UP FOR THE CUP WITH BIG BULL’S-EYE BETS: Daqman had a sequence of four big-race winners, all bagging 50 points or more last weekend, including a 50-1 hit. Today he bids for 50-up again in the Stewards’ Cup, and has bets on the day at Goodwood and Galway at 19.0, 15.5 (twice), 15.0 (twice) and 14.5 in the big-value BETDAQ handicap markets.
DOUBLE WHISKEY AT GALWAY FOR DAQMAN: Pricewise hit back against the Daqman value challenge with a 6-1 winner at Goodwood yesterday but Daqman retaliated in the featured Galway handicap last night via Whiskey Sour (WON 7-4). That, and his place from Withernsea (4th 12-1 from 15.0 on BETDAQ), takes him 284 points clear, with the score Daqman 64, Pricewise 11. It was Daqman’s second win with Whiskey Sour at Ballybrit this week after his 16-1 success on Monday.
* Pricewise races today: 1.50, 2.25 and 3.35 Goodwood, and 3.05 Galway
SCORCHING CAN SCORE FOR QATAR
1.50 Goodwood (Stewards Sprint) This Stewards Cup Consolation produces winners from close to the cut-off point for the Cup itself, with the last five Sprint heroes all rated between 89 and 96.
Take out from Lucky Beggar down, and you have a quality eight at the top, off 90 to 96. But we have two other guidelines to explore: where is the pace coming from and who will like the soft ground.
In fact, Lucky Beggar is one of the few to have scored on the soft. The only others in the entire race are Goring, Pettochside, Manshood, Scorching Heat and Archimedes.
Results this week have been for the low draw, and a pace assessment of today’s field suggests the middle stalls will break best, which again points to 8.0 BETDAQ offer Scorching Heat, whose stable currently has figures of 12100122 and the horse has soft-ground returns of 10122. Owners Qatar sponsor the meeting.
From that quality eight at the top of the card, I will add Rasheeq, who is running into form with racing for Tim Easterby, another trainer having a good year: 15.5 in the orange this morning.
2.25 Goodwood Another heat almost always won from the quality top half of the handicap and usually at a tasty price.
I’ve been watching the Stoute winners and backing his losers this week, so I’m discombobulated by his trio here: Shraaoh (Dettori), Mainstream (Moore) and Platitude (Atzeni).
What price (15.0 Soldier In Action on BETDAQ actually) for Silvestre De Sousa to oust those three top jocks and foil the Stoute plot with a Mark Johnston runaway?
3.00 Goodwood (Gordon Stakes) Whatever Stoute does with his trident trio, his single arrow here should be on the mark with Crystal Ocean because of the ground, which should help him reverse ‘Royal Ascot Derby’ form with Khalidi, and give the trainer a 10th win in this race.
BACK BOTH OF MEADE’S TO SHOW
3.05 Galway Willie Mullins’ recent record in this is 1011, all with young horses no older than six, but Ruby Walsh chooses a 10-year-old as his mount from four stable acceptors.
Ruby knows three of them well. He was on board Cap d’Aubois when they won comfortably over 3m at Tipperary last month.
He broke Aussie Reigns maiden over 2m at Thurles but Lagostovegas’ third to Whiskey Sour (2m 1f) here at Galway on Monday was in an amateurs’ race.
The going swings Ruby to The Crafty Butcher but also because the old boy is tough as cold mutton, runner-up in the big Christmas chase at Leopardstown after a Grade-B-handicap-hurdle place at Navan.
I can do better, says ‘Shark’ Hanlon, who puts Davy Russell on a 12-year-old, Hidden Cyclone, who hasn’t raced this far since 2012 but was doing his best work at the finish of Whiskey Sour’s first win of the week.
Davy couldn’t get down to do the weight on an old friend, Westland Row, whose 7lb claimer puts him into it but the form book says he wants top of the ground.
Mr Showtime slammed Westland Row on the last day, is versatile as to trip and ground and, despite his last five form figures of 21121, is down the bottom of the handicap, as an emerging novice.
Noel Meade stablemate Showem Silver hasn’t been seen since the Punchestown Festival. He carried an extra 12lb there for an easy win at Fairyhouse but still put in a fine effort (hampered two out) in finishing fourth.
On a mission is Tellthemnuttin, who was nearly knocked over at the start of the mares’ hurdle at this meeting last year.
But the handicapper has not listened to the omerta message in the name. He tells us that the six-year-old is a 30lb better animal since that day. Has he stopped further improvement following three (3m) wins out of four this year?
After Rain has run well in his classy races this year but this time the handicapper is not impressed. After Rain is only 5lb higher than he was at the start of 2016.
VERDICT: Noel Meade worries about the going but his pair, Showem Silver and Mr Showtime, were both able to quicken in heavy-ground bumpers. I found 15.0 and 19.0 respectively in the BETDAQ orange.
MORE SPRINT GLORY FOR HILLS
3.35 Goodwood (Stewards’ Cup) The low half of the draw, where winners have come from this week, looks packed with prominent racers.
Among them is soft-ground winner Al Qahwa (14.5 taken on BETDAQ early mouse).
If Rasheeq is placed in the Sprint earlier, that would be a big pointer to Al Qahwa. They were second and third a week ago at York, Al Qahwa giving weight to both.
The big sprints at Royal Ascot provide 77% of winners of this, and Eastern Impact had all sorts of misfortune, seventh in the Wokingham. He lost a shoe and had to be switched after beiong hampered. First-time cheekpieces help me think that 20.0 is a very big price on BETDAQ.
Shanghai Glory (15.5 offers) had an even worst time in the Wokingham. Hated the firm ground, shuffled back, hampered and stone last.
But the Charlie Hills stable’s sprinters are absolutely flying, Shangahi Glory loves soft ground, and has won in a higher grade than this, a Listed winner at The Curragh last backend.
DAQMAN’S BETS (to win 30 unless otherwise stated)
1.50 Goodwood (win 30)
BET 4.25pts win SCORCHING HEAT
BET 2pts win and place RASHEEQ
2.25 Goodwood (win 30)
BET 2pts win and place SOLDIER IN ACTION
3.00 Goodwood
BANKER: BET 20pts win (nap) CRYSTAL OCEAN
3.05 Galway (win 30)
BET 2pts win and place SHOWEM SILVER
BET 1.6pts win and place MR SHOWTIME
3.35 Goodwood: Bull’s-Eye Bets, each to win 50
BET 3.6pts win and place AL QAHWA
BET 3.5pts win and place SHANGHAI GLORY
BET 2.5pts win and place EASTERN IMPACT
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