COOKIES SCORED 21 STRIKES: It’s all systems go; literally. The Fortune Cookies over Jumps close down today after 21 hits, five at Cheltenham. The Pricewise challenge finishes tomorrow, all to be relaunched for the Flat season, which starts on Saturday.
ULSTER NATIONAL BULL’S EYE: Today Daqman has two 50-point bets for the Ulster National and a 6.6 nap at Chepstow with almost a stone in hand of the field.
FORTUNE FAVOURED BIG FIVE
Truly Fortune Cookies! Celebrating our big winners at Cheltenham, among the Cookies’ 21 victories overall this season:
ALLAHO Back-to-back Ryanairs: wow! Connections may experiment over further, but he has to return to Cheltenham for the hat-trick, surely.
BOB OLINGER Sometimes you need a bit of luck to make up for the hard times and hard lines. Bob had luck in spades when Gallopin des Champs went clear in the Turners, the old Golden Miller Novices’ Chase, jumping two out well but he stumbled as he landed over the last and came down.
EDWARDSTONE Our find of the season, smartly swerved a faller in the Arkle, shrugged off a bump two out and went clear on the run-in. He will be a formidable appointment for the likes of Energumene and Shishkin next season and looks a banker at Aintree before his summer break.
L’HOMME PRESSE The withdrawal of Bravemansgame from the Brown Advisory gave him his chance in this 3m novice chase on Wednesday but he won the honours in his own right, jumping elegantly, travelling strongly. Now 5-5 over fences. I think he’d love Aintree. Next season Kempton will also suit for the King George.
STATTLER A quality staying performance in the NH Chase, cruising home with a good jump at the last, leaving smart horses like Run Wild Fred and Vanillier eight and 22 lengths behind. Gold Cup and/or Grand National next season.
* Bravemansgame and Stage Star will be back for Paul Nicholls, possibly at the Grand National meeting. Protektorat has won twice at Aintree, though the National meeting may come too soon.
UNCLE ALWAYS IN THE FRAME
⭕ 2.55 Carlisle Smooth Stepper has dropped 7lb below the mark off which he won this race last year but is 13 now.
Uncle Alastair, 5-6 in bumpers and hurdles in his younger days, has never been out of the frame in four novices chase of around 2m 4f; in fact, never out of the frame – still standing – in his entire career of 12 races in all.
Nicky Richards steps him up to 3m for the first time today on a course where he was beaten just half a length in December.
L’Homme Presse’s trainer, Venetia Williams, who is having such a great season, has a 25% strike-rate at Carlisle but Belami Des Pictons is four times a beaten favourite on expeditions to Ascot, Doncaster, Kempton and Sandown, trying to land a first success since February, 2017.
In a similar situation, Jerrysback has performed well for Philip Hobbs without winning since his last success in 2018. Owner J P McManus has tried switching stables (to Ben Haslam); sometimes the change does them a world of good.
ORR-SOME NATIONAL DOUBLE
⭕ 3.45 Downpatrick (Ulster National) Peaches And Cream has been back to school since his fourth in the Troytown as a six-year-old in November, when he was guilty of too many mistakes.
The step up in trip will make jumping easier and bring Peaches’ stamina into play. Tongue-strap back on. BETDAQ 8.9.
His Gavin Cromwell stablemate, Spades Are Trumps, beat Definite Plan at level weights on summer ground and is now a stone better off, plus 7lb from his claimer.
Conor Orr, winner of yesterday’s Midlands Grand National on Screaming Colours, is hoping to land a double of ‘Nationals’ in 24 hours when he partners Envol Pierji.
Liz Doyle’s then seven-year-old kept on well when third over 3m on today’s course in the autumn. Cheekpieces back on. BETDAQ 14.5.
The early favourite, Joshua Webb, is entitled to improve on his Gowran Park second eight days ago, but this morning’s money was for another seven-year-old with potential.
Portstorm switches from a good run over hurdles at Punchestown to fences over a longer trip and, though there’s nothing in his form or pedigree to support the move, the market speaks for him.
FLEAT OF FOOT FOR HONEYBALL
⭕ 4.10 Chepstow Anthony Honeyball, who plotted Serious Charges to win at Uttoxeter yesterday, has a 31% strike-rate with handicap debutants, and Swincombe Fleat sets sail in her first handicap in receipt of 13lb and more from every other runner in this hurdle race.
Swincombe Fleat made all in a 2m 2f mares’ novices at Exeter in December before struggling to contain such as Cheltenham winner Love Envoi in a Grade 2 at Sandown last month.
This is a much easier task for Aidan Coleman and I shall bet with a lay saver in mind at the business end of the race. BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE 6.6.
Whitehotchilifili is also down in class but her sole success since her maiden more than two years back was on heavy in a small field. Today’s ground is likely to dry to good to soft.
Kissesforkatie has similar form and is 7lb higher than her last success. Bellatrixsa is up 15lb after a double in February double.
DAQMAN’S BETS
2.55 Carlisle (win 10)
BET 5pts win UNCLE ALASTAIR
3.45 Downpatrick (win 50 bull’s-eye bets)
BET 6.25pts win PEACHES AND CREAM
BET 3.75pts win ENVOL PIERJI
BET 1.25pts win (stakes saver) SPADES ARE TRUMPS
4.10 Chepstow (win 20 nap)
BET 3.5pts win SWINCOMBE FLEAT
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.
