NAP ROSE TO THE OCCASION: As the seasons overlap, Daqman yesterday followed up his 8-1 Grand National win on Corach Rambler with a Longchamp nap on the Flat – his 31st winning best bet of the year – Blue Rose Cen (won evens) in the fillies’ Classic trial, Prix de la Grotte.
BIG WEEK OF FLAT AND JUMPS: This week, the mixture as before: Daqman’s spotlight is on the Craven Meeting at Newmarket, but look out for an ABC guide on Saturday’s Scottish Grand National.
DETTORI PARTNERS COPPICE
⭕ 3.00 Newmarket, Wednesday (Feilden Stakes) Established 1978 and immediately taken over by Guy Harwood as a launchpad for his stars, Ela-Mana-Mou (1979), Kalaglow (1981) and Zoffany (1983).
Never the same again until Erhab, second in 1994, won the Derby and, in 2015, Golden Horn started John Gosden’s reign with Frankie Dettori. In between, Intello (2013) scored for Andre Fabre on the way to taking the French Derby.
Gosden, who has had two more winners since, Khalidi (2017) and Kick On (2019), has booked Hollie Doyle for stamina-laden Intinso on Wednesday, when Charlie Appleby can choose between Castle Way and Bold Act.
⭕ 3.35 Newmarket, Wednesday (Nell Gwyn Stakes) A race that Frankie Dettori made his own, with seven winners from 1991 to 2017 but, again, its ancient tradition as a Classic guide was not revived until Speciosa (2006) and last year Cachet went on from this to take the 1,000 Guineas.
Dettori is back to partner Coppice, a Kingman filly who has Irish 2,000 winner, Native Trail on the dam’s side of his pedigree.
⭕ 3.35 Newmarket, Thursday (Craven Stakes) Derby winner Masar (2018) was started off in this by Charlie Appleby, who went on to make it three from four, with 2,000 runner-up, Master Of The Seas, and Guineas second (Newmarket) and first (Curragh), Native Trail.
He has Mysterious Knight (James Doyle) and Naval Power (William Buick) both jockeyed up for Thursday’s Craven.
BACKING PURPLE ON THE PURPLE
⭕ 1.50 Redcar today Soft ground forecast at Redcar shouldn’t trouble Code Purple who coped with it well when a 50/1 third on just his second start last year.
Since then he has gone on to win twice, including at Newcastle last time out when he was probably value for a bit more than the official half length margin. He was stuck in the waiting room for a long time until the gaps finally came and he quickened up quite nicely.
He should hold a fitness edge over Asmund (167 days off) and Guest List (164 days) and is preferred to Martin’s Brig who was in mid-division when last seen here and Viva Voce who was a class 6 winner here but has looked exposed at this higher level.
CROWNING MOMENT
⭕ 5.55 Windsor It’s Monday and it’s Windsor so hopefully the best sign yet that summer is on its way. I’m saving my bet until the last race on what is a fairly modest card.
Beautiful Crown is only 1-10 on the turf but the sole win did come over course and distance on heavy ground. It’s not going to be quite so testing today but will still ride soft and in a race full of question marks about his rivals ability to handle the ground he might well be able to convert his recent solid form on the all-weather to another success on the grass.
Nonsuch Lad looks the obvious danger and he will be ok on the surface as he won (by a nose) over this trip at Sandown back in September. He’s on a career high mark though and has a 182 day absence to overcome.
Others with a prominent place in the Betdaq Betting Exchange include Further Measure and the jury is out as to whether this ground will suit and Lawn Ranger who was a course and distance fourth last October but has gone off the boil in two subsequent all-weather starts – only beating one home at Kempton last month.
MORE FROM MARA
⭕ 7.30 Kempton Despite a field of just four it looks one of the more interesting races of the day with Maasai Mara (Gosdens) and Tagabawa (Charlie Appleby) the ones to concentrate on.
Maasai Mara gets the vote as he should enjoy a fitness edge. He won really well here last month and had another Appleby runner well beaten in third (Through The Ages who was sent off 4/7) and gave the impression there is much more to come.
The Gosdens are in great form with 6 winners from their last 19 including five on the spin.
Tagabawa made a winning debut at Wolverhampton but was a beaten favourite here on his second start. This longer trip will suit on breeding.
Imaginary World (up 7b for Chelmsford win) and hat-trick seeking Enochdhu help make it competitive but both have a more exposed look to them and might be vulnerable to the likely improvers.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.50 Redcar (win 10)
BET 2.2pts win CODE PURPLE
5.55 Windsor (win 10)
BET 2.8pts win BEAUTIFUL CROWN
7.30 Kempton (win 10, nap)
BET 5.7pts win MAASAI MARA
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.
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