33-1 IN BIG NEWBURY DOUBLE: Will the Denman produce a hit for Cheltenham? What is the 33-1 outsider for the hurdle? Daqman previews both big Newbury races, horse by horse.
đď¸ NEXT WEEK: Grand National trials at Haydock, Punchestown and Newcastle.
âBRAVEâ PUNTERS WANTED..
â 2.25 Newbury (Denman Chase) Thereâs a hullabaloo in the racing press about how many Cheltenham winners this Newbury card has produced. Checking winners of this race out:
Shishkin (2024) 4th at Aintree after.
Zanza (2023) not placed in four starts since.
Eldorado Allen (2022) Cheltenham Festival form 30P among 17 defeats
Secret Investor (2021) hunter-chase successes only since.
The reputation of the Denman rests with Gold Cup winners Coneygree (2015) and Native River (2017), who won todayâs race three times but faced only nine runners in total!
Ante-post betting this year has punters on toast; read about the horses burning their fingers and stay clear yourself until the end of this month.
Bravemansgame Last-chance saloon. Good year without winning in 2023 but has dropped nearly a stone down the ratings after further defeats in his favourite autumn races, Charlie Hall and Lancashire Chase.
Djelo Beat Protektorat in the Peterborough Chase in December but behind the same horse over further at Windsor. From a yard pulling rabbits out of a hat and first run at an even longer trip today.
Ga Law Placed in Grade 2 (one) and Grade 3 (three) four times in the last year, mostly at Cheltenham, and generally disappointing since November Gold Cup win there in 2022.
Eldorado Allen tries to win it two years on from his 2022 success. Fourth in the December Gold Cup here the following year but has deteriorated more than a stone in the ratings.
Hitman placed in this race the last two years, among many others! Success at Haydock in 2022 has been surrounded by form figures of 3223222300020322!
Fugitif Itâs just a walk (16 miles) from his stables to Cheltenham racecourse, but heâs stayed at walking pace too often – nine times since November, 2022 – winning just the once (December Gold Cup 2023).
Sam Brown It is to his credit that heâs still winning races at age 13 but his record in this race is 4th and pulled up.
33-1 MISSILE âHIDDENâ HORSE
â 3.35 Newbury (2m hurdle) In the good old bad old days, this was the longest running race on the calendar, in that it wasnât over for weeks until they took the prize off Ryan Price, and even took his licence. But that didnât stop him winning it again.. and again.
Just back âthe Price oneâ became âthe Hendersonâ (five winners) or âthe Twistonâ (3-6) in the 21st century. Both have runners today.
Nico De Boinvilleâs Henderson preferred, Joyeuse, traveled really well at Cheltenham, second in a handicap over half a mile further than today, with the third horse home winning a Grade 2 next time.
The rain should help Secret Squirrel, who has won on the soft at Taunton and comfortably beat dual winner Navajo Indy at Windsor. Though trainer Symonds says Navajo Indy has come on mentally, he feels the need to apply cheekpieces.
Beaten only 10 lengths in the Supreme, and despite being placed in the Tolworth Hurdle and winning the Scottish Champion Hurdle, Favour And Fortune is poised to do even better this year but may need a sounder surface.
Washington swerved the Greatwood for the galloping track at Fairyhouse in a Listed win over Christmas and Newbury could also suit.
He was the first one backed when books were opened on this big-field 2m handicap, despite a 12lb rise, but has eased out since.
A week on from Handstandsâ super Scilly Isles victory, Ben Pauling is hoping that his never-nearer Greatwood sixth, Fiercely Proud, who went on to score at Ascot, can keep up the good work.
Aucunrisque won this two years ago and Hendersonâs seeming second-string today, Iberico Lord, won it last year on heavy ground following Greatwood success the previous November; 10lb higher and has been chasing since.
Minella Missile has been laid out for the race, a stayer who can quicken up. As for Nigel Twiston-Davies, he revives the Ryan Price memories with Josh The Boss.
Priceâs winners from Findon were ridden by Josh Gifford, but âTwistonâ has an amateur jockey on the Boss. No amateur has won in its 60-year history.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 5.7 Secret Squirrel, 7.2 Joyeuse, 8.8 Navajo Indy, 10.0 Favour and Fortune, 17.5 Josh The Boss, 20 Iberico Lord, 21 Fiercely Proud, Washington, 35 Minella Missile, 43 Aucunrisque. (monitored at 10 a.m.)
DAQMANâS VERDICT: The unexposed Joyeuse and last yearâs winner, Iberico Lord, for whom the rain has come, represent J P McManus (âjust pick the McManusâ?). Minella Missile is the âhiddenâ horse.
DAQMAN’S BETS on Betdaq Betting Exchange
2.25 Newbury (win 20)
BET 6pts win BRAVEMANSGAME
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3.00 Newbury (win 20, nap)
BET 10pts win MATATA
3.35 Newbury (win-50 bullâs-eye bets)
BET 8pts win JOYEUSE
BET 1.5pts win and place (5.5) MINELLA MISSILE
BET 2.5pts win and place (3.65) IBERICO LORD
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