DAQMAN HAS FIVE WINS IN THREE RACES: Daqman landed five winning bets from three consecutive winners and two places in the three races he analysed on the opening day at Cheltenham yesterday, taking a 12-5 lead over Pricewise (Daqman 22 points ahead to level stakes). He had the one-two in the cross-country, separated by a nose. Profit on the day 53.75.
WON 12-1 VIENNA COURT (plus place win)
WON 7-1 COMMODORE
WON 6-1 DIESEL d’ALLIER
WON (2nd) POTTERS CORNER 14-1 (place win; same race)
Second-day headlines
SKELTON TREBLE MESSAGE
PHIL GETS DISTANCE FILIP
KHAL GUNS ARE BLAZING
AND THE OSCAR GOES TO
SKELTON TREBLE MESSAGE
⭕ 12.05 Cheltenham (Triumph Trial) Though it’s not generally the best guide, Defi Du Seuil (2016) won the Triumph after this. All recent winners came to this second trial with experience, mostly with win or place form; six out of nine were favourites.
The first trial, at the November meeting, was won by Milton Harris’s Knight Salute – he sends out the filly Galah today – with Yorksea third, staying on well.
Twilight Twist and Galah were second and third to a Dan Skelton favourite at Newcastle late last month.
Today Skelton’s well-bred Message Personnel (BETDAQ 4.1), winner of a summer hurdle on heavy in France, has his first run in England.
⭕ 12.40 Cheltenham Only My Drogo (one for your DAQ Multiples today) has a rating to match recent winners of this novices’ chase.
Graded-hurdle winner at Ascot and Aintree, he came to fences after a close-season break but slipped and knuckled on landing in a two-horse race here at the November meeting.
He jumped beautifully otherwise and his main danger on the ratings is Jay Bee Why, whom he beat 47 lengths over hurdles in the Spring.
Captain Cuckoo has failed to finish twice in his last four starts, sandwiched in between two defeats totalling 93 lengths. Torn And Frayed has been jumping badly.
⭕ 1.15 Cheltenham Message Personnel, then My Drogo.. Is it now Amoola Gold for a Skelton hat-trick from the first three races?
Involved in two close finishes at Ascot in the autumn – winner then second – which puts him up top weight here, though only 3lb in front of Cheddleton, whose connections will be hoping for rain for one who went clear on Haydock heavy a year ago at this time.
Editeur Du Gite is 3-4 on good and good to soft, including here at the November meeting, when he had Bun Doran well behind. Frere Banbou was a modest fourth behind Amoola Gold in October.
Moonlighter has pulled up twice in Graded chases since beating Dolos seven lengths off today’s mark at Sandown in February. A combination of wind ops and rain could bring him into contention.
PHIL GETS DISTANCE FILIP
⭕ 1.50 Cheltenham (Winter Gold Cup) Midnight Shadow, Fusil Raffles, Siruh Du Lac and Cepage are all officially CD winners here at Cheltenham.
Midnight Shadow won the Autumn Gold Cup at the November meeting on good ground, beating Protektorat, who went on to score at Aintree earlier this month. But this race is on the stiffer New course, not the Old.
Lalor was third and is now rated a couple of pounds better than Frodon before that one’s first strike in this race.
There the resemblance ends, Lalor being more than twice his age and older than any winner of this 2m 4f handicap chase in the decade.
Wind-ops, tongue–tie and cheekpieces complete a modest picture of a nine-year-old with a chase record of 1-10.
Dostal Phil Came late on the scene in the November race, and is now 8lb better off with Lalor for a length, but would relish more rain. Stiffer track will suit.
Zanza, a stablemate of Dostal Phil, also finished well that day on his step up in trip after an early career over 2m.
Cepage was runner-up to Frodon in this in 2018 and won the Cheltenham Trophy in January 2020, but has to bounce back. Venetia Williams, who has had a winner and four placed in this race, has two runners today.
Farinet She has booked Rachael Blackmore for her first ride for the stable on this progressive lightweight; never out of the first four, still standing, under rules.
Beakstown Lightly raced, another Skelton chance. Fifth in the novice chase behind Imperial Aura at the Cheltenham Festival. Runs instead of Alnadam, who had been backed during the week, but needs softer ground.
Fusil Raffles Cheltenham form as a novice 112, still standing, scoring on soft and good. Lucky Charlie Hall winner at Wetherby in October but that was 3m, and he’s a CD winner here.
BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE 7.4 Fusil Raffles, 8.4 Farinet, 9.8 Dostal Phil
KHAL GUNS ARE BLAZING
⭕ 2.25 Cheltenham (Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle) Blazing Khal is the second Fortune Cookie to run after Protektorat (WON 4-1).
He was very impressive in the Grade-2 Ballymore at the November meeting here and has now won from 2m to 2m 5f from good to heavy.
Related on the dam’s side to that great jumper, Danoli, and ‘a real galloper and real battler’, says Charles Byrnes, his trainer; all guns blazing, in fact.
He’ll need to be if he is to confirm the placings with Gelino Bello, who was second in the November race and is now better off at the weights, but that one looked more like an Aintree horse to me that day and Khal can outstay him again. Current Mood was a well-beaten third.
Barony Legends beat nothing well at Lingfield, and the two others have a lot to prove. Blazing Khal was a tad better than evens in the BETDAQ orange this morning.
⭕ 3.00 Cheltenham The Cheltenham form of nine-year-old Sceau Royal (1010213040) has tapered off but, though aged nine, he won the Elite at Wincanton recently.
Song For Someone won this last year, beating three higher-rated horses, including Ballyadam (third and better off today) and Sceau Royal (fourth).
He was on Song at Ascot over further on his prep run (second with Guard Your Dreams third). They’ve tweaked his wind surgery since.
A top novice hurdler, Ballyadam has been a nearly horse over hurdles and fences in the last year and probably needs more rain. It all looks very close.
BETDAQ value 3.7 Song For Someone
AND THE OSCAR GOES TO
⭕ 2.05 Doncaster Six of these have won two or more of the last six races. Paul Nicholls has taken the race twice in the last five seasons, and saddles another of his precocious four-year-olds from France, Sonigino, probably needing more rain, which would disadvantage Takeit Easy
Geronimo’s scalp may be taken, up in grade and 7lb higher. But the strong-travelling Tommy’s Oscar (acts on any going and has won easily at this level) could cope with a similar rise.
BETDAQ value 4.8 Sonigino, 6.6 Tommy’s Oscar
⭕ 3.15 Doncaster Kim Bailey won this last year with a 138 rated 9-y-o off 11st 4lb. Two For Gold (150) is 12lb better but only 8lb higher; has scored twice when fresh and is a course winner.
Fidux prefers good ground, while Kauto Riko needs more rain and, like Jett, is 11 years old in three weeks’ time.
BETDAQ value 4.3 Two For Gold
DAQMAN’S BETS
12.05 Cheltenham (win 10)
BET 3pts win MESSAGE PERSONNEL
1.50 Cheltenham (win 50, two at win 30)
BET 5.5pts win DOSTAL PHIL
BET 4.75pts win FUSIL RAFFLES
BET 4.25pts win FARINET
2.05 Doncaster (win 20, win 10)
BET 3.5 TOMMY’S OSCAR
BET 2.5pts win SONIGINO
2.25 Cheltenham (Fortune Cookie)
BET 12pts win BLAZING KHAL
3.00 Cheltenham (win 10)
BET 4pts win SONG FOR SOMEONE
3.15 Doncaster (win 10, nap)
BET 3pts win TWO FOR GOLD
DAQ MULTIPLES
Cheltenham 12.05, 12.40 and 1.15)
(3 x 1pt win doubles, 1pt treble)
MESSAGE PERSONNEL
MY DROGO
AMOOLA GOLD
What are points? Points facilitate a staking plan, which is the secret to creating profit. One point is whatever you choose: a pound, a euro, or whatever ….
Start with a bank and decide how much you can afford to lose over a period of time, and determine the size of your bets accordingly. Daqman makes this variation every day.
