A BIG DAY MEANS BIG BETDAQ VALUE: A humdinger of a major Group 1 and a big-field handicap puzzle. It’s Ascot on King George day with the usual big value available race by race on BETDAQ: in race order this morning, total percentages in exchange offers were very near 102, 103, 103, 105 and 103, the last two the big races. Compare with last year’s Total SPs of 122, 115, 116, 139 and 120.
KING GEORGE 1-2-3: Daqman has picked two three-year-old improvers to threaten the King George favourite, Auguste Rodin, making up a 1-2-3 at 2.65, 6.1 and 11.5 on BETDAQ. Read all about it!
DASH IN TO BACK FERROUS
⭕ 2.05 York Previous winners of this sprint for professional Jump jockeys clash at similar weights. Soul Seeker (2021 and 2023) is going for a third strike in the race and Birkenhead, who had Soul Seeker behind in 2022, makes his first attempt to double up.
He’s been in great form lately (121 since May) which has pushed up his rating to the precise mark he carried when he won this. BETDAQ 15.5 taken.
⭕ 2.25 Ascot (Valiant Stakes) Favourites have failed in recent years (0-8) but three-year-olds win 50% of the time.
Winner (Devoted Queen) and second (Spiritual) both had to be hooded to fight out a Listed in May and it worked again for Spiritual to make all, with Soprano third, at Sandown early this month.
But the ground was soft that day and Soprano, who had won the Sandringham at the royal meeting, is the one today, returning to a sound surface. BETDAQ 5.0 taken.
⭕ 2.40 York (Dash) Connor Beasley has ridden the winner three times in the last five seasons, and his mount now, Ferrous- a revelation since gelded – got no luck in running in the Wokingham.
Jack Channon is expecting a good pace on and reckons York will suit Ferrous, who has been working well and is value at Betdaq Betting Exchange 11.0.
ANOTHER FRESH INTERNATIONAL
⭕ 3.00 Ascot (International Stakes) Ages four and five win 8 out of 10, usually only interrupted by something special – like Raising Sand (2019 winner) – often suited by cut in the ground.
Fresh is the only CD winner in the race, 11lb below his last winning mark here, which was on good to soft. But his International hit six weeks earlier was on firm and he has to be in the frame, with Billy Loughnane in the saddle and drawn 18.
Today should be fast run for a specialist 7f handicapper, most likely in the nearside group (19, 21 and 24 have won it in the last five seasons) or nearside of centre (11, 12, 14 twice and 15 in the decade).
Aalto (14) won the Bunbury Cup the last day, and Billyjoh (15) was runner-up at Royal Ascot to English Oak (Carrytheone 3rd, Northern Express 5th, Divine Libra 6th, Fresh 7th twice not clear run, Make Me King 8th).
In the low numbers, note that Charlie Hills has booked William Buick for Orazio (3) and Christophe Soumillon for Divine Libra (7). Soumillon is over for Goliath in the King George.
Jockeys looking for International glory are the value on BETDAQ: Rossa Ryan (9.9 Billyjoh) and 18-year-old Billy Loughnane (15.0 Fresh)
DOWN TO EARTH AT 11.5
⭕ 3.40 Ascot (King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes) As a dual Derby winner, Auguste Rodin has the best form in the race and his draw and good-to-firm ground will suit but excuses are ready in case he is stone last as he was a year ago.
He has also finished 12th of 14 in the Guineas and 12 of 12 in the Sheema Classic. ‘This was always the plan. He takes some knowing, but is the best horse at his best,’ is the stable prognostication I’ve heard for today.
A six-year-old won it last year and could be the favourite’s nemesis again, a late-developing international player called Rebel’s Romance. I listed in my form guide half a dozen countries where he’s won.
But, of the horses he’s beaten that we know well, the best are Broome, Emily Upjohn, Mishriff and Point Lonsdale, while his last appearance in England was winning a Listed at Kempton.
The improvers today are Middle Earth and last year’s Ribblesdale third when rated only 94, Bluestocking. She is now on 117 and beat Emily Upjohn on the last day.
An end-to-end gallop will suit handicapper turned Group campaigner, Middle Earth, who has the required stamina.
He was catching Goliath when they were second and third in the Hardwicke at Ascot, and Goliath’s French connections think enough of him to bring him over again today.
Sunway has made good progress this year but Oisin Murphy prefers Middle Earth, C and D like the favourite but not in the same race. Both horse and rider are reliable and are a place ‘must’, given a decent pace.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 6.1 Bluestocking, 11.5 Middle Earth
SHADOW OF CHESTER DRAW
⭕ 4.05 Chester Best to take one or two early value offers because, by this time in the afternoon, the scene could be changed by heavy showers.
If two low-drawn horses run to their best, one of them should win this class-2 sprint: 6.6 Garfield Shadow, 15 Media Shooter.
Media Shooter ran a huge race at York in June, fourth behind the progressive FORTUNE COOKIE James’s Delight, who was scoring his third win of four which took him from a lowly 88 to 110 and has him targeting the Haydock Sprint.
Garfield Shadow has had a break since finishing behind in the York race. His return after a longer holiday – the winter break – saw him beat Al Shabab Storm here over the Chester CD when receiving just a pound.
Like James’s Delight, the horse called Storm has recently scored at Listed level and is now rated 107.
DAQMAN’S BETS
2.05 York (win 30)
BET 2pts win BIRKENHEAD
2.25 Ascot (win 40 nap)
BET 10pts win SOPRANO
2.40 York (win 30)
BET 2pts win FERROUS
3.00 Ascot (win 50 win 30)
BULL’S-EYE BET: 3.5pts win FRESH
BET 3.25pts win BILLYJOH
3.40 Ascot (win 30)
BET 6pts win BLUESTOCKING
BET 3pts win MIDDLE EARTH
4.05 Chester (win 30)
BET 5.25pts win GARFIELD SHADOW
BET 2pts win MEDIA SHOOTER
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