85-40 NAP FOR DAQMAN: Fennell Bay (WON 85-40) landed Daqman’s nap last night after a winning afternoon, thanks to Fade To Grey (WON 5-1) at Wolverhampton. His day ended 18.50 points in profit.
2.50 Epsom (Great Met): John Gosden targets all three big races at Epsom this afternoon, and Aiken rates the nap.
As a son of Selkirk, the more rain the better for Aiken, a strong running sort who will be suited by the turning Epsom track.
Gosbeck and Romeo Montagu tend to get behind in their races, and playing catch-up on soft-ground won’t be easy today.
Mark Johnston’s Hurricane Run colt, Ithoughtitwasover, has raced in better company and the stable’s runners always like to be up there, taking the fight to the opposition.
3.20 Epsom (Derby Trial): Midday ran second in this on her way to placing in two Oaks and a fine future as a racemare, but otherwise the race has set up false hares, particularly the disappointing pair Raincoat and Curtain Call, winners in 2007-8.
Cameron Highland, too weak to race more than once last season, has grown up over the winter, confirmed by an eight-lengths romp at Redcar earlier this month.
When Aidan OBrien goes fishing, you can never tell whether he’s ground baiting for the future, testing the line, or producing a real live candidate to hook the prize.
Thomasgainsborough was rated only 89 as a two-year-old but has had a run in his second season and cannot easily be dismissed.
Mister Music and Cravat both look exposed; they’ve each had a run back but have profiles which suggest they may dislike the conditions of the day.
Cravat won three races out of seven in 2011 but only after you have deleted those run with ‘soft’ in the going description, for which he produced form figures of 02030. Mister Music’s sire gets top-of-the-ground animals.
Goldini seems no better than a handicapper but Unex Michelangelo ‘could be anything’ as the saying goes, since he’s out of a sister to Derby winner, High Chaparral, and may be supplemented for the Epsom Blue Riband if he wins today.
He won his maiden at Thirsk eased down and can be forgiven defeat in a Saint-cloud Listed which was run in a bog nearly half a minute slow (though the filly Electrelane who just in front of him finished third in the Fred Darling last week).
There’s never any question of John Gosden testing the water: each race is taken as a prize to be won, and Gosden’s results in this trial have been 32114.
For ‘Michelangelo’ the sky’s the limit, or should I say ceiling, but Roger Varian’s Cameron Highland could be too strong for him if he enjoys the soft ground.
3.55 Epsom (City and Suburban): Varian has another big chance here with the now-gelded Ittirad, but quality horses at the top of the handicap (9st 3lb to 9st 10lb) have won this five years running, the last quartet all four-year-olds.
Halfsin (11.5 on BETDAQ this morning), who goes well fresh, and handicap-debutant Dick Doughtywylie (5.5) appeal as likely to progress. ‘Dick’ is another Gosden which ‘could be anything.’
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 9.3pts win (nap) AIKEN (2.50 Epsom)
BET 10.8pts win CAMERON HIGHLAND (3.20 Epsom)
WIN-30 JACKPOT: 6.5pts win DICK DOUGHTYWYLIE and 3pts win HALFSIN (3.55 Epsom)
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