‘DARK’ NAP WITH NO FORM LANDS GAMBLE: Daqman’s nap, Dark Castle (WON 6-5) – previously sixth on his only start – landed a gamble at Kempton yesterday. It was Daqman’s second winning best bet in four days following Niceonefrankie (WON 9-2) for a naps profit of 25 points in that time.
35 POINTS PROFIT ON THE DAY: His Kempton bag yesterday was also two out of four, thanks to Nibani (WON 5-2), giving him a profit on the day of 35 points.
It’s A1 Catterick! The North Yorkshire Grand National may be only a class-3 contest but it’s the sort of betting puzzle that brightens a drab weekday programme.
When it was revived last year, the executive was rewarded with 14 runners and there’s another good turn-out today, if of a lower standard.
I say this because the fourth horse in 2011, Heez A Steel, carried 11st 3lb off a rating of 128, whereas his reduced mark of 126 saddles him with 11st 12lb top-weight today.
With one exception, the race has been won by experienced animals aged 9 to 11 (five out of six), with none carrying more than 11st 2lb.
But, as a strong front-runner, David Pipe’s Shaking Hands will have a big say, despite his weight, having just failed to hold on in the Devon Marathon (4m) in December.
Another who likes to lead, Star Beat, also has his conditions and is a dual winner at Catterick, but I think Hands will shake him off.
Apache Blue, who has also won twice at Catterick, is worse off with Dystonia’s Revenge, a horse to back and lay during the race.
He usually gets so far behind that his in-running price beats his SP but he invariably finishes his race well and has been in the frame in 10 consecutive completed starts.
The 2009 Sandown Gold Cup winner Hennessy – 22lb lower today – made a promising return from injury in October and, though out of sorts since, could bounce back for a yard famed for marathon runners.
Dermatologiste, a Point winner from the front (3m) on firm ground, emerged under Rules with a come-from-behind 3m 6f success on the soft at Bangor a month ago but the opposition was poor.
Pegasus Prince is also lightly raced over fences and is one of three John Wade runners, this one trained by Keith Reveley, whose stable has been back in form in the last few months.
I shall settle for Shaking Hands. The Pipe strike-rate improves for long-distance travellers and Shaking Hands is returning to a preferred left-handed track; he has been beaten the last twice going right-handed, at Wincanton and Exeter.
Of those below him in the handicap, Apache Blue is the one most likely to improve for this trip on the ground.
Micky Hammond landed a double on the corresponding Catterick card last year, one of them in the handicap hurdle (2.45), ridden by Joe Colliver, who now takes over for the yard on recent winner, Amir Pasha.
Turbolinas is the only other in the race with any decent form and any sort of consistency to his name. I shall dutch them at 5.3 and 5.9, respectively.
The opener is a good example of the dilemma at this time of year if you bet in novice hurdles: do you back the previous winners (Star In Flight and Cry Of Freedom) off their penalised perches? So few of them can do it.
In this case, I shall ‘leave a pound’ on a mare in receipt of a stone, Countess Comet (1.45), a winner on the Flat in the autumn and one who goes exceptionally well fresh.
Her trainer, Chris Bealby, is currently on a high. His three runners to complete from just four he’s saddled in the last fortnight have finished first or second; 17.0 this morning.
It’s the same story at Fontwell, where penalised horses must give 7lb in the novice hurdle to a Paul Nicholls’ runner, Bold Chief (2.05), who was a decent Pointer.
He has a strong opponent in Makethe Mostofnow but the rest are speculative and 3.8 in what is seemingly a two-horse race is my kind of bet.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 1.25pts win and place COUNTESS COMET (1.45 Fontwell)
BET 2.5pts win (nap) BOLD CHIEF (2.05 Fontwell)
BET 5.8pts win SHAKING HANDS and 3pts win APACHE BLUE (2.15 Catterick)
BET 4.6pts win AMIR PASHA and 4pts win TURBOLINAS (2.45 Catterick)
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