21 TODAY! THEY’RE DAQMAN’S HORSES TO FOLLOW: Daqman sets the big-race scene over jumps with a run down of 21 top horses. It’s a horses-to-follow campaign with a difference, as he will make changes after Christmas (the New Year list) and again before Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown (the Festivals list).
BUDDY BOLERO NAPPED TO LAUNCH THE LIST: Buddy Bolero leads the charge of the 21 at Carlisle this afternoon. Daqman’s nap remains on three out of seven, 38.30 in profit, with yesterday’s best bet a non-runner. He’s had 11 winning lays in a row.
NATIONAL HUNT HORSES TO FOLLOW 2013-14: DAQMAN WINTER LIST
AL FEROF After five straight wins, hurdles and chases, as a novice, was beaten in the VC Chase, the Arkle and the Manifesto but bounced back in the PP Gold Cup at this time last year.
Cursed by minor leg ailments, he was put away and will be starting out later this month. I envisage him going for quick success to see if he’s back in good enough heart for a King George bid, offered 12.5 on BETDAQ as I write. He’ll be at Ascot on Saturday week.
AT FISHER’S CROSS Unbeaten since April 2012, has seen his rating soar 35lb – ridden every time by A P McCoy – including back-to-back wins in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham and the Sefton at Aintree.
Do you stick to hurdles or go chasing? With the hurdles success he has achieved, the Long Walk and World Hurdle route just has to be taken by this Oscar gelding out of a Supreme Leader mare: 4.6 for Cheltenham with BETDAQ.
BRIAR HILL Powerful Point winner who completed a hat-trick with back-to-back bumpers, his crowning moment – despite only four starts on his CV – coming when he bounded away with the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham.
The Albert Bartlett is now the Cheltenham target for a five-year-old they had little faith in at home as a lazy, laid-back sort. But he is transformed on the track. Another who fooled his yard this year was Leading Light, the St Leger winner, who also does little at home.
BUDDY BOLERO A hat-trick in a hurdle and two chases set him up for the Cheltenham Festival but he didn’t get the soft ground he loves, fourth in the National Hunt Chase.
Just as I was thinking of ‘starring’ him for the Grand National, he fell on his reappearance in a Grade 3 at Ascot won by Houblon des Obeaux. He needs putting back on the rails and I’m hoping the Carlisle track will suit today.
DE LA BECH Trainer Philip Hobbs’ own favourite. So I lumped on (blind nap) when he reappeared for his ‘target race’ (quoting the very same Hobbs) but, possibly finding the Wincanton wheel-of-fortune track too quick for him, he was remote behind the flying Standing Ovation, a Graded horse in a handicap if ever there was one.
As a result, De La Bech has gone walkabout in the Hennessy betting to 64.0 on BETDAQ. He’ll be back, proving the master’s words were wisdom, but probably not at Newbury.
DIAKALI I’m putting in Mount Benbulben specifically for your Irish bets, and I’m picking Diakali for your flutters in France.
Diakali won the principal races for his age at Punchestown and Auteuil, excelling in both his Auteuil starts, conceding only to his stablemate Blood Cotil because of a difference in weight.
HARRY TOPPER Another to drift like a lonely dog on a raft, right over the BETDAQ betting weir to 82.0 for the Hennessy. He’s a horse who makes you nervous, not least when he jumped like a camel on his reappearance at Wetherby.
I closed my eyes at one stage but his jumping did improve. And he won, though not quite looking ‘my best since Master Oats’ (quote unquote trainer Kim Bailey)
Harry also won three last season, he and Rocky Creek emerging from that October beginners’ chase at Exeter that almost always produces the goods. I’m standing by him in the expectation that he improves as the season goes on, as he did last term.
HOUBLON DES OBEAUX First-time winner last season and, subsequently placed in the Scilly Isles and Reynoldstown novices’ chases, was not disgraced, seventh, in the RSA at Cheltenham, staying on up the hill.
First-time success this season was a big step up, prompting a 10lb rise after he won the United House Gold Cup at Ascot, and he is now 15.5 on BETDAQ for the Hennessy.
INVICTUS Arguably the best form of any horse in steeplechase training, as winner of the Reynoldstown from Gold Cup hero Bobs Worth and Silviniaco Conti. Only that was two seasons ago.
He hasn’t been seen since but trainer Alan King is confident that he has him back where he was, and he’s 7.6 favourite for the Hennessy on BETDAQ.
LE BEC If the ground will only stay decent, he has a big chance in Steel Plate And Sections at Cheltenham on Friday.
When he won his beginners’ chase on his fencing debut at Uttoxeter last month, he beat a 152-rated over hurdles but will complete his novice campaign, despite the tempting 142 mark he’s been given.
MELODIC RENDEZVOUS Brought the house down when beating the Paul Nicholls Triumph Hurdle runner-up Far West at Wincanton on Saturday in a power drive all the more impressive on the comparatively fast surface.
He’d marked himself a heavy-ground horse after his 2012-13 four-timer in the mud. Look out for him in the Fighting Fifth.
MOUNT BENBULBEN Here’s your right-hand man. That is to say, he’s twice the horse when going right-handed. So Punchestown, Fairyhouse and Galway.
The Punchestown champion novice also needs soft-heavy ground. Could be up to King George standard if it’s muddy on Boxing Day. Certainly worth a crack at the big right-hander at Kempton: 17.5 on BETDAQ, as I write.
MY TENT OR YOURS Has never been out of the first two and is 1121121 under Tony McCoy. The Supreme Novice Hurdle runner-up is another – like At Fishers Cross – who could jump a fence but has such strong hurdles form that a decision will be delayed.
He must take in the top trials over the sticks to show whether his 7.0 on BETDAQ for the Champion Hurdle is justified.
OUR CONOR For me, the one most likely to, among the young pretenders to the hurdles crown: 6.6 on BETDAQ for the Cheltenham championship. Look out for him next week.
He sauntered clear of Far West in the Triumph Hurdle, his fourth win in a row, though there is some doubt about the value of the form. But, strictly, he is 9lb better than Melodic Rendezvous and will have improved over the summer. He’s only five.
PINE CREEK It’s onwards and upwards, said his trainer after Pine Creek won in January. The Imperial Cup fifth has to prove that now, with a 7lb penalty for winning another big hurdle at Ascot earlier this month.
Since that was only the fifth start of his jumps career, and only his 13th race overall, he should be able to take the extra burden in his stride. He’ll try to follow up in the Greatwood.
ROCKY CREEK His Reynoldstown success put him on a young chaser’s hat-trick, with runner-up Houblon des Obeaux giving a strong boost to the form already this season.
Rocky, himself, didn’t fare so well afterwards behind the runaway Dynaste in the Mildmay Novices at Aintree but it was fast ground that day and he’s only ever won with ‘soft’ in the going return. He’s 9.4 for the Hennessy in the BETDAQ orange.
SILVINIACO CONTI Bobs Worth is 3-1 Gold Cup favourite as I write, but that’s short at this stage when you can get 8.2 Sir Des Champs and 9.2 Silviniaco Conti on BETDAQ this morning.
After a memorable chasing four-timer, Conti crashed in the big one in March, going really well but landing too steeply three out, leaving Bob’s Worth and Sir Des Champs to outgun Long Run. Silviniaco will be at Haydock on Saturday week.
SIR DES CHAMPS Was attempting a Cheltenham festival hat-trick when he came unstuck in Bobs Worth’s Gold Cup but he has a year on the winner. At the time ‘Bob’ is plateauing, Sir Des could still be on the upgrade.
Looked beaten by ‘Bob’ and by the former champion Long Run down the hill, but rallied on the gruelling rain-softened run-in, and different tactics on better ground could also close the gap.
SPRINTER SACRE Red-hot favourite for the Champion Chase and likely to be a banker of mine every stepping-stone he takes. Look out for him at Cheltenham on Sunday.
Nearly two years unbeaten, and winner of 14 of his 16 starts, he recorded a rare treble of the big festivals: Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown. The Frankel of the jumps game.
THE NEW ONE Up 24lb in a great year, capped by winning the Neptune at Cheltenham in March. Zarkandar was too good for him at Aintree.
But he came back like a bull on his reappearance, slamming Rock On Ruby 10 lengths to take over the favourite’s spot for the Champion Hurdle, ahead of Our Conor, the holder Hurricane Fly and My Tent Or Yours.
ZARKANDAR After a hat-trick of Elite, International and Kingwell, he looked the main threat to Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle but was well beaten off after having plenty of use made of him.
Bounced back, stepped up to 2m 4f, by beating The New One in the Aintree Hurdle, and I’m one of those who thinks he’s the stable’s next Big Buck’s.
He’s 14-1 with bookmakers for the Champion Hurdle but a lonely dog on a raft, drifted to 47.0 on BETDAQ. It tells a story that he’s only 9.6 behind Big Buck’s and At Fishers Cross for the World Hurdle.
DAQMAN’S BETS TODAY (each to win 20 points)
BET 9pts win (nap) BUDDY BOLERO (2.25 Carlisle)
BET 6pts win TUTCHEC (3.30 Carlisle)
BET 5.4pts win WALL STREET BOSS (4.50 Kempton)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 5 x 1pt four-timers and a 1pt accumulator BUDDY BOLERO (2.25 Carlisle), CONNECTIVITY (3.10 Southwell), TUTCHEC (3.30 Carlisle), HOUNDSCOURT (3.40 Southwell) and WALL STREET BOSS (4.50 Kempton)
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