NAPS HAT-TRICK AS DAQMAN WHISPER WINS: Daqman landed his naps hat-trick yesterday. Just like Free Wind on Saturday, Soft Whisper sent him further ahead of Pricewise in their value challenge: the scores are now 35-23.
✅ WON 13-8 SOFT WHISPER (Sunday nap)
✅ WON 11-4 FREE WIND (Saturday nap)
✅ WON 1-1 ROCKET RODNEY (Friday nap)
TOMORROW: July Meeting countdown and Fortune Cookies update.
ALPINISTA FLIES INTO ARC PICTURE
The fluke that never was. Be careful of that word ’fluke’; you may regret using it, even of a 72-1 shot who seemingly had no right to win the Arc.
We now know that the Berlin grand prix at the Hoppegarten last August two races before Torquator Tasso sprang his surprise in the Arc was in fact a revelation, with the light dawning on many form-book readers for the first time this weekend.
The winner at the Hoppegarten that day, Sir Mark Prescott’s Alpinista, and the second, Torquator Tasso, won on Saturday and Sunday in Europe’s top races.
Even allowing for our failure to appreciate Tasso’s 72-1 Arc and Alpinista’s five in a row last year, including three Group 1 in Germany, yesterday’s Grand Prix de Saint Cloud was a sensation.
The race was run at such a furious gallop, headed by Ryan Moore on High Definition, that odds-on Hurricane Lane (eighth) and French star Mare Australis, could make no impression.
Alpinista led a furlong out and went clear towards the finish, winning in a time more than four seconds fast, despite good-to-soft ground at Saint-Cloud!
The previous day Torquator Tasso won in Hamburg, ‘easing down, impressive,’ which should have shortened Alpinista in the Saint-Cloud market but she was allowed to start at almost 8-1.
Tasso and Alpinista are likely to head for a rematch in the Arc, where such as Derby winner Desert Crown and Eclipse darling Vadeni would be formidable opponents.
Meanwhile, apart from Emily Upjohn, who might tackle Desert Crown in the King George, John and Thady Gosden, can pitch another filly into the fray.
Free Wind was almost knocked over as she went for a gap that wasn’t there in the Lancashire Oaks at Haydock on Saturday.
But she was so full of running – and courage – that she was righted by jockey Robert Havlin, and came like the eponymous wind to streak more than two lengths clear at the line.
FRONT-RUNNING CHANCE FOR FLAME
⭕ 3.35 Ayr Between winning a Group-3 in Hamburg yesterday and five rides in Welsh Wales tomorrow, Hollie Doyle makes a solo trek to Ayr for Throne Hall, back to form for a change of stables the last day.
But Golden Flame looks hard to catch, down in grade after setting the pace in the Ascot Stakes and the Northumberland Plate in typical Team Johnston style.
ASCOT LOSERS HAVE STRONG CLAIM
⭕ 7.45 Ripon (Armstrong Memorial) Tim Easterby has just about doubled his strike rate (15% now) since I warned you against his 8% in the two weeks to to June 25 (7% for the season).
Now you have to bet whether one of those who kept him going in the lean times with a double in early June, Myristica, can land the hat-trick.
She’s won twice at Ripon – off 73 and 79 – but she’s now on 89 and that’s raised her to class 3, in which her only previous run was beaten favourite, also at Ripon.
Easterby also runs Fishable, who won here at this level a pound higher. But ahead of both for prizemoney won is Charles Hills’ Menai Bridge, with Tom Marquand a strong booking.
Three-year-olds have won this, including one for Mark Johnston but Spirit Catcher steps up quarter-of-a-mile here.
If you are following Royal Ascot losers, Claim The Crown is also up in trip and 7lb lower than he ended last season. This is much easier than the Britannia, and Jack Mitchell riding for Roger Varian is on 50%.
Betdaq Betting Exchange value 5.7 Menai Bridge, 5.9 Claim the Crown.
⭕ 8.15 Ripon With Roger Varian currently striking at 33%, he can complete a double via Glam de Vega, well backed overnight.
Glam ran second to a Derby horse as a two-year-old, and may be good enough to beat Wilkins, who has been kept to soft ground so far.
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.35 Ayr (win 10, nap)
BET 4pts win GOLDEN FLAME
7.45 Ripon (win 20)
BET 4.25pts win MENAI BRIDGE
BET 4pts win CLAIM THE CROWN
8.15 Ripon (win 10)
BET 10pts win GLAM DE VEGA
What are points? Points facilitate a staking plan, which is the secret to creating profit. One point is whatever you choose: a pound, a euro, or whatever ….
Start with a bank and decide how much you can afford to lose over a period of time, and determine the size of your bets accordingly. Daqman makes this variation every day.
Did you know? DAQMAN’s tips are posted each and every day so he’s always on hand to help with your horse racing betting.
