DAQMAN ADVERTISES HIS ALPHA TIPPING ABILITY: Daqman was at his Sunday best yesterday with returns from four bets. He napped Advertise to win the big two-year-old test at the Curragh against an Aidan O’Brien squad which at one stage numbered 14, and he had first and third in the big one at Deauville, the Prix Jacques le Marois.
WON 4-1 SPEAK IN COLOURS (Phoenix Sprint)
WON 11-10 ADVERTISE (15-point nap, Phoenix Stakes)
WON 9-10 ALPHA CENTAURI (Fortune Cookie, Deauville)
3RD 17-5 WITH YOU (w/p same race at Deauville)
NOW 182 UP ON PRICEWISE TO ONE-POINT STAKE: The Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh stretched Daqman’s lead over Pricewise of the Racing Post to a massive 182 points (Daqman +87 points, Pricewise –95, single-unit stakes) with the scores now 58-19.
TOMORROW: How Daqman forecast the dominance of Alpha Centauri, what it means for the colt and filly ratings, and the rest of the season’s big races.
STOUTE STILL HAS AMAZING HUNGER
Seven furlongs is a specialist’s trip. The Press bandies about phrases like ‘improver’ and ‘consistent’, but the ratings will tell you the truth of the matter.
This week’s feature race, the Hungerford Stakes, at Newbury on Saturday, is a case in point to consider both the 7f and the ratings.
Yet again Sir Michael Stoute could have improved one enough to have the edge and take his first Group 1.
With a sunny week forecast, Expert Eye looks perfectly placed as a Newbury winner who prefers top of the ground, and has done well at the specialist 7f.
He’s raced only seven times in his life, rated 118 after winning the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood as a two-year-old. So, if he’s now rated 119, what’s so special?
The answer is that, last in the Dewhurst, only second in the Greenham, and down the field in the Guineas, Expert Eye’s form fell away to a rating of 111 after problems, including reluctance to go in the stalls.
Sir Michael got him back to win the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot (7f) and he was given a lot of the donkey work to do when second in the Sussex Stakes. Now back to a career best 119, he’ll be even better next year.
Also in the Hungerford, James Garfield, too, is back from the doldrums. In fact, it was George Scott’s colt who beat Expert Eye in the Greenham.
The ratings show that he ran three times off 112 and then off 111, beaten nearly two lengths by Expert Eye in the Jersey Stakes.
Yet six weeks later, George Scott got him back for a memorable run from the front in the Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville last Sunday, just pipped by the new Freddy Head demon filly Polydream over the 6.5 furlongs, when looking all over the winner.
Will James Garfield now revert to sprinting and wait for the British Champions Day in October? Or will he run on Saturday and meet Expert Eye for a third time? I know what I would do.
DUBAI TOWERS ABOVE
2.40 Ayr: Acadian Angel came with a half length of shrugging off top weight over course and distance a fortnight ago and in what looks an easier contest she can go one better this afternoon.
She has been given a fighting chance by the handicapper off the same mark and should again account for Be Bold who was back in third.
The majority of this field arrive out of form – there has been a little morning support for My Valentino but this one remains a maiden over 22 starts, flat and jumps, despite been tried over a variety of distances.
8.00 Windsor Dubai Silk looks the percentage call here. A promising fourth at Lingfield, there was plenty to like about his reappearance win at Windsor where he made all the running to see off Kimifive.
The runner-up went on to win two subsequent handicaps and run a big race when 6th of 20 in a £100,000 Newmarket handicap.
Dubai Silk is still likely to improve further and should be good enough to account for Indian Tygress who is stepping up in trip and her debut win at Doncaster came on soft ground.
8.40 Wolverhampton Airmax looks a favourite to take on. He’s proving something of a layers dream and was most disappointing at Chester last time out when last of seven having gone off the 13/8 favourite.
The Jane Chapple-Hyam trained Mythological might be worth chancing. He was disappointing in a much better race at Sandown last time out when things didn’t go his way but the grey had previously won over this trip at Beverley.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points)
BET 9.5pts win ACADIAN ANGEL (2.40 Ayr)
BET 12pts (nap) win DUBAI SILK (8.00 Windsor)
BET 3pts win MYTHOLOGICAL (8.40 Wolverhampton)
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