FORTUNATE IF YOU BET WITH BETDAQ: Daqman’s Hot Spots scored with a supernap at Leopardstown on Boxing Day. But the value result on BETDAQ was the Aintree gamble landed by J P McManus and Jonjo O’Neill: Fortunate Man, taken by Daqman at 5.1 in exchange offers.
WON 15-8 FORTUNATE MAN (BETDAQ 5.1 taken)
WON 8-15 ROMEO COOLIO (Hot Spot and supernap)
TODAY ‘S HEADLINES
🔹 WAY CLEARED FOR EXPRESS
🔹 CODY KING IN MULLINS’ 1-2
🔹 DAY 2 KEMPTON: ASK SKELTON
WAY CLEARED FOR EXPRESS
⭕ 2.50 Chepstow (Welsh Grand National) Outsiders have won this on rare occasions in the mud when older horses prevail (16-1 in 2018 and 2022) but it’s good to soft today and eight years out of 10 the winner is between 5-2 and 9-1 and 50% are aged six or seven.
Some 40% of winners are trained in Wales or close by, which recommends Haiti Couleurs, Holokea, Jubilee Express and Tanganyika, who is due to drop 3lb in the handicap.
Ratings for Uncle Bert (+4), Mr Vango (+3), Collector’s Item (+3), Jubilee Express and (+2) O’Connell (+1) are all going up in future.
130 Jubilee Express (Sam Thomas) Runner-up last year and won the trial this month off the same mark from 135 Collector’s Item (Jonjo O’Neill), who is better off here but has not won beyond 3m 2f.
And, though 6lb higher now, the eight-year-old Jubilee Express is a big horse and those few pounds may be worth paying for the fitness edge the trial gave him.
Last year he was closing at the line in today’s National, though not raced since the previous March.
140 Rock My Way (Team Tizzard) The West Country yard is back to form big time, and Rock My Way has had an excellent run of three consecutive stamina tests.
He’s 10lb better with the winner Haiti Couleurs, on their one-two in the NH Chase at Cheltenham, which was followed by 5th in the Scottish National.
Then Daqman was on him for the Berkshire National (Ascot; 3m 5f, going good) last month. An easy win, costing him a 9lb rise, but he shot clear two out.
152 Mr Vango (Sara Bradstock) Winner of the Devon National, London National (from 135 Collector’s Item) and Midlands National (by only a length from from Tanganyika) on good to soft to heavy ground.
133 Git Maker (Jamie Snowden) The 2024 Kim Muir runner-up and third in the Scottish National, both on soft, has been less effective on good to soft, third in the Haydock Grand National Trial and only 10th in this year’s Kim Muir. Just a hurdles outing since then and clearly aimed at today’s National.
137 O’Connell (Sue Smith) Won the Lincolnshire National, second in the Eider and impressive in the London National the last day, all on good to soft.
🔥HOT SPOTS🔥 JUBILEE EXPRESS and ROCK MY WAY
CODY KING IN MULLINS’ 1-2
⭕ 3.00 Leopardstown (3m Power Chase) The form of the winner of the Scottish Grand National, Captain Cody, could have been boosted 10 minutes before lining up here, if the Ayr fifth, Rock My Way, has done well in the Welsh Grand National.
Cody’s form has already been made to look good by yesterday’s success for Romero Coolio, after their first and third in the Drinmore last month.
But he may have a tough task in giving 11lb to his Willie Mullins stablemate Sa Majeste, third in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival, when forced to give weight to all bar one of the 22-strong field.
The fourth horse home that day was Weveallbeencaught but he is no longer well in with Sa Majeste.
Ballysax Hank has been progressive on summer ground, and Backmersackme made good use of his featherweight when runner-up to Three Card Brag in another big field at Cheltenham in October.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 13.0 Captain Cody, 17.0 Sa Majeste
DAY 2 KEMPTON? ASK SKELTON
⭕ 1.20 Kempton Listed Flat winner Miss Cynthia has been placed 13 times, scoring for Lucy Wadham and for Sir Mark Prescott. She makes her debut for leading trainer, Dan Skelton, today.
⭕ 2.30 Kempton (Desert Orchid Chase) Skelton has found three winning good-ground targets for Thistle Ask and here’s another one after a break.
The ground favours the eight-year-old again today, and his 14lb punishment for beating Saint Segal in the Haldon Gold Cup is reduced – surely boosted – by Saint Segal’s subsequent success at Kelso.
⭕ 3.07 Kempton Montregard was added to the Hot Spots after a strong performance at Ascot in November, putting him on a hat-trick today in the visors that have shaken up his form.
Kap Vert’s 9lb rise for scoring at Taunton looks a bit harsh, as the pair he beat remain 0-9 and 0-2 over fences.
Prince Zaitar prefers cover in a big field, and front-runner Viroflay has lost out four times out of five in a finish (21222), twice beaten favourite.
🔥HOT SPOT🔥 MONTREGARD
DAQMAN’S BETS
on Betdaq Betting Exchange
HOT SPOTS (20pts win each)
2.50 Chepstow
JUBILEE EXPRESS
ROCK MY WAY
3.07 Kempton (nap)
MONTREGARD
BULL’S-EYE BETS (win 50)
3.00 Leopardstown
BET 4.2pts win CAPTAIN CODY
BET 3pts win SA MAJESTE
STABLE DOUBLE (win 20 each)
1.20 Kempton
BET 6pts win MISS CYNTHIA
2.30 Kempton
BET 7pts win THISTLE ASK
(plus 3pts to win 30 double)
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