LIVELY NAP AS DAQMAN THROWS 12.5 JACKPOT DICE: There are late Christmas boxes today if Daqman is to be believed, with a 12.5 Betdaq offer being ‘given away’ and a lively nap at Doncaster which ‘should stay until New Year’s Day!’
I can’t get over the Moon. Just like Le Beau Bai, my 10-1 Welsh National winner, layers are giving away the form horse in the Istabraq Hurdle at Leopardstown (1.55) today.
The 12.5 Moon Dice on Betdaq is plain ‘wrong.’ Paul Flynn’s six-year-old is a stone in front of The Real Article on good-ground Galway form.
The Real Article, favourite that day, which makes him a proper benchmark, was the moral over Voler La Vedette at Fairyhouse, when he gave 7lb and was beaten little more than three lengths.
And a line through Oscars Well, third to The Real Article and second to Thousand Stars since the beginning of November, leaves Moon Dice nothing to find with today’s market leader.
A four-year-old won it once, Golden Cross (2003), unfancied at 66-1, when the favourite and second favourite both failed to perform, but he was a gelding getting only the age allowance.
Today Unaccompanied gets 10lb for age and sex, despite being a course-and-distance winner, back to her best on the Flat last time out, and bringing to the table the hot Triumph Hurdle form (she was second) of last March.
I have rated Thousand Stars a stayer, punting him for the World Hurdle, but he’s won on good ground and he’s won over 2m, so – if, as I do, you reckon this is hot and harrying – he’s got to be staying on at the business end.
In fact, Ruby Walsh could well play catch-me: he made all over Oscars Well on Thousand Stars return at Punchestown, though the going that day was pretty deep. Have fun today with a Betdaq back-and-lay!
The English racing has the pallor of a Christmas hangover alongside another magnificent day at Leopardstown but at least there are five class-3 races at Kelso (three) and Doncaster (two).
Paul Nicholls and Donald McCain are turning out the top novices from their respective winner factories, and the Donny limited handicap (1.45) should rest between them on all known form.
Lively Baron has an extra two furlongs and a turnaround of 13lb to make up the five lengths or so that he was beaten by on the same course less than three weeks ago.
The McCain beast (3.6 as I write) is bred to stay until New Year. By Presenting out of a mare by The Parson, he’ll reckon this an easy mile exercise at Southwell.
In fact, he cantered up at Southwell over three miles and by 84 lengths (how did they measure that?) in his first chase and was apprentice-ridden when not fancied to beat the first two in the Harry The Viking race at Donny.
With Jason Maguire taking over, Lively Baron looks the proverbial good thing, with Harry The Viking making the price.
The same stable intends to take home the hurdle prize at 2.20, fielding both A Bridge Too Far and Cygnet against a Nicky Henderson runner, Remember Now, with Tony McCoy up but which, when beaten favourite at Haydock, was said by A P to have a breathing problem.
Though Maguire is on A Bridge Too Far, I’m ‘leaving a pound’ on 16.0 Cygnet this morning to resume winning ways; he’s won a class 2 and will appreciate the ground.
You can also play this one with back and lay in mind; he made most over 20 furlongs and more at Uttoxeter before being hampered next time at Fontwell. You can also forget his last run when he fell at the first, trying his hand at the bigger obstacles.
The Kelso back and lay is Eurohunter (3.20), who could step up from novice class with the admirable Lucy Alexander taking off a valuable 7lb.
Eurohunter is getting three years and five years respectively from the old men of the party, Sotovik and Texas Holdem, and there are also three nine-year-olds in the field, which have registered only one win among them since last season.
Moghaayer and Beidh Tine Anseo have won only on a sound surface, so the way seems clear for lovely Lucy. I’m not flirting; I just love a winner, don’t you!
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET: 7.6pts win (nap) LIVELY BARON (1.45 Doncaster)
WIN-30 JACKPOT: 6pts win UNACCOMPANIED, 2.7pts win MOON DICE and 4.6pts win (stakes saver) THOUSAND STARS (1.55 Leopardstown)
BET: 1.3pts win and place CYGNET (2.20 Doncaster)
BET: 8.3pts win EUROHUNTER (3.20 Kelso)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 3 x 1pt win doubles and 1pt win treble Great Expectations (1.25 Southwell), Lively Baron (1.45 Doncaster), Eurohunter (3.20 Kelso)
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