DAQMAN ROCKS BUT CHAMPION CHEERS ARE MUTED: Daqman finished in front yet again yesterday when he stood by his 11-1 Champion Hurdle winner, Rock On Ruby (WON 13-8), in Ruby’s trial for this year’s race, but would have wished for happier circumstances. He discusses the Darlan tragedy below.
32 POINTS PROFIT IN TWO DAYS: Daqman is 32.70 up in the last two days of profit. Since the start of the year, he is 20 points up on his lays (7 out of 10) and 13 points on his jackpot bets at BETDAQ offers, with winners at 6-1 and 5-1 (twice) SP.
For Magic Monday read Tragic Monday. What a great shame to see such a willing young horse as Darlan lost to us through no one’s fault in the no-man’s land between the tactics of the race and the business end.
Rock On Ruby had done exactly the right thing, trying to take the sting out of Darlan’s speed; Darlan had done exactly the right thing, waited with, and all set to pounce.
What would have happened on the run-in between the heavyweight champion and the nippy new kid on the block we shall never know.
Would Darlan, never quite as fluent as he has been, have swept past his rival or was that last-fence falter a sign that he would have flattened out? Would Rock On Ruby, who jumped well, but betrayed his lack of a turn of foot, have fought back gamely, his stock in trade?
That’s just another way of saying both horses had flaws. Each tried to find the weakness in his opponent, like boxers scoring points off each other on the way to raising their game for a big final round. But the k.o. was not the one we wanted.
It was not the one we need on the racing canvas at this time when the sport has been under the welfare spotlight.
This was no Grand National. Nor a novice chase at Bangor. It was as skilful a test of timing and patience that two jockeys and two superb animals can give, conjoined for victory. Such a great shame it ended in tragedy.
But we cannot be forever reproaching ourselves; the powerful play goes on and the struggle is renewed. We wish a safe journey round to the stars we look forward to in the next racing week, like Flemenstar (Saturday) and Seabass (today).
We hope for safe and exciting times, too, at the fabulous little track at Market Rasen, where snow is expected by the end of the day. Bordoni (1.30) is also expected.
But we’ve seen a long line of odds-on shots beaten in the bad weather, and I’ve stuck with the better prices and managed a profit with most of my featured bets.
I shall start with a bit each way on the Oscar gelding Wake Your Dreams (2.00), whose form is surrounded by winners. Successful in his bumper on today’s course, he’s raced over hurdles as if today’s step up in trip would suit: 9.8 on BETDAQ, as I write.
You would also expect that the step up in trip for his handicap debut would suit Beckhani (3.00), a son of Flemensfirth, with A P McCoy up for the first time.
Winds And Waves has winning form in the book but second and third have both been beaten, either before or after that race, by very wide margins. Ballymoat may be the bigger danger, as the moral, giving weight to an experienced winner at Catterick on the last day.
A novice at the age of eight doesn’t appeal much, but Milan Royale is bottomweight for the yard which has won both runnings of this race.
Three times a CD winner, O Crotaigh (3.30) has been dropped below his last winning mark and, as a front-runner, looks a bet-and-lay bet at 16.0 on BETDAQ.
Patsy Finnegan, Pyracantha and The Magic Bishop all boast around 50% records, win and place, going righthanded but all have poor strike-rates.
With Malcolm Jefferson doing well at this track, The Magic Bishop (7.2 on BETDAQ at time of writing) might be best of this race of losers, placed in four of his last five starts and so claimed off that he is bottom of the handicap.
About this time of day, I hope Romanesco (3.25 Fairyhouse) has won in Ireland. He’s a favourite horse, and you know how dangerous that can be: if you don’t back him he wins. No excuses here, 19lb lower over hurdles than over fences.
Southwell’s back. I had a winner there once as an owner. I think it was the last Southwell winner I’ve had, but here goes.
I hope to get a tune out of Bandstand (3.40), successful in the race last year off a pound higher, and whose form at Southwell is 2211 in four races there.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 2.25pts win and place WAKE YOUR DREAMS (2.00 Market Rasen)
BET 5.7pts win (nap) BECKHANI (3.00 Market Rasen)
BET 3.2pts win THE MAGIC BISHOP (3.30 Market Rasen)
BET 4.4pts win BANDSTAND (3.40 Southwell)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 2pts win double Beckhani (3.00 Market Rasen) and Romanesco (3.25 Fairyhouse)
Daqman’s selections are all backed to win 20 points, so you know the offer he took from the points he’s placed (divide 20 by the stake). Daq Multiples are treated separately.
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
