10 WINNING NAPS OUT OF 12: Daqman made a profit on the day yesterday, despite shock results with the change to soft ground at Sandown. Western Hymn was his fifth winning nap in a row – 10 from 12 – and he also scored with Eccleston (WON 7-2 from 5.6 on BETDAQ).
SIX BANKERS OUT OF SIX: Western Hymn made it a maximum-stakes four-timer, six bankers out of six in the sequence all told. The notional 20 points level-stakes return from the sequence is now 345:
WON 6-1 ANIPA
2nd 11-4 Pearl Princess (beaten a nose)
WON 4-5 PROVIDENT SPIRIT (banker)
WON 1-1 TOORMORE (banker)
WON 2-1 LITIGANT
WON 5-1 SEA SHANTY
0 6-1 Specialagent Alfie
WON 7-4 TOKYO JAVILEX
WON 4-11 CALL THE COPS (banker)
WON 5-4 UT MAJEUR AULMES (banker)
WON 8-13 MUSIC MASTER (banker)
WON 1-2 WESTERN HYMN (banker)
DAQMAN LEADS PRICEWISE 22-4: After his one-two in the Irish National and a 40-1 second at Epsom on Wednesday, Daqman leads Pricewise 22-4 since the start of the Flat and 61-16 overall in races for which both had picks. Today they clash in the 2.20 Haydock and 3.50 Sandown.
The fat lady sang weeks ago. Though it’s officially the last day of the English jumps season today, Tony McCoy’s 19th championship and Paul Nicholls’ return to the top of the trainers’ tree were certain before the overlap of the Flat (turf).
Those who can’t bear the quick scamper without the obstacles have Sandown to themselves this afternoon, then only have to wait until Wednesday, when Ireland comes to the rescue with the Punchestown Festival, a circus set to make next week’s English Classics look like a wet picnic.
2.05 Sandown Nicholls, who has no equal with young horses, was straight off the mark in this last season, and Keltus – (hampered) fourth in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham – could follow Ptit Zig this afternoon.
Connections of Baradari, just behind in fifth at Cheltenham (Raven’s Tower sixth) but a faller at Aintree, will hope for plenty more rain, which was forecast for the early hours, after yesterday’s downpour which produced shock results on the Flat course.
Baradari could reverse the placings with Keltus (040 on soft-heavy) if he gets his conditions, though Venetia Williams is on a losing run of 27 on the mainly good ground of the last fortnight, including nine pulled up.
Both Keltus and Baradari have to give lumps of weight to the maidens Ronaldinho and Dolores Delightful, but ‘Choc’ Thornton remains loyal to (good-ground) sequence horse Saint Jerome in preference to Ronaldinho.
Vodka Wells, hooded first time for his English debut, has Barry Geraghty booked and the stable has shown improved form in the last couple of days. Dispour doesn’t want it soft.
VERDICT: Like a lot of racing today, the outcome depends on just how much rain has fallen. Venetia Williams was having a great season until the ground dried out.
A downpour could put her back on song, a boost for Baradari (8.6 on BETDAQ this morning), one of few in the race to love it soft-heavy.
2.20 Haydock With his current strike-rate 7-15, Frankie Dettori has a full book of rides at Haydock today, including in this one for Marco Botti. His only ride for the in-form stable earlier this week was a winner on Tuesday.
His mount here, Don’t Bother Me (12.0 on BETDAQ this morning), drops to a handicap on his first start for Botti after nine consecutive races in the Pattern, the last five at Group level.
Bertiewittle hasn’t won since the summer of 2011 but some good efforts have put him up 24lb in the meantime. Sir Reginald beat him at Doncaster last September but is another with a poor strike-rate, his previous win coming three years ago.
David Barron has two other runners: Big Johnny D has always needed a run back and has never won above class 3; Newstead Abbey is in the hands of the handicapper after a hat-trick last Spring.
First-time hood may help Louis The Pious but he’s a 6f horse, too old to change his spots now. Glen Moss may be a few pounds too high but will appreciate the firmish ground (though forecast showers may change all that).
VERDICT: Don’t Bother Me, as low as 6-1 with Ladbrokes this morning, was massive at almost double that, 12.0 on BETDAQ. We’re talking, literally, a Group horse in a handicap.
2.50 Ripon Colonel Mak, Hillybilly Boy, Hopes N Dreams, Misplaced Fortune and Pearl Ice – drawn between 10 and 17 – all like to lead or be handy, making this a pell-mell set-to on the rails.
CD-winner Pearl Ice, who has left David Barron, is visored first time. Barron’s Colonel Mak is a once-a-year horse, claimed off because he hasn’t won this high since he was five.
Hillbilly Boy is now up 16lb since January. Nigel Tinkler (Misplaced Fortune) usually gets his winners in a heap and is currently well out of touch.
Hopes N Dreams trailed Clear Spring in the Great St Wilfrid here last summer, but Clear Spring’s yard is another treading water right now.
So I’m thinking that the dash down the rail could set it up for Body And Soul (stall 12) if she is ready to do business.
VERDICT: The worry about Body And Soul (another around 10.0 on BETDAQ) is that she’ll need the run but if, handicap master craftsman Tim Easterby is to have her ready for the Group-2 Duke Of York Stakes in a couple of weeks from now, she ought to just about eat up these handicappers, body and soul.
3.15 Sandown (Celebration Chase) I don’t begrudge ‘Grugy’ his title. It’s just that I didn’t cotton on to him soon enough.
Some horses slip by you and you have to catch up or continue opposing them, and backers of nine losing favourites out of 10 in this will say now is the time to lay the Cheltenham champion.
Sire De Grugy is seven out of eight since this time last year, when he came to the fore in this very Celebration Chase.
He arrived on the Graded scene from beginners’ and novice-chase success at Stratford, Kempton and Lingfield, and had the previous year’s winner, Sanctuaire, back in sixth. Just as Sanctuaire had slammed Somersby the year before.
Even Twist Magic failed in his back-to-back bid when I’m So Lucky stuffed him in 2010 so, while the Press is saying it’s a brave man who opposes the Sire today, the stats say it’s a fool who doesn’t.
VERDICT: This is a poor renewal and Sir De Grugy may well continue his quite-majestic champion’s run (I must be magnanimous in defeat) but the shape of the race could see Special Tiara, a front-runner who has won on heavy, try to get a long lead.
I can neither back nor lay Sire De Grugy in this graveyard for favourites, with a pittance of a return if I try to ‘buy money’ from him.
So I shall hope for a run for win-and-mainly-place money from Special Tiara, yet another around 12.0 on BETDAQ as I write. I’ll put Sire De Grugy in a couple of Daq doubles and maybe I can draw from the race twice and make it one to remember after all!
3.25 Haydock This is trappy enough, since David O’Meara (four), Richard Fahey (two) and Mark Johnston (two) have multiple declared, but showers on firmish ground could see your money slip sliding away.
If in doubt, go for a younger horse of potential for a stable in form: last year’s 27lb rise by Ingleby Angel for a yard currently with eight out of nine in the frame (four winners) and Ryan Moore booked foots the bill. Would you believe, another around 12.0 on BETDAQ.
3.30 Ripon Horses carrying 9st 3lb to 9st 11lb have won five out six, suggesting that we need to look for a bit of quality.
But Adlui, who has changed stables, won a weaker version last year and, since he’s sitting on top of this handicap, the high weights can’t be much cop.
It makes Bayan look very hard to beat, a winner from firm to heavy on the Flat and placed in the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, sneakling in here off a low mark. Good spot by trainer Gordon Elliott.
3.50 SANDOWN GOLD CUP (see ABC Guide, Thursday in the Daqman Archive)
It’s going to be a sunny Sandown this afternoon, say the weathermen, but earlier rain could change the face of this race. It certainly made a difference to the Flat course yesterday.
It’s not only a concern for last year’s runner-up Same Difference, but also two other good-ground preferred, Kim Muir winner Spring Heeled and last year’s fifth, Hadrian’s Approach.
The 2010 RSA and Hennessy runner-up, Burton Port didn’t get far in the Grand National won by Dr Richard Newlan’s Pineau De Re, and he has only veterans’ race form at Doncaster and Newbury since his second in the Aintree Bowl under McCoy two years ago.
Dr Newland’s small stable has another chance with a lightweight here, the improving novice Ardkilly Witness. I would fancy him to get home on a decent surface but not if it comes up mud.
Roalco De Farges, second in this two years ago, drew the attention of the Stewards when he faded out of contention, jumping badly, though heavily backed, in the Scottish National.
The 2013 Scottish National winner, Godsmejudge, was just touched off in that recent renewal, and is actually 2lb well in here, since the race had closed before the Ayr National.
Stablemate Midnight Appeal was going well at Ayr when he came down, and ‘Choc’ Thornton prefers him again. His sire got a good stayer in Midnight Chase but Midnight Appeal’s sister, My Petra, was a two-miler, albeit a class act.
Bally Legend is another Midnight Legend. He was receiving a stone when he beat Bury Parade at Kempton (3m). Midnight Appeal (4th) and Ardkilly Witness (5th) are both better off with the first two.
But Paul Nicholls believes that Bury Parade can do better on this right-handed course, and he has chosen this race instead of another clockwise track, Punchestown, next week.
Restless Harry’s defeat of Teaforthree and Houblon des Obeaux at Ascot sounds good but that was 3m and his steeplechase form at 26-29f is 0UU0.
VERDICT: Bury Parade (10.5 on BETDAQ) who can do better on this right-handed track, and Same Difference (10.0) are my pick without much confidence, and blind to the ground.
I can’t remember such an open contest on a day when I want to celebrate Liverpool’s title and hear Mourinho saying: ‘I told you I only had a reserve team.’ I could have told him that months ago.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 2.6pts win BARADARI (2.05 Sandown)
BET 1.8pts win and place DON’T BOTHER ME (2.20 Haydock)
BET 2.2pts win and place BODY AND SOUL (2.50 Ripon)
BET 1.8pts win and 4.2pts place SPECIAL TIARA (3.15 Sandown)
BET 1.8pts win and place INGLEBY ANGEL (3.25 Haydock)
BET 7.5pts win (nap) BAYAN (3.30 Ripon)
BET 2pts win on each BURY PARADE and SAME DIFFERENCE (3.50 Sandown)
DAQ DOUBLE: 3pts win double SIRE DE GRUGY (3.15 Sandown) and BAYAN (3.30 Ripon), plus 2 x 1pt win doubles and 1pt win treble the same two with DON’T BOTHER ME (2.20 Haydock)
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