DAQMAN V PRICEWISE: DAQMAN CONTINUES HIS CLASH WITH PRICEWISE THIS AFTERNOON AT NEWBURY WITH THE PAIR DISAGREEING ON TWO RACES ON THE CARD. CAN DAQMAN FINISH THE YEAR WITH YET ANOTHER MORE PROFITABLE PERFORMANCE?
PUNCHESTOWN NAP: DAQMAN ALSO TAKES IN THE CARD AT PUNCHESTOWN AND HAS SELECTED AN OLD FAVOURITE OVER HURDLES AS HIS NAP.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: DAQMAN LOOKS BACK AT SOME CHRISTMAS PERFORMANCES AND WONDERS IF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN WITH SOME FORMER MULLINS STARS.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT THIS CHRISTMAS
Willie Mullins rightly received huge praise in Ireland this week for a magnificent performance notching 21 winners over four days of highly competitive racing at Leopardstown and Limerick but lost in the mix was the performances of the former Mullins trained horses; Outlander and Petit Mouchoir. Yes, they were both impressive in their own right and add some extra ante-post spice to two of the Championship races in March but the bigger question they raise is if they would have ever been given the opportunity to win these races if still in the care of Mullins?
It is possible to have too much of a good thing and in Willie Mullins case it was top class horses. Take his two mile hurdlers; Faugheen, Annie Power, Vroum Vroum Mag and Nichols Canyon would all have been in most people’s top five in the division prior to this season. Petit Mouchoir was most definitely in the second tier of Mullins stable last year and despite being an obvious “work in progress” the vibes were that it was going to be status quo before his departure from the yard. Had the Gigginstown/Mullins rift not occurred it would have been no surprise to see him take in a quiet campaign at country tracks at Listed/Grade 3 level before a tilt at the Champion Hurdle a la Sempre Medici last season.
His performance dismantling Nichols Canyon on Thursday makes you wonder how many clashes we been robbed of as a result of Mullins spreading his assets and if the sport is not far better for this rift? How would Min or Yorkhill have been campaigned this season if they were in the care of a trainer short on superstars you could wonder.
In the same vein what could the sadly late Vautour have achieved had a three mile campaign been perused with more conviction. It is a trait of Willie Mullins to err on the side of caution and his inability to secure a coveted Cheltenham Gold Cup to date could be blamed on his reluctance to test his stars over longer trips. Vautour’s performance in the Ryanair earlier this year must have given both trainer and owner some sleepless nights about whether the correct option was taken.
Outlander was the other ex-Mullins inmate to benefit from a more aggressive campaign leading home an ex-Mullins 1, 2, 4 in an enthralling Lexus Chase. Another result that we surely would not have seen if they all still resided in Closutton.
Without doubt, Willie Mullins is one of the greatest trainers of a jump horse we have ever seen and his ability to produce horses fit and well on a consistent basis is second to none. His performance this week was also exceptional but it also provides some food for thought about how he has protected some of his stars over the years.
NEWBURY: BEWARE THE ELLIOTT RAIDERS
Newbury 1.15 Conas Taoi had a season to remember last with seven wins for connections and there was a hint last time that he could pick back up the winning trail soon. Davy Russell takes the ride now and can give Welsh trainer Paul Morgan a good Saturday winner. Morgan has been operating at a 28% strike rate with his chasers this season for a LSP of £5.46. At an early 8.8 on BETDAQ he looks worthy of a small investment.
Newbury 1.50 An intriguing renewal of the Challow Hurdle where is it hard not to be impressed by the claims of Robin Roe. A winner of his last three starts, he was a very eye-catching winner of his maiden hurdle last time but at the prices the selection will have to be another impressive maiden hurdle winner Baltazar D’Allier. Gordon Elliott has assembled his strongest ever team this season and it is interesting that he has decided to come across the Irish Sea with this son of Malinas. He destroyed the field in his maiden hurdle at Naas despite some sins of greenness and if he can take a step forward from that he could be anything. Elliott is operating at a 25% strike rate over hurdles in Britain in the last five seasons and at 6.0 on BETDAQ he looks like a play.
Newbury 3.00 Gordon Elliott has also built a reputation for improving horses he gets from other yards in recent years and Kings Bandit fits the profile of a horse he will do well with. He was still travelling well when sneaking into the race at Navan last time only to come down at the third last flight. He could be poised to hit the mark here for Elliott in a competitive handicap at a mark of 6.8 on BETDAQ.
PUNCHESTOWN: OLD MONK TOO GOOD FOR RIVALS
Punchestown 1.20 Monksland was not far off the best staying hurdler in Ireland a few seasons back and has been returned to the smaller obstacles lately after some lacklustre jumping over fences. He ran with some credit in the red-hot Hatton’s Grace Hurdle last time and should be capable of winning dropped in class. He comes out best at the weights here from Supasundae who makes a quick reappearance and form of the Meade stable this season would encourage a bet. At 3.45 on BETDAQ he is the bet.
Punchestown 12.15 Earlier on the card the beginners chase can go to Bentelimar. He was a decent hurdler that took time to learn to settle but finally the penny seems to have dropped so connections are able to step him up in trip which looks like it should suit. He has already shown the ability to jump a fence and at an early 5.9 on BETDAQ he could prove a bit of value.
WARWICK: DAIR ONE TO WATCH
Warwick 1.00 Not one for the betting ledger today but with an eye to the future it should be worth tuning in to see the chasing debut of Buveur Dair. Beaten only once last season when third in the Supreme Novice Hurdle behind Altior and Min he has always looked a chaser in the making. His form from last season received a timely boost with Petit Mouchoir’s victory at Leopardstown and it will be intriguing to see how he shapes today. At 1.39 not really a betting price but should be worth tuning in for with an eye on the Spring Festivals.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 4pts to win BENTELIMAR (Punchestown 12.15)
BET 3pts win and 3pts place CONAS TOAI (Newbury 1.15)
BET 9pts win (nap) MONKSLAND (Punchestown 1.20)
BET 7pts win BALTAZAR D’ALLIER (Newbury 1.50)
BET 5pts win and 5pts place KINGS BANDIT (NEWBURY 3.00)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
