of the Edinburgh National.
A County Hurdle, Foxhunter and a Triumph Hurdle Trial, in respectful imitation of the Cheltenham Festival, have already been launched there on this day, the Triumph trial producing at least one that placed in the Triumph proper at the festival.,
This first Edinburgh National (4m 176yd) is one of a series of 15 planned around the country, among them some already established, such as the Lincolnshire National, Sussex National and Durham National.
Adding the provincial Nationals in Ireland, and the bigger imitations of the Irish at Fairyhouse, the Welsh at Chepstow and Scottish at Ayr, these islands will have 23 official Nationals, if you include the Warwick Classic.
They’ll be run at all levels. The Edinburgh National top weight tomorrow, Just A Par, would probably get about 10st 6lb in the Aintree version.
THE DERBY SEASON BEGINS
Time to think about the Derby. National Hunt meetings are struggling against the wind and rain and tomorrow’s Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield is a reminder of what a big part AW racing plays these days in preparation for the Flat (turf) season and as much more than a fill-in for lost jumps fixtures.
Four winners placed in the trial in the decade went on to win the Winter Derby (February 25 this year): but only Grendisar won both.
One other winner had scored at a different AW venue before the Derby but five were making their seasonal debut; hadn’t raced that year at all, even though some Winter Derbys took place in March.
Grendisar is back for more but all eyes tomorrow will be on the combination of Ryan Moore and Sir Michael Stoute , who are partying with Arab Spring. It’s the old firm’s first get-together of the year.
Decorated Knight is second top to Arab Spring on base ratings but both have to give 5lb to Grendisar, who is therefore pick of the future ratings for the race.
BET BRIAN’S LUCK CHANGES!
2.45 Catterick The Challenger series is to the fore at Catterick today, ahead of the £265,000 finals day at Haydock Park on Easter Saturday.
This heat contains only two winners at the class-3 level of the race: Askamore Darsi who seems to have lost his way, collecting parking tickets at Bangor and Haydock, and Cadoudoff, who doesn’t inspire, after an unhappy chasing career and without even a run at this trip over hurdles.
I thought front-runner Wake Your Dreams might be a trade horse at the 28.0 best offers on BETDAQ early mouse but he seems to want a sounder surface, so may weaken a bit ‘soon’, and has a rival for the lead in Cracking Find.
Cooking Fat would be a threat if recovering his Wetherby form of November but is up 10lb for that, which he has to give to Lough Salt.
Lough Salt is a winner at the trip, also in November and also incurring a 10lbn swipe from the handicapper.
Brian Boranha, a 4.6 chance on BETDAQ this morning. finished in front of Lough Salt at Wetherby in November and is unlucky not to be coming to this on two wins out of three.
A blunder cost him that Wetherby race and then he was disqualified when the jockey weighed in light at Catterick. The handicapper has given him only 6lb more.
3.20 Catterick The mares’ section of the Challenger series has Conquer Gold all set at the weights to turn around the Kelso one-two with Two Smokin Barrels, who has 7lb punishment for that.
But both have to give away weight to van runner Total Assets, who stays further and tried to give a stone and a half to the winner when runner-up at Wetherby on the last day: 10.0 in the BETDAQ orange was too big this morning.
Treaty Girl is a danger to all, having run very sound races on the major tracks of Newbury and Cheltenham, but her novice-hurdle successes at this time last year were on better ground.
THE NAP Tricorn (offered at 2.46 in the 6.15 Kempton) is strongly fancied tonight under Nicky Mackay, who has ridden three winners from four rides for John Gosden in the last week, with Gosden – leading trainer at Kempton – currently striking at 38%
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked 1 to 9 for strength)
BACK 6pts win BRIAN BORANHA (2.45 Catterick)
BACK 2pts win and place TOTAL ASSETS (3.20 Catterick)
BACK 9pts win (nap) TRICORN (6.15 Kempton)
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