GOLD TO BE WON AT DUBLIN FESTIVAL: Big races everywhere this weekend with the Dublin Festival top of the bill, featuring the Irish Gold Cup today and the Champion Hurdle tomorrow. Musselburgh has a punters’ Edinburgh National, full of chances at big offers on BETDAQ. The day finishes in the London area at Kempton and Sandown.
DAQMAN 452 POINTS UP ON PRICEWISE: Daqman has a 22-8 winners lead over Pricewise, 452 points clear to level stakes with a profit of 258.33 over his archrival’s 194.16 deficit.
INTELLOTTO FACES STORM
⭕ 1.50 Leopardstown (Spring Juvenile Hurdle) The last two winners and a second (hampered) have gone on to score in the Triumph Hurdle.
Joseph O’Brien’s CD-winner Intellotto was put up at BETDAQ 21.0 by Daqman ante-post for the Triumph, superior to Highwind on a line through Pigeon House, but with three other Willie Mullins’ contenders in opposition today.
Mullins sees ‘huge improvement’ in Storm Heart on his Punchestown victory over Jeaniemacarony but that one was well behind in the Highwind race.
It’s too soon to talk about ratings but Storm Heart and Intellotto have the edge on what we’ve seen, with Majborough unexposed for J P McManus after 307 days off. BETDAQ value 3.3 Storm Heart, 8.1 Intellotto
⭕ 2.25 Leopardstown Arkle Marine Nationale turned over the favourite, Facile Vega, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last March, and was very impressive in his first chase late last year.
Found A Fifty, second in the Drinmore, and winner of the Racing Post Novice Chase at the Christmas meeting here, was beaten out of sight last Spring by Facile Vega and Il Etait Temps in the Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle.
⭕ 3.00 Leopardstown Hurdle I put up Music Of Tara for this as the big-field battler, placed among 19, 20 and 26 runners, and ultimately winner in heavy ground on today’s course from 20 others under Rachael Blackmore.
She has to step up to three miles but you couldn’t find better credentials in her pedigree than being a Kayf Tara out of a Presenting mare. I think she’ll travel better than over the shorter trips.
J P McManus’ Canal End broke his maiden at the Fairyhouse festival last Spring, a comfy winner, miles clear of the same owner’s Park Of Kings at level weights.
But Park Of Kings has done really well since then and, on my ratings, allowing for a 5lb claim, has just about closed the gap.
Also claimed off, Gaoth Chuil is 2-2 at Leopardstown, the last day a heavy-ground winner of the Pertemps Hurdle qualifier.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 10.5 Music Of Tara, 14 Gaoth Chuil, 18 Park Of Kings
GOLD WATCH: FASTORSLOW
⭕ 3.35 Leopardstown (Irish Gold Cup) 🔺FORTUNE COOKIE Fastorslow takes on last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs, who won this race last year.
But Fastorslow, who was greatly inferior in the 2022 John Durkan, has wiped the floor with Galopin Des Champs, since climbing the ladder with a neck second (to Grand National winner Corach Rambler) in the Ultima at Cheltenham 2023.
He afterwards slammed Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup and the last day – first run back – gained sweet revenge in the John Durkan, with Galopin only third.
PEACHES NATIONAL CREAM
⭕ 2.15 Musselburgh (Edinburgh National) STATS: No winners under the age of eight and only one carried more than 10st 12lb. Favourites have poor record.
1. Peaches And Cream Big-field Punchestown winner (3m 7f) on good ground. Stayed on well (hampered) in Grade 3 at Cheltenham the last day; the winner was from his own stable.
2 Christopher Wood Has dropped down the handicap, well below his Graded-hurdle form for Venetia Williams, who does well here with few runners. Won the County Hurdle on this card in 2021
3 Inis Oirr Stayed on well behind Londen Calling in the Lincolnshire National, as if extreme distance would suit. Visor instead of cheekpieces today.
4 Magna Sam Won this a year ago on similar ground and followed up with fifth in the Scottish Grand National.
5 Brandy McQueen son of Yeats and could be anything now up in trip but only seven and may need more chasing experience.
Enrilo well handicapped on old form; Universal Folly eight in a row in first two but not bred to stay.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 5.8 Peaches And Cream, 8 Inis Oirr, Magna Sam, 9 Universal Folly, 10 Christopher Wood, Enrilo, 11.5 Brandy McQueen, 13 Londen Calling.
AFADIL RATES THE NAP
⭕ 2.50 Musselburgh (Scottish County Hurdle) Last year’s winner, Collingham, has to bounce back and there’s been money for the same stable’s Ballygeary.
But Paul Nicholls has won it twice in six years and Afadil, who has his ground, could avenge defeat the last day by Benson on this course. BETDAQ 5.7.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.50 Leopardstown (win 20, win 10)
BET 3pts win INTELLOTTTO
BET 4pts win STORM HEART
2.15 Musselburgh (win 20)
BET 4pts win PEACHES AND CREAM
BET 2pts win CHRISTOPHER WOOD
2.50 Musselburgh (win 20, nap)
BET 4.25pts win AFADIL
3.00 Leopardstown (win-50 bull’s-eye bets)
BET 5pts win MUSIC OF TARA
BET 3.75pts win GAOTH CHUIL
BET 3pts win PARK OF KINGS
3.10 Sandown (win-50 bull’s-eye bet)
BET 1.4pts win and place TANGANYIKA
3.35 Leopardstown
🔺FORTUNE COOKIE
BET 20pts win FASTORSLOW
3.45 Sandown (win 10)
BET 2pts win GROZNI
6.15 Kempton (win 10)
BET 4pts win VOLKAN BEY
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