‘WORTHY’ NAPS HAT-TRICK FOR DAQMAN: Daqman could have kept his sequence going with a Frankel nap yesterday, after two York best bets up at 7-2 and 4-1, but he chose to rely on the stamina of Thought Worthy (nap, WON 15-8), which only came to his aid in the final furlong at Newmarket after the colt had lost the lead. Nail-biter.
CHAMPION EMERGES TO TAKE ON FRANKEL: The result of last night’s Preakness Stakes set Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another apart from the rest in America. Can Frankel match a horse of that ability? Bring on the tale of two champions, says Daqman.
They said of a similar sequence horse, ‘Eclipse first, the rest nowhere’. He won 18 races in a row. Now we face an Eclipse Stakes in his name of ‘Frankel first the rest nowhere’ come July at Sandown. Frankel is good for the game all right, but simply has no opposition on these islands.
The crowds will turn out at for the big 1m 2f race to roar on their hero but, to me, the thought of him beating Excelebration for a fifth time (yawn) is not an appetizer.
Frankel doesn’t even give a race the frisson of a Big Buck’s. In an instant, he’s gone and mown them down, the scorched-earth policy of an equine Attila.
I think I preferred Drogba doing a Cantona against a Robben trying to be a Zidane. I want a Mill Reef v Brigadier Gerard; Arkle v Mill House.
I said yesterday that we need an international showdown for Frankel to take his place in the true Hall Of Fame. We need an old-fashioned Match (that’s all it was yesterday with a few pacemakers thrown in): and we may well have the right opponent since last night.
On the same day Frankel won the Lockinge, I’ll Have Another became the 10f king of the US, adding the Preakness to his Kentucky Derby.
He could be the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years if he takes the Belmont on June 9; he’s already a worthy opponent for Frankel; Belmont would make him a big-money attraction, too.
Frankel has no great feat to his name, except the Guineas farce and the 10 straight wins; like Black Caviar (21 consecutive), there is no opposition.
There’s not a sheikh alive who can remember the first international Match race (Papyrus v Zev, England beat America, 1923) but we need sheikh’s gold – an alchemical word for oil that turns into dollars – now the opportunity presents itself.. twice.
I’d rather see Frankel v I’ll Have Another over 1m 2f than Frankel v Black Caviar over 7f; I want a true-run horse-race, not a drag race, and time to savour it. And for the first time in a Frankel heat, I might be able to have a bet!
Meanwhile, the sheikhs of Godolphin fame are the only ones to afford a runner for an England-based trainer in the International Cup in Singapore today (1.40): City Style has racked up the wins in Meydan but the going is soft at Kranji and he’s drawn wide.
However, the draw has favoured Jane Chapple-Hyams’ bold bid with her Abbaye runner-up, Secret Asset (12.50 International Sprint).
At Ripon, at least we have class-2 and class-3 races, not the usual clothes-horses: Godolphin have runners here, too, and Saeed bin Suroor was in form at Newmarket yesterday with a winner and two seconds, Frankie Dettori landing a double instigated by Mince in a flying finish for Roger Charlton.
Dettori is back home to ride Real Solution (4.35 Capannelle), and should win the Italian Derby, while Ruby Walsh can score at Auteuil on Loch Ard (4.55) on Grand Steeplechase De Paris day.
Trying to keep the nap going in the odds-against style to which you are accustomed, I spot Hallejulah (3.10) on her once-a-year foray for James Fanshawe, with Ryan Moore booked: 4.9 offers on BETDAQ. Nice price.
At Stratford, Domtaline (4.20) tries to follow up That’ll Do’s win last year for Paul Nicholls in the novice chase.
The grey’s principal opponent, Kingsmere, took a nasty fall last time out, so Domtaline looks a good thing. I’ll put Domtaline and Hallelujah on some Daq Multiples with Fame And Glory (4.05 Navan). It’s that sort of day.
That’ll Do (3.20) now runs in the Stratford handicap chase, in which You’re The Top (19.5 on BETDAQ) will – like Hallelujah – have been primed for a big first-time-back effort.
At Market Rasen, Tony McCoy rides Tealissio (2.00) for Lucy Wadham who, the Racing Post chart says, is getting 100% out of her horses right now, with current form figures 13122.
DAQMAN’S BETS:
BET 6.6pts win TEALISSIO (2.00 Market Rasen)
BET 5.1pts win HALLELUJAH (nap, 3.10 Ripon)
BET 1pt win and place YOU’RE THE TOP (3.20 Stratford)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 3 x 3pts win doubles and 1pt win treble HALELUJAH (3.10 Ripon), FAME AND GLORY (4.05 Navan) and DOMTALINE (4.20 Stratford).
* Daqman’s selections are backed to win 20 points (unless otherwise stated) so, if you divide 20 by his stake, you know the Betdaq offer taken at the time of writing.
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