DAQMAN’S DONE IT AGAIN! TWO GOODWOOD BANKERS UP OUT OF TWO: Following maximum stakes on Strong Suit (WON 5-2) on the opening day of Goodwood week, Daqman yesterday went for a second glorious banker bet, Harbour Watch (WON evens). Two out of two for the festival.
16 OUT OF 22 BEST BETS IN THE FIRST TWO: That makes it 16 naps and bankers in the first two from the last 22, with 12 of them winners. The sequence is as follows: 1201121111011122401001.
33-1 OFFER FOR THE STEWARDS CUP: There is no nap when there’s a banker, the banker being a ‘super nap’. Which will there be today, nap or banker? Read on for the Goodwood finale on Stewards’ Cup day, with Daqman picking up on morning offers of 34.0, 22.0, 20.0, 16.5, 12.5 and 9.2.
2.05 Goodwood (Sprint) While low numbers have had a ball round the turns, high stalls have won the big Group and handicap sprints during Goodwood week so far. The Molecomb result was 14-11-4 (of 13) and the handicap on the same day 13-1-11-15 (of 17), with the King George on Thursday 8-11-12 (of 13).
You can’t rule out the stands’ rail but, in races like this, you have to reduce your choice, and get a decent early price to get a first position on the race.
I’ll cut the field down to a short-list by dismissing stables out of form (Mills, Gubby, Stubbs, Gary Moore, Kirk, Shaw, Muir, Gallagher, Boyle, Wood) and deleting those that do badly on this course (Tim Easterby, Fahey, Dascombe, Harris).
On the far side I’m left with Joseph Henry, winner last year and placed in the race three times; Dubai Media who drops back from the Pattern; Novellen Lad who won well at Haydock but needs to get a better break than he did there; Racy, who flattered at Ascot; Thunderball, who’s up in the weights but lasted out 7f from the front at Kempton; and Everymanforhimself, not won on turf for two years.
I honestly couldn’t fancy anything on the stands’ side, and my first impression of value offers was to grab some 16.5 Novellen Lad and 22.0 Dubai Media.
2.20 Newmarket The winner of this has always (a strong word ‘always’ but I’ve looked way back) come from the top half of this handicap and Sun Chariot entry Lay Time looks the part with the Balding stable flying.
2.35 Goodwood Forget the Pitman’s Derby running of Harlestone Times, Activate and Investissement, who proves the point, since he had easily beaten the Newcastle fourth, Petara Bay, over today’s course and distance in the Spring. Petara Bay is behind all three in today’s market, as I write.
Activate at 9.2 and Ivestissement, offered 12.5, are worth dutching against a favourite with top weight and blinkers stepped up in trip. It’s harder to leave out Harlestone Times, a winner twice on the course. A small amount on him will cover the stakes on my principals.
3.10 Goodwood (Nassau Stakes) Midday goes for a hat-trick with the three-year-olds, who have a commanding 6-4 lead over four-year-olds in the last decacde, depleted by the absence of Misty For Me, who hammered Midday at The Curragh.
Snow Fairy’s belated seasonal start was a good run in the Eclipse. She won the Height Of Fashion on this course on her way to last year’s Oaks, and she and Midday as Group-1 winners look formidable.
Crystal Capella slaughtered the colts at Royal Ascot but, though Ryan Moore has to switch from Snow Fairy, I think the script is written for Ed Dunlop’s filly, and the race is made for a Frankie Dettori ride.
3.45 Goodwood (Stewards Cup) Only one winning favourite this century and no winners carrying more than 9st 7lb, a stats double blow to Hoof It. Horses above the age of five are rare winners, which knocks out the one below him, Jimmy Styles.
David Barron has been missing strike (six placed, no wins from 15 starters) so that somewhat dampens the raving about Colonel Mak, the Ayr Silver Cup winner, though the horse himself showed signs of returning to form last time out and is drawn high (see my view of the draw in the Sprint at 2.05).
Nasri (in stall 27) ran a massive race in the Victoria Cup, gets on well with today’s rider, and this is his first real chance at today’s trip and on the ground. Goes with the pace and a positive back-and-lay at 34.0 He’ll definitely beat those odds if not the rest of the field.
Tiddliwinks (20.0) has improved no end put to the Pattern in Irish races and it’s as well to remember he was favourite over Pastoral Player and Colonel Mak for his reappearance run in at Newmarket in the Spring.
Novellen Lad (2.05 race) would be a pointer to Mac’s Power, with Fanshawe again at his formidable best when laying out a horse for a race this season. Victoire de Lyphard could bounce back.
But I’ll take the high-drawn outsiders Tiddliwinks and Nasri (come on Samir!) with Mac’s Power in stall one on the stands’ rail as my antidote if the far side turns out to be bad medicine.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET (to win 20pts) 1.3pts win NOVELLEN LAD and 0.9pts win and 1pt place DUBAI MEDIA (2.05 Goodwood)
BET 7.8pts win (nap) LAY TIME (2.20 Newmarket)
LAY to win 10pts VERDANT, plus BET 2.7pts win ACTIVATE and 1.7pts win INVESTISSMENT, plus 1.5pts win (stakes saver) HARLESTONE TIMES (2.35 Goodwood)
BET 9pts win SNOW FAIRY (3.10 Goodwood)
LAY to win 10pts HOOF IT, plus WIN-50 JACKPOTS: BET 5.5pts win MAC’S POWER, 2.6pts win TIDDLIWINKS and 1.5pts win and place NASRI (3.45 Goodwood)
