BACK-TO-BACK NAPS FOR DAQMAN: Following Let’s Get Serious (WON 5-4) on Tuesday, Daqman’s nap, Christopher Wren (WON 13-8), won again yesterday, his fourth consecutive day in profit.
HEY MISTER! CHANCE OF A 106-1 DOUBLE: Daqman has a banker at Taunton today. Otherwise, he plays for a small-stakes double on two ‘Misters’, one of them opposing the big guns in the Peterborough. Or is it all Moonshine!
The big money’s down today. And I’m not talking about the Peterborough, which is as tricky a chase as you’ll get. I’m checking out the stayers’ novice hurdle on the same Huntingdon card (3.00).
On my left, the Favourites Racing syndicate, which has horses with big names like Balding, Gosden, Fahey and Johnston on the Flat, has forked out £130,000 for the Jonjo O’Neill trained Dramatic Duke, for which Tony McCoy waits all day after only one other ride in the opener.
On my right, John Hales, leading owner (of the likes of Al Ferof) with Paul Nicholls, who has stumped up £240,000 for Italian Master, with Daryl Jacobs up (while Ruby Walsh is wanted by Willie Mullins at Clonmel.)
Add a rare Mark Johnston hurdler, Bowdler’s Magic, one of the Cesarewitch fancies, Tuscan Gold, and Hit The Headlines, a Nicky Henderson goes-well-fresh course winner (yes Michael Buckley is represented as well) and you have the ingredients for a classy outcome. Follow that winner!
It’s a race to watch but looked easier than the Peterborough until the morning Betdaq market suggested that one of the feature-race eight pins is already down.
Tartak drifted like a dog on a raft: forecast 7-1, last year’s winner was 14.5 by 9.30 a.m., with the offers piling up; no takers. In fact, 17.5 now, as I write. Tchico Polos (28.0) was also on the edge of the betting weir.
They even preferred Mr Moonshine (13.5) to Tartak, and why not: here’s an improving sort from a horsecraft stable, Sue and Harvey Smith’s.
But the snag for his supporters, and for those of Hidden Keel and Surfing, is that we seem to have three front-runners taking each other on.
That suggests we only have three balls in the air: juggle if you will Somersby, The Nightingale and Gauvain. First ball dropped: Gauvain. He’s a decent two-miler but this trip with potentially a hot pace on seems to be asking too much.
Second global worry: The Nightingale, clearly a glass horse (he has suffered from ‘atrial fibrillation’) with just occasional runs each year. Highly regarded, but his career largely hinges on winning at Down Royal in slow time against one-paced animals, like Roberta Goldback.
Talking of one-paced animals: yes, I simply don’t like Somersby, for his lack of foot. There’s no Master Minded in the way here and it may work out for him today, staying on when all those front-runners have done their stuff.
But Somersby’s trainer, Hen Knight, sums it up in the Racing Post: ‘You really need a sharper, nippier horse, short striding and quick over his obstacles.’ Somersby really wants three miles.
Sue Smith doesn’t give much encouragement for Mr Moonshine – ‘there’s nowhere else to go for him’ – but at least we have a chance of trading off a 13.5 back and lay.
Another make-all character, Midnight Haze (2.40 Ludlow) has his track, trip and ground this afternoon, but a strong bunch of right-hand-course lovers turn out.
Midnight Haze has won three, placed twice, going right handed; Pigeon Island won three, six places, though over shorter; Rockiteer won four, placed four; Roseneath won four, placed two; Rossbrin won three, placed once.
I’ll take winning form at Ludlow: Midnight Haze and Rockiteer are both 7.0, as I write, which suggests a dutch.
Nick Scholfield can keep Ditcheat rolling, literally, at Taunton, with Rolling Aces (12.50) seemingly with not a lot to beat, and has big chances with Mr Hudson (1.50) and Doeslessthanme (2.50).
Best each-way bet there is Mister Chancer (1.20) at 8.0 on Betdaq this morning; he’s giving 7lb and more to three winners at the foot of the handicap but the vibes are good.
Other than the nap (a maximum-stakes banker), it’s a day to play for matchsticks, so I’m going to have one matchstick on a coincidence win double (around 106-1) on Mister Chancer and Mr Moonshine. You’d kick yourself if they won and you weren’t on.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BANKER: BET 20pts win ROLLING ACES (12.50 Taunton)
BET 2.8pts win and place MISTER CHANCER (1.20 Taunton)
BET 1.6pts win and place MR MOONSHINE (2.00 Huntingdon)
BET 3.3pts win on each MIDNIGHT HAZE and ROCKITEER (2.40 Ludlow)
DAQ DOUBLE: Mister Chancer (1.20 Taunton) and Mister Moonshine (2.00 Huntingdon)
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