STILL LOOKING FOR NAP NUMBER 10 OUT OF 12: Not Daqman’s day yesterday when the nap was a non-runner and the gamble of the day, Rockpoint (20-1 > 2ND 6-1), was beaten half a length with the rest of the field 10 lengths adrift. Scores are now:
DAQMAN’S NAPS: 242.37 points profit from NINE winners out of ELEVEN, the last four consecutive (no losers this week).
HORSES TO FOLLOW: Profit now 131.66. There are two more today and three probables tomorrow.
VALUE CHALLENGE: Pricewise 1 (+ 7), Daqman 1 (- 13.75). Today they clash in the 1.50 Newbury and 3.20 Newcastle.
DAQMAN MAKES HIS OWN HEADLINES: Today’s past results show champion hurdlers and gold cup winners, so get involved in the knowledge that future stars – so future winners – are guaranteed on BETDAQ. Today:
THEY’RE UP THE CREEK WITH PADLE
OH BOY! SUMMER IS A COMING IN
‘GOLD’ IF WE CAN BEAT THE JOLLY
‘ESCAPE’ WITH THE TROPHY LOOT!
A BALLY GOOD BETDAQ BET AT 8.4
THEY’RE UP THE CREEK WITH PADLE
1.50 Newbury (Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle) The second day of the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival starts on terrestrial TV with a long handicap – 25lb from top to bottom – which we’d normally regard as fun for the punter and a killing for the bookie.
But, in fact, the winners have come from the front of the market, their chance pointed up by recent solid form.
Champ, who is related to Best Mate down the dam’s side, has twice won in lower class by 10 lengths each time, and has that ‘could be anything’ look.
Speedo Boy won well at Cheltenham but that puts him up in the ratings on ground that’s never suited in England, though he did win an egg-and-spoon race on very soft going at Fontainebleau as a baby.
Air Horse One was closing down the winner too late when third last year, and trainer Harry Fry is celebrating the victory of Unowhatimeanharry on the opening day yesterday. So stable in form for a target race, which is a 4lb worse race than last year.
Barters Hill seems fragile – has won only once in three years – but Padleyourowncanoe (12.0 on BETDAQ this morning) was a running on fourth in the Fred Winter, and has the ground and the step up in trip for the first time today.
Though he’s a bridesmaid (form figures 33432), Sleep Easy (13.5 offers) is a standout on form, if his 7lb claimer can do the job.
Gave 17lb when second to yesterday’s impressive winner, Vive Le Roi, at Stratford in October, and the Vive le Roi form links up to Graded level. Check your collaterals!
OH BOY! SUMMER IS A COMING IN
2.05 Newcastle (Fighting Fifth Hurdle) An early taste of what is to come at Cheltenham, billed as the champion versus the young pretender though, in fact, dual Champion Hurdle hero Buveur d’Air is only a year older than Ballymore winner Samcro.
If you’re a Samcro fan, this will be the first time in his entire career of nine starts that he’s started at odds against.
After seven wins in a row, he fell in the BETDAQ sponsored Punchestown Champion Hurdle in April and was beaten on his return in a Grade 2 at Down Royal.
Summerville Boy is unexposed after just six starts but with his Supreme Novice Hurdle panning out as a roll call of young stars – among them Kalashnikov, Mengli Khan, Paloma Blue, Claimantakinforgan, Lostintranslation and Sharjah – despite the heavy going that day.
This is a race to look and learn but I’ll have a pound on Summerville Boy at BETDAQ’s 5.9. He’s from a race that throws up superstars.
‘GOLD’ IF WE CAN BEAT THE JOLLY
2.30 Fairyhouse One of my horses to follow, Inca Gold, runs today for J P McManus after an impressive debut at Gowran Park a week back, giving the combination of sire Galileo and a Danehill mare a stunning 20 winners from 31 Jumps runners.
Eclat des Mottes is saddled by Willie Mullins so is hot after scoring at Downpatrick, ridden out, but Jack Dillinger, from the same yard as Inca Gold, was pushed clear on the run-in at Clonmel.
I’ll try and topple the favourite by betting two against one, win on each of the Joseph O’Brien pair, 5.6 Inca Gold and 7.4 Jack Dillinger.
‘ESCAPE’ WITH THE TROPHY LOOT!
3.00 Newbury (Ladbrokes Trophy) This has always been Jumps-racing history in the making, way back to Arkle (1964-5) and in recent times Denman (2007 and 2009), Bobs Worth (2012), Many Clouds (2014) and Native River (2016).
The Native River stable runs one of my horses to follow, Elegant Escape, following on Padleyourowncanoe. I’m hoping one of the Tizzard duo can crack it, after Rockpoint went so close for them as a 20-1>6-1 gamble yesterday.
Elegant Escape had Black Corton behind at both the Cheltenham and the Aintree festival, and in fact the mare Ms Parfois comes out a bigger danger on Aintree form, while Thomas Patrick has a turnaround in the weights to help him avenge his half-length defeat by Elegant Escape at Sandown.
But you have to have belief in this game, and Tizzard rates Escape in the Native River league, which is my not so elegant reason for taking BETDAQ offers of 7.0.
A BALLY GOOD BETDAQ BET AT 8.4
3.20 Newcastle (Rehearsal Chase) Another very tough race for punters, which Pricewise thinks he can win with Big River. I’ll take him on with Ballydine at 8.4 on BETDAQ.
I was impressed with his stamina up the hill at Sandown and every drop of rain that falls is pennies from heaven for Charlie Longsdon.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.50 Newbury (win 50 twice and win 30)
BULL’S-EYE BET 4.5pts win PADLEYOUROWNCANOE
BULL’S-EYE BET 4pts win SLEEP EASY
BET: 6pts win CHAMP
2.05 Newcastle (win 30)
BET 6pts win SUMMERVILLE BOY
2.30 Fairyhouse (win 20 each)
BET 4.25pts win INCA GOLD
BET 3.25pts win JACK DILLINGER
3.00 Newbury (win 30 NAP)
BET 5pts win and place ELEGANT ESCAPE
3.20 Newcastle (win 20)
BET 2.75pts win and place BALLYDINE
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