BIRDMAN BANKER WINGS HOME: Though the three-year-olds’ form at Sandown continued to be tricky, Daqman hit some crackers on BETDAQ raceday at Doncaster, including a 20-point banker on Birdman (WON 10-11), odds against on the exchange in the morning.
CHARLIE IS A DARLING AT 15-2: Daqman’s Doncaster headline was: ‘Charlie is a proper horse now.’ Sure enough, Charlie Croker (WON 15-2) landed win and place bets, and there was a place, too, from Meandmyshadow (2nd 10-1), the Doncaster hints finishing 11221.
DAQMAN 13-4 UP ON PRICEWISE: Daqman is back at Doncaster with more BETDAQ races these evening but not before another crack at the trade-paper’s Pricewise column, seeking the value in the big races at Sandown. The current score is Daqman 13, Pricewise 4.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, A P: It’s also the final ride, final day, final time the cheers will go up – win or lose this time –for the greatest Jumps jockey, Tony McCoy. Says Daqman: ‘Thanks for winning when you should have done; thanks for winning when you shouldn’t. Only the best jockeys do both.’
GOLD CUP: UNIONISTE HAS FORM WITH THE BEST
3.50 Sandown Gold Cup This is an old-fashioned handicap with a 26lb weights parameter. We rarely see 11st topped by the winner, but I think there’s a class horse in that group today.
In fact, the stats are of limited help, hence no ABC guide from me during the week. Age: any age from 6 to 11. Rating: anything from 132 to 154 (all that does is strike out the same top four above 11st).
There are one or two negatives: Roalco De Farges has never won right-handed; Algernon Pazham, Grand Jesture, Lost Legend and Wonderful Charm have yet to score in a chase at 3m or beyond; The Package and Vics Canvas may struggle at this level at age 12.
With rare exceptions, the very best horses don’t need blinkers; black mark to The Package, Just A Par, Return Spring and Duke Of Lucca.
Paul Nicholls runs four, including the quirky Just A Par for conditional champion elect Sean Bowen, whose great rival, Nico De Boinville, tries to revive Bobs Worth, who has his ground and a thumping drop in the weights.
Rocky Creek needs more rain than was forecast and gives weight all round; Wonderful Charm is another festooned with aids, so I prefer the grey, Unioniste.
As a novice, he beat last year’s winner of this race. Was sixth in the Hennessy in November behind the Grand National winner, though he hadn’t had a run back, and was giving weight to the Gold Cup winner when a staying on third in the Denman Chase. Loves Sandown.
Next. Laid out for the race; chase form at Sandown 211; and ridden by a jockey who’s won the top two major staying races, Hennessy and Grand National.
I mean Leighton Aspell and Le Reve, better off at the weights with Rocky Creek and Bally Legend, whom he separated at Kempton in February.
Third. Paint The Clouds, another laid out for the race, another who’s got his ground, and another with a can’t-lose jockey when it comes to the big occasion, Sam Waley-Cohen.
DAQMAN’S ORDER IN: 1 Unioniste (12.5 on BETDAQ), 2 Le Reve (10.0), 3 Paint The Clouds (10.5), 4 Duke Of Lucca, 5 Bob’s Worth.
THE LAST BOX-OFFICE HIT FOR THE REAL McCoy
2.20 Haydock Hugo Palmer (Extremity), David O’Meara (He’s No Saint) and Kevin Ryan (Lesha and Realize) are the stables in form for a race I must dabble in, because Pricewise has.
Master The World, Extremity and Lesha – in that order – are close together on two races of form, and I fancy He’s No Saint, switched from Ireland to David O’Meara, who landed a double yesterday.
Jockey Sam James’ form is currently even more impressive: six out of nine in the first two. And He’s No Saint won a conditions race first time out last season: 15.5 on BETDAQ this morning.
2.35 Sandown (Oaksey Chase) Though aged nine then, Menorah regained his old 2011 rating and more, with a fine year last year, including success in this race, which is at lowly Listed level.
His defeats since then have all come in Grade 1 in three races won by Silviniaco Conti, including the King George and, aged 10 now, has slipped only a pound in two years.
His big rival today, Al Ferof, has his second run after a breathing op, and swerves Punchestown for this. The pair are locked dead level on a rating of 168, with nothing else within 10lb of them.
But it’s my belief that Al Ferof has to be fresh to be seen at his best, and I fancy both Menorah and Home Farm (17.0 on BETDAQ this morning) to bounce back.
Menorah’s stable started the season top of the table, then slumped before returning to top form recently.
3.15 Sandown (A P McCoy Celebration Chase) Only McCoy, the great persuader, could have won so many races on Mr Mole, who might have buried himself many a time.
But under the maestro he set up a four-timer of chases, starting a year ago, which has shot him up the ratings 18lb.
Now McCoy must bring all his magic to bear on Mr Mole’s second attempt at a Grade 1. His first was a flop in the Champion Chase.
And today horse and rider have to outsmart a former champion, Sprinter Scare, and twice Champion Chase runner-up, Somersby who, in effect, represents two champions, Sire De Grugy and Dodging Bullets, because of those seconds.
That’s not to mention the Arkle runner-up and the fourth horse home, God’s Own and Vibrato Valtat. It’s a fitting A P Celebration Chase. And it almost feels like blasphemy to oppose Mr Mole.
But, as with Home Farm in the Oaksey, I’m looking to the future and Vibrato Valtat is a horse high on my list for next season. The new champ, Sam Twiston-Davies, could outrun the outgoing hero, A P McCoy. A massive 9.6 this morning.
4.25 Sandown This is it. Or is it? What are Tony McCoy’s plans for the future? He’s kept his cards close to his chest. Could it be that he’ll be back one day?
Lester Piggott retired more times than Frank Sinatra. Frankie Dettori is enjoying a new golden age. We’ll miss McCoy more because he’s left us while still at the top of his game.
As with Mr Mole, Box Office is a poor price for what he’s done (he’s still only four) and I’ll be looking for something to beat him before I – and thousands of others – put a sentimental final pound on A P’s last ride.
There will be plenty of pace on from Chase The Wind, Kylemore Lough and Ravin Black, which I think will suit Wilberdragon (I took 9.8). He’s been winning over shorter but, as a son of Kayf Tara, should relish this step up in trip.
IMPROVER INTISAAB BEST OF THE BETDAQ RACES
4.55 Doncaster (Betdaq.com £20 Free Bet & 3% Comm Handicap) The well-bred Starletina (Sea The Stars out of a Selkirk mare) won easily first time for Godolphin but it was a race of losers so, though she’s hard to oppose, I’d like to see her vital second race before getting involved with her.
But the form of Zamoura and Light And Shade has also taken some knocks, so I shall have my pound on Todegica (8.2 on BETDAQ), who should like the course, gets 13lb from the favourite and is from a yard always knocking at the door in its races this term.
5.30 Doncaster (Download The Betdaq+ App Maiden Stakes) Could Balmusette – winning hurdler and bumper performer – poach this from Secateur, who is no snip at long odds on. Such animals have a habit of getting beaten recently.
6.00 Doncaster (Free Trading Software Available On betdaq.com AJA Lady Riders’ Handicap) Strong Man is the 7f specialist and has the top lady rider on board, but the three-years-younger Intisaab is surely the improver of the race.
6.30 Doncaster (Betdaq Comm Free Football On Saturdays Maiden Stakes) There’s a Kodiac two-year-old in this and, sure enough, Gorokai is new favourite, vaulting over the paper favourites this morning, including the Mark Johnston, which has had a run.
7.00 Doncaster (betdaq.com 50% Comm Back First 3 Months Handicap) You can expect more help from the market later, but it was a big tease over my cornflakes, with 1.7 points between the first four in the betting.
Alfajer is a lone filly against the colts (and three geldings) and the top three in the handicap wouldn’t have won previous runnings of this, according to the stats.
I shall take Grand Spirit to improve on his debut run, when he got going too late. This is another furlong.
7.30 Doncaster (Cash out On The Betdaq+ App Handicap) Paper-favourite Razor Wind was not wanted this morning, out to 6.2. Master Of Finance has to be fresh, and Made With Love underperformed last time. So it has to be Ajman Bridge, better than the bare form.
8.00 Doncaster (betdaq.com £200 Games Bonus Fillies’ Handicap) Simply Shining goes well fresh and, claimed off, might stop the True Pleasure run.
DAQMAN’S AFTERNOON BETS (staked to win 30 points each, unless stated)
BET 2pts win and place HE’S NO SAINT (2.20 Haydock)
BET 9pts win MENORAH, and 1.8pts win and place HOME FARM (2.35 Sandown)
BET 3.4pts win (nap) VIBRATO VALTAT (3.15 Sandown)
BULL’S-EYE BETS (to win 50 points): 5.5pts win LE REVE, 5.2pts win PAINT THE CLOUDS and 4.3pts win UNIONISTE (3.50 Sandown)
BET 3.4pts win WILBERDRAGON and 1pt win (stakes saver) BOX OFFICE (4.25 Sandown)
DAQMAN’S EVENING BETS (staked to win 20 points)
BET 2.7pts win TADEGICA (4.55 Doncaster)
BET 5pts win BALMUSETTE (5.30 Doncaster)
BET 8.5pts win INTISAAB (6.00 Doncaster)
BET 10pts win GOROKAI (6.30 Doncaster)
BET 4.6pts win GRAND SPIRIT (7.00 Doncaster)
BET 8pts win AJMAN BRIDGE (7.30 Doncaster)
BET 2.3pts win SIMPLY SHINING (8.00 Doncaster)
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