£308k BIG RACES STILL TO GO: After a Dan Skelton hat-trick at Ayr yesterday, he has £3,089,816 to Willie Mullins £2,921,514 in the trainers’ title race which ends with the Jumps Finale at Sandown on April 26. Today’s Scottish Grand National is worth £112,540 to the winner; Sandown’s Gold Cup £98,473 and Celebration Chase £97,270.
THEY’RE GENEROUS ON BETDAQ: Today’s bets include offers at BETDAQ 5.4, 5.8, 6.2, 9.0, 9.9, 14.0 and 18.5 (twice). See Daqman Wednesday and Thursday for Newbury and Ayr previews.
CAUGHT IN LUCINDA’S TRAP
⭕ 1.10 Ayr The gloves are off, and the combatants are toe to toe, with Dan Skelton putting Etalon into the ring against Willie Mullins with Western Diego in this first encounter of the Ayr meeting.
But both stables were represented in this a year ago, both starting at 9-2, and both were tailed off in a field of six!
So betting blind in the title race may not be the answer, and could create value down the card.
The winner in the corresponding 2m chase was Tommy’s Oscar off 152 which awarded him 12st top weight.
Today’s 151 does the same and again he comes into it with not much recent form.
Runner-up last year at a similar weights difference was CD winner Traprain Law, who disputed the lead for a long way in the Grand Annual and is obviously well regarded by Lucinda Russell.
Western Diego (Mullins) shows promise over fences but has only ever won a maiden hurdle, whereas Etalon (Skelton) was a hat-trick winner over fences last Spring, though all on soft ground.
BETDAQ value (9.30 a.m.) 6.2 Traprain Law
DIAMOND DEAL FOR CHAMPION
⭕ 2.15 Ayr (Scottish Champion Hurdle) Modest stuff but what may be a vital £56k prize to the winner.
The runners are sub-140, except the Mullins fourth from the County Hurdle, Ethical Diamond.
He’s a useful Flat performer we can expect to see more prominently ridden on this track by Patrick Mullins, who pulled a 33-1 Grand National winner out of the hat for us.
He is No 1 jockey for the day in the absence of Paul Townend. BETDAQ value 5.8 Ethical Diamond
COME ON MY SON! BETDAQ 14.0
⭕ 3.12 Newbury (Spring Cup) LAYS LOGIC: The clear favourite has landed just one win in 10.
DRAW: 3, 2, 5, 4, 6 have won the last five, with 15 (out of 20) first four finishers coming from single-figure stalls.
James McHenry (gate 5) was raised 5lb to 92 after winning a class-4 handicap at Carlisle last May and failed to improve on the new mark in four class-4, though finishing second in the Cambridgeshire.
Pearl Eye (2) has also been consistent but on the same mark as 10 races ago last May. Squeezed for room when beaten a short-head in the Spring Mile at Doncaster just two weeks back.
Two Tempting (6) won four out five last Spring, beating Classic (3) – bit short of room – a neck at Sandown (good to soft) in June.
Son (9), a stablemate of Classic, has spent most of his career in the Pattern and could be the surprise packet today.
Silver Sword (4), dual winner on summer ground in 2023, returned to form at Meydan at the fifth attempt this year. Likes it firm.
Metal Merchant (10) won this last year, when 6lb lower in a better race. Newbury handicap form 212.
Betdaq Betting Exchange 5.4 James McHenry, 8.8 Metal Merchant, 9 Classic, 14 Son
OLYMPIC EFFORT BY MULLINS
⭕ 3.35 Ayr (Scottish Grand National) The ultra quirky Mr Incredible keeps the weights down for the real quality such as Famous Bridge, winner of the Haydock Grand National Trial, who was 6th with Henrys Friend 8th in the Ultima at Cheltenham.
Olympic Man takes a big step up in trip but his sire, Martaline, has got stamina horses such as Dynaste, Intense Raffles and Vanillier.
Surrey Quest is the only one in the race with a sire (Milan) who has already produced a Scottish National winner.
The lightweights would normally need mud to get into it but the booking of Sean Bowen for Brandt, the Dublin National winner, is an eye-catcher.
The better ground is also a negative for last year’s winner, Macdermott, who has been collecting letters after his name: P0UP.
The stats say that blinkers are a downer in this particular race for NH Chase second Rock My Way.
But cheekpieces should help the big galloper Hasthing, who will like the better ground and was unlucky in the same Cheltenham chase.
The booking of Harry Cobden is a positive for Captain Cody, but the ground is a concern.
BETDAQ Betting Exchange 9.9 Olympic Man, 18.5 Famous Bridge 18.5 Hasthing
DAQMAN’S BETS on Betdaq Betting Exchange
1.10 Ayr (win 20)
BET 4pts win TRAPRAIN LAW
★ 2.15 Ayr (win 30, nap)
BET 6.5pts win ETHICAL DIAMOND
3.12 Newbury (win-50 bull’s-eye bets)
BET 6.25pts win CLASSIC
BET 3.75pts win SON
3.35 Ayr (win-50 bull’s-eye bets)
BET 5.6pts win OLYMPIC MAN
BET 2.85pts win FAMOUS BRIDGE
BET 2.85pts win HASTHING
What are points? Points facilitate a staking plan, which is the secret to creating profit. One point is whatever you choose: a pound, a euro, or whatever ….
Start with a bank and decide how much you can afford to lose over a period of time, and determine the size of your bets accordingly. Daqman makes this variation every day.
Did you know? DAQMAN’s tips are posted each and every day so he’s always on hand to help with your horse racing betting.
