DAQMAN HAT-TRICK BID AT CHESTER: There’s nothing like a bit of masochism when you’ve had a modest meeting. But Daqman hopes to turn around his Goodwood fortunes with a lesson about the draw today. To land his 40th winner in July, he needs a hat-trick on the last day of the month.
THE LOW DRAW HAS WON 23 TIMES: Stalls 1 to 4 at Chester this afternoon have won 23 of the 30 races in the five events which have been held for between five and nine seasons. Is it jam for Daqman or is he toast again?
20-1 WINNER A BLINDFOLD BET
It was on a plate for us. But we (most of us anyway) forked it over, sniffed at it and flipped it into the waste-bin. It was a waste all right!
I’m talking about the No 1 stats race at Goodwood, the Golden Mile on Friday, in which seven of the last eight winners had come out of stalls 1 to 5, despite big fields.
And we’d had it confirmed at Goodwood on the opening day, Tuesday, with a one-mile result by stall of: 1, 6, 3, 4.
But dare we stake blind the first five in the draw? They were Blue For You (1), Orbaan (2), Noble Dynasty (3), Lawful Command (4), Young Fire (5); stall 6 was vacant.
As ever, I tried to reason with the form and explain my conclusions. I’m paid to do that but, in the very few cases like this, you will fare just as well if you leave the blindfold on.
My verdict was Noble Dynasty to beat Lawful Command (3 to beat 4). They were fifth and 10th. Would you believe, the result by stall was 2 and 1, with Orbaan (20-1 SP) beating Blue For You (15-2).
So mark on next year’s calendar: the Golden Mile has now been won from stalls 1 to 5 EIGHT times in NINE seasons.
It’s worth waiting for, until you get there and take the blindfold off! Just like Chester, where low numbers ‘always’ win but we just can’t bring ourselves to believe it.
Here’s the record of the five races with history that are being run there today, with three of the races seemingly sure to go to the first five in the draw. Just look at the records:
I’M ENDEARED TO THE ONE STALL
Stalls 1 to 4 have won 23 of the 30 races in the five events which have been held for between five and nine seasons.
⭕ 2.20 (7f 2yo) Chester: winners by stall 1, 1, 2, 2, 1 TODAY 1 Endeared, 2 Frankness.
Endeared (1), by Dark Angel out of a Frankel mare; has had two runs and is progressing well; beaten a head at Doncaster (6f), as if this 7f would suit. Evens this morning.
Frankness (2), a Frankel out of a Dubawi mare, was hanging, probably through greenness, on her only start, third on the July Course. Gets 5lb fillies’ allowance.
Perfect Play (3), brother to a 1m 2yo winner, wanted to get on with it at Ayr and is likely to lead. William Buick booked.
⭕ 2.55 (6f Listed) Chester 4, 2, 3, 2, 4 TODAY 1 Ventura Diamond, 2 Ebro River, 3 Tippy Toes, 4 Wings Of War non-runner so 5 Princess Shabnam now has daylight to move into.
Ventura Diamond (1) has tried five Group contests; best when third on the soft at Ascot in the autumn. Winning form was back-to-back on heavy.
Ebro River (2) won the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh as a 2yo last summer (yielding) and was third in the National Stakes but he hasn’t gone on from there and is dropped to Listed level today.
Tippy Toes (3) landed an AW hat-trick over the winter break and has been highly tried on turf since, including in the Coral Charge at Sandown (last of eight).
Princess Shabnam (5) Denied a clear run at the cutaway but went down only a neck here at Chester three weeks back.
⭕ 3.30 (7.5f handicap) Chester 7, 1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 2, 3 TODAY 1 My Little Tip, 2 Oneforthegutter, 3 Red Mirage, 4 Yanifer.
My Little Tip (1) was a good third at Chester in May, a class higher in today’s good-to-soft conditions but nothing to show since and has left George Boughey.
Oneforthegutter (2). Down the field in the Britannia; best form when beaten a head under William Buick in a Group-3 at Deauville last August.
Red Mirage (3): 4-7 on AW but got off the mark on turf here at Chester in May. Not seen again until July when favourite (stumbled, lost shoe) in race won by Able Kane (now a 95).
Yanifer (4): three in a row last July-August and goes for a hat-trick again today but all success at least two grades lower.
⭕ 4.30 (1m 4.5f handicap) Chester 1, 5, 4, 2 TODAY 1 Heart Of Soul, 2 The Nu Form Way, 3 Enthused, 4 Emiyn.
Heart Of Soul (1): Chester form 00210000000120040. Harry Davies has ridden him just once before, when he won a class higher on Kempton AW.
The Nu Form Way (2): Back-to-back wins on soft, two grades lower, in the autumn. Hollie Doyle takes over today.
Enthused (3) won the soft in the autumn; back to form in June in first-time cheekpieces at Windsor (class 4).
Emiyn (4): Chester winner (class 4) in the autumn – good to soft – and drops back to best trip after unsuccessful tilts at 2m-plus, both at Chester, both trying to make all. Back and lay.
⭕ 5.00 (1m 2.5f handicap) Chester 6, 3, 6, 4, 8, 1, 3 TODAY 1 Unplugged, 2 Golden Melody, 3 Wots The Wif Fi Code, 4 Natchez Trace.
Unplugged (1) won from the rear two grades lower after a long break and the bounce factor is a worry, even after another, shorter holiday.
Golden Melody (2): Nine out of 10 in the first four but did manage to win here over the CD among them. Chester form: 213443.
Wots The Wif Fi Code (3) is 8lb higher than winning form at around this trip in these conditions at Redcar last October (class 6).
Natchez Trace (4) has won only his maiden, always a bad sign. Runner-up the last twice, including here over further.
DAQMAN’S VERDICTS for Betdaq Betting Exchange
2.20 Chester (win 12, nap)
BET 12pts win ENDEARED
3.30 Chester (win 20 at 8.0 on BETDAQ)
BET 3pts win ONEFORTHEGUTTER
4.30 Chester (win 20 at 5.5 on BETDAQ)
BET 4.5pts win EMIYN
5.00 Chester (win 20)
BET 4pts win GOLDEN MELODY
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