THREE BIG-RACE RETURNS INCLUDE 6.0 BOBBYJO WIN: Daqman landed three Saturday big-race returns, including his 12th Fortune Cookies winner and enough to extend his lead over Pricewise in their value-betting challenge.
WON 10-3 RATHVINDEN (Bobbyjo Chase, 6.0 BETDAQ)
WON (4th 16-1) KILKISHEN (w/p Eider Chase)
WON 1-4 WISSAHICKON (Winter Derby)
- FORTUNE COOKIES (606 points in profit) 12 winners
- VALUE CHALLENGE (Daqman 26, Pricewise 15)
CHELTENHAM COUNTDOWN AND FINAL FESTIVAL CLUES: Cheltenham and Aintree get closer, and the final trials have clues that may help find the festival winners.
➡️ TOMORROW starts a two-week countdown to Cheltenham.
TRIUMPH: DON’T REJECT ADJALI
Hold your horses! Arsenal fan Simon Munir may now have two gunning for him in the Triumph Hurdle, after Fusil Raffles romped home in a fast time for yesterday’s Adonis trial at Kempton Park.
My man in the long grass warns me that the same owner’s Adjali could ‘run rings round Raffles at home.’ Kempton is not Cheltenham. It’s a carousel compared with the roller-coaster that is Prestbury Park.
Raffles handler, Nicky Henderson, was ready to say exactly that after trainers-title rival Paul Nicholls had beaten his Angels Breath with Southfield Stone in the very next race, also run in fast time.
Nicholls himself accepted that it could be a different story at Cheltenham. Angels Breath was fresh and running freely, and Ditcheat connived to use Southfield Stone’s stamina in such an advantageous situation.
It will be different again at the festival at level weights (Angels Breath conceded 5lb yesterday), particularly if there is cut in the ground.
The news of these two trial hurdles for juvenile and novice also concerned ‘a deep cut’ injury to Fusil Raffles, sustained in yesterday’s Adonis. So the questions posed, with an attempt by me at some answers, may all be academic.
RATHVINDEN NATIONAL ROAR
National hero? Rathvinden really impressed in the Bobbyjo Chase yesterday. I was a bit nervous about going for him first time but knew he’d been working really well.
The 11-year-old was still novice chasing last season (when he won the 4m NH Chase at Cheltenham) and has had only 13 chases in his life.
He can’t be penalised so goes to Aintree – as the field stands – with just 10st 10lb. A must addition to the Fortune Cookies (revised tomorrow).
Trainer Willie Mullins was second last year with Pleasant Company (missed yesterday’s race because of the faster ground), so seems to have a big chance, whether or not we get April showers.
POSTE IT NOTE: BACK GETAWAY
1.50 Fontwell and 3.45 Carlisle James Evans (current form 112) from stables at Kinnersley, Worcestershire, that bring back memories of one of the great trainers, Fred Rimell, has a long-range double chance, which involves jockey musical-chairs.
Weighing-room veteran Leighton Aspell, who in December landed Lord Getaway (3.45 Carlisle, BETDAQ 5.0) a six-lengths success in his sole chase to date, gives way to lightweight Ben Poste
Leighton is at Fontwell for the same stable’s 6.8 offer Compadre (1.50), brought back to form by Poste at Market Rasen on the last day!
OLD GUARD TO GET REVENGE
2.50 Fontwell (National Spirit Hurdle) Memories of Fred Rimell would have to include Comedy of Errors, who won this race back to back, apart from the little matter of five champion hurdles at Cheltenham, Chepstow and Ayr, achieving the rare feat of regaining his crown in the Cheltenham version after losing it to Bula.
Old Guard (last year) and Lil Rockerfeller (2016), who have won this before, and were one-two last year, clash in the National Spirit today.
If The Cap Fits beat Old Guard in the Ascot Hurdle in November, but was in receipt of 6lb that day; now it’s levels, and the ground is in Old Guard’s favour.
Vive Le Roi and Lil Rockerfeller should ensure a good pace and set it up for them, with Ballymoy possibly the biggest danger, six out of seven until trying a much longer trip on the last day. I took 5.8 Old Guard.
IT MUST BE A DOUBLE UISCE
2.30 and 5.05 Naas Talking of national spirit, four Irish-bred horses have been named Uisce Beatha (‘water of life’; whiskey, of course) since 1995. But did any of the others win a race and be gifted a follow-up, 8lb better off with the runner-up?
So it is with Joseph O’Brien’s ‘Uisce’ (2.30 race today), who beat the bridesmaid Impact Factor (form figures 3222) two lengths at Fairyhouse, going away, at level weights.
Just the reverse has happened to Poker Party, who beat Stowaway Forever five lengths over CD here at Naas in January and now has to give that one 7lb.
O’Brien won this with subsequent Irish Gold Cup winner Edwulf in 2017 and, at 8.4 Uisce on BETDAQ this morning, I’ll have the double!
The same stable has a ready-made winner in the bumper, Midnight Run (5.05), brother to last year’s winner.
Ran second in a Navan Listed to next month’s Cheltenham Festival bumper favourite, Envoi Allen, trained by Gordon Elliott. Surely, if Gordon’s Column Of Fire, wins this, it detracts from Envoi Allen.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.50 Fontwell (win 20)
BET 3.5pts win COMPADRE
If lose, 3.45 Carlisle
BET 5.75pts win LORD GETAWAY
Plus 1pt win double
2.30 Naas (win 20)
BET 2.75pts win UISCE BEATHA
2.50 Fontwell (win 20)
BET 4pts win OLD GUARD
5.05 Naas (supernap)
BET 20pts win MIDNIGHT RUN
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