A KINDLY FACE-SAVER: Daqman opposed two morning favourites in yesterday’s big races, So Mi Dar (Deauville) and Happily (The Curragh). Both were beaten but so were his alternatives, as 14-1 and 11-1 shots won the day. A 10-pointer on Queen Kindly (WON 7-4) at Pontefract maintained his winner-a-day record.
VOLTIGEUR PREVIEW: Leger eyes are on the Great Voltigeur at York on Wedneasday but do the stats bear out its position as the top trial? Daqman investigates.
VOLTIGEUR SAFE FOR CRACKSMAN..
The Leger’s looking good. Even before the Great Voltigeur trial at York on Wednesday, the Doncaster final Classic rates as mouthwatering, if only they stand their ground. Will the Voltigeur add anything?
It’s evidence for the prosecution case against the York test that the winner’s form in the subsequent St Leger looks more like jumps form (30304F) since Lucarno did the Voltigeur-Leger double in 2007.
The F for ‘fell’ was Idaho, odds-on favourite for Aidan O’Brien last year, until he stumbled the prize away.
Now O’Brien’s likely Leger favourite, Capri, is expected to miss York where he would have to carry a penalty for winning the Irish Derby.
This would allow the runner-up, John Gosden’s Cracksman, a serious shot back at him, 5lb better for a neck. Cracksman could now be left with an open door in the Voltigeur. No need for the gelignite.
Gosden stablemate Stradivarius goes straight to Doncaster after his Queen’s Vase and Goodwood Cup double. So, too, Crystal Ocean, who took the Gordon Stakes at the same Glorious meeting.
Latest hot stayer to join the party is Defoe, sent out by Roger Varian to complete a progressive four-timer in the Geoffrey Freer on Saturday.
We don’t need the Voltigeur to make the Leger one of the most exciting for years – it makes next year’s Gold Cup look good already – but O’Brien wants his say at York.
If not the penalised Capri, something else from Ballydoyle might be good enough. After O’Brien’s THRD string won the Debutante Stakes at 11-1 at the Curragh yesterday, we know it’s a case of options open and you never can tell.
AMBIENT MAY HAVE RADIO’S FREQUENCY
3.30 Lingfield Two potentially useful colts do battle in this seven furlong trip on the turf course at Lingfield.
Ambient (Roger Varian) and Radio Source (Sir Michael Stoute) both finished second on their debuts and are representing two stables in really good form.
There’s not too much to split them – they are even drawn next door to each other!
Ambient chased home Jazeel over course and distance 16 days ago and it was an encouraging debut, given he was bumped at the start.
Radio Source was second to The Last Emperor at Yarmouth a month ago but the winner, third and fifth from that race have all been subsequently beaten – Yarmouth form is not usually the strongest.
The deciding factor for both colts will of course be the improvement factor from first to second start.
The odds strongly favour Radio Source which forces me the other way to Ambient as I’m struggling to split the pair.
It’s crazy that I can get 5.0 on BETDAQ about Ambient and 1.87 Radio Source in a race where I might be leaning towards the Varian trained runner in any case.
3.45 Thirsk ‘The best handicapped horse in the yard’ is how my Candy man describes Henry’s 2-1 favourite African Friend, whose Windsor runner-up has won twice since. A class-2 horse in a class-4 contest. He is drawn 19 of 19 and high numbers are usually favoured.
DRINK TO ROSIE TREE AT HEXHAM
6.20 Windsor Roger Varian is on a high after Adjman Princess at Deauville yesterday, and UAE Queen is strongly fancied to add to her Yarmouth maiden but those behind her that day have lost six consecutive races among them.
Medicean Ballet (5.9 on BETDAQ this morning) might be the alternative. She works 10lb better at home than her rating, and the one she ran up to at Newbury has scored at Epsom since
8.00 Hexham Rose Tree has shown enough in two bumper starts to suggest she can make it third time lucky.
She finished second to the Nicky Henderson trained Sunshade on debut at Fakenham and followed that up with a third placed effort at Towcester in May.
Plenty of use was made of her in those starts and it might well be that a change of tactics will pay dividends. If she is a little more held up I will take that as a positive.
Mick’s Wish showed form in Irish point to points but his last start was 449 days ago.
It’s a weak finale and Rose Tree may just have enough nouse for the debutants.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20, except Hexham bet)
BET 4pts win AMBIENT (3.30 Lingfield)
BET 10pts win (nap) AFRICAN FRIEND (3.45 Thirsk)
BET 4pts win and place MEDICEAN BALLET (6.20 Windsor)
BET 10pts win ROSE TREE (8.00 Hexham)
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