GREAT STUFF! NOW FOR BIG IRISH TEST: What a great three days at Cheltenham! But next weekend at Punchestown could be the key to championship money-making when the big time rolls back at Cheltenham in March. It could decide the GB trainers’ title well in advance unless the results go a certain way again!
THE REAL CHELTENHAM TRIALS
A million behind! With Dan and Harry Skelton clickety-clicking on 66 winners, their Cheltenham haul at the weekend took them past the £1.1million mark in prizemoney.
Willie Mullins has made a similar haul at home in the Irish jumps season but hasn’t even engaged second gear to hold on to his British crown.
What Willie does next weekend at Punchestown will make essential viewing for the Skeltons and decide just how close Closutton can come to another title.
Mullins has won Saturday’s Morgiana Hurdle 12 times in 14 years, setting up champion status, and opening the Festival money boxes, for such as Hurricane Fly, Nichols Canyon, Faugheen and State Man.
The John Durkan at the same venue on Sunday has been just as much of a Mullins guide to the top prizes over fences since he won it in 2001 with Florida Pearl.
His nine out of 12 (from 2013) has produced such as Djakadam, Fact Or File, Min and the dual Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs.
The opening day of the November meeting belonged to the Skeltons with a double, featuring L’Eau Du Sud in the Cheltenham Chase.
But a claim for weekend honours was also laid by a one-time leading stable only 15 miles from the Paul Nicholls yard where Dan Skelton was assistant trainer.
Joe Tizzard’s Friday strike with Eldorado Allen was followed by his own stable double yesterday via Triple Trade and Alexei in the Greatwood, giving him five weekend winners in a row.
The Skeltons won Saturday’s Autumn Gold Cup via Panic Attack and sent out a potential future star yesterday in Soldier Reeves.
* Tomorrow: Daqman’s Hot Spots from the three days plus his updated list.
THE ACE IN THE PACK
⭕ 1.35 Navan For Auction Novice Hurdle Grade 3 A Monday bonus with Saturday’s abandoned Navan card switched to today with three Graded races in a row.
Hat-trick seeking I’ll Sort That heads the Betdaq Betting Exchange market after a maiden hurdle win at Listowel and a decent novice hurdle win at Galway. He’s definitely progressive but this is a massive step up in class and I’d want a juicier price to find out whether he is up to it.
I’ll take a chance with Ace Brannigan for Henry de Bromhead whose yard appears to have turned the corner and they found a winner at Cheltenham over the weekend.
Whilst Ace Brannigan is also unproven at this level he is at least a bigger price and there was plenty to like about his Tipperary maiden hurdle win where he beat Letos by six and a half lengths and the runner up franked the form with a win in a Naas Listed handicap hurdle next time out.
⭕ 2.10 Navan Lismullen Hurdle Grade 2 No bet here for me. The Yellow Clay should justify short price favouritism on his first start since falling heavily in the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in May. He’s had a long break since but I’d rather just watch to see whether that fall has impacted his confidence.
MONDAY BLUES
⭕ 2.45 Navan Fortria Chase Grade 2 With Marine Nationale the high profile non runner it should leave the path clear for Dinoblue who goes in search of a four timer.
The mare was one of the easiest graded winners you’ll ever see when winning a grade 2 mares chase at Punchestown by 35 lengths in an eased down canter !
She’s back at two miles for this but should be just as effective as the majority of her wins have come over the minimum trip.
PREMIER WORTH OPPOSING
⭕ 3.50 Plumpton Premier has made a promising start to his hurdling career with placed efforts at Kempton and Warwick but looks far too short in the market on his handicap debut.
Belcamo has a frustrating sequence of 247-344262 and I prefer, at double figure odds, the chances of Zafaan whose Uttoxeter second is probably strong enough in form terms to win this.
DAQMAN’S BETS on Betdaq Betting Exchange
1.35 Navan (win 10)
BET 3.6pts win ACE BRANNIGAN
★ 2.45 Navan (win 10, nap)
BET 7.1pts win DINOBLUE
3.50 Plumpton (win 20, place win 10 – 3 places)
BET 1.6pts win and 6.6pts place ZAFAAN
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