5-2 FOR SECOND WINNING BANKER OF THE WEEK: Punter’s-friend Daqman yesterday landed his second winning banker of the week with a 20-pointer at 5-2, then had his next-highest stake of the day (11 points) on the Northumberland Vase winner. Saturday’s trio of returns:
WON 5-2 AFRICAN FRIEND (banker nap)
WON 7-4 LONDON PRIZE (Northumberland Vase)
2ND 8-1 MAGGIE’S ANGEL (from 10.5 on BETDAQ)
NOW ON 202 POINTS PROFIT OVER PRICEWISE: Daqman had two profitable returns in races nominated by Pricewise of the Racing Post, taking the score to 47-8, and stretching the profits gap between them to 202 points to single-unit stakes.
* Pricewise challenge today: 2.45, 4.20 The Curragh, 2.55 Saint-Cloud, 3.30 Uttoxeter
TIME FOR A CURRAGH CELEBRATION
Play it again! I warned yesterday that different tactics would make for different results between the protagonists of the Epsom and Irish Derbys.
And I am more than ever convinced that the Oaks winner, Enable, would see them all off. Check out my ratings in Thursday’s column (see Daqman Archive).
The first three in Friday’s Irish Derby ABC were the first three to finish yesterday. But, as Eric Morecambe said, the right ones but not necessarily in the right order.
1.45 The Curragh Gleneagles winning career was launched in this race, and one among the Aidan O’Brien trio (Ryan Moore chooses Gustav Klimt) will have to be smart to beat Would Be King, runner-up in the Marble Hill to the subsequent Coventry Stakes fourth.
2.45 The Curragh (Rockingham Handicap) The last time there was a field of 20 or more, the result by stall was 24, 23, 22. That’s if you need any confidence boosting for Celebration (stall 20 of 20 today). I took 6.4 on BETDAQ.
The filly who chased him home at Navan had won the last twice and scored again last week, while the third, Go Kart – also a filly – is 8lb worse off today.
Go Kart ran up to a Group performer when second in a Listed sprint at Cork just two weeks back, so the evidence stacks up.
Naggers comes out of gate 16 but has never won at the minimum and his Thirsk success in May was in class 3, a 13lb lesser handicap than the one Celebration won at Navan. Otherwise Naggers has scored only in class 4.
IT COULD BE SET UP FOR GATSBY
3.15 The Curragh (International Stakes) Maybe The Lads are investing their racing gains in the world of art. Gustav Klimt (1.45) – he of The Kiss – follows on Johannes Vermeer, he of the Girl With A Pearl Earring.
But, whereas it’s taken Aidan O’Brien 13 runners to win this race four times, Dermot Weld (The Grey Gatsby) is 100% with four won from just four to start, albeit three of them with the same horse, Famous Name.
Gatsby’s only success in three years was the 2014 Irish Champion Stakes but he could run above himself on his first start for Weld. It often happens when they change stables.
Moonlight Magic and Success Days each won once last year and, as pace horses, are vulnerable to a late strike. But could that late striker be Johannes Vermeer when he’s only ever won over 7f and 1m? I’ll chance Gatsby.
3.45 The Curragh Aidan O’Brien has won three of the last four, most recently with Roly Poly, subsequent second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in May.
Clemmie ran well enough in the Albany at Royal Ascot to suggest that she can take this, though she has to overturn Curragh form of nine days ago with Gasta, who two weeks earlier on the course was edged out of a similar prize by Too Familiar.
4.20 The Curragh (Pretty Polly Stakes) Minding took this last year for the three-year-olds, but their bid for a hat-trick today depends on improvement from Rain Goddess or Intricately, both stepped up in trip.
The Classic generation does start to take over now, in receipt of 10lb from the older mares and, if you reckon Man O War winner Zhukova is in a match with he British Champion Fillies and Mares heroine, Journey, you have to choose which one can drop back to this 10 furlongs.
Zhukova was well beaten in the champioship but will enjoy the cut in the ground today. Journey may try to win it from the front.
There are a lot of ifs and buts and, on value, you have to say that 23.0 about an Irish Guineas fourth (behind a a miler of real quality in Winter) could be enough for a place here, in receipt of the allowance. So that’s Intricately (6.2 a place) to step up.
DREAM OUTSIDER IN GRAND PRIX
2.55 Saint-Cloud (Grand Prix) Last year’s Eclipse winner, Hawkbill, who holds My Dream Boat on Newbury running in May, now has his ground but, like Zarak, who finished in front of him here at Saint-Cloud, he will struggle to stay today’s 1m 4f. That also applies to Harry Dunlop’s Robin of Navan.
So I’m expecting last year’s one-two of Silverware and Erupt to be involved in the finish again, though Erupt needs firm ground to be seen at his best.
And when Silverware won the Grand Prix de Chantilly on the last day, Doha Dream got no sort of run and wasn’t given a hard race, first race back. Progressive last season and the 17.0 BETDAQ bet could be the danger to a repeat win by Silverware.
2.40 Hamburg (German Derby) A huge cavalry charge of a Classic on heavy ground for a race won five years out of six by colts drawn high.
In that time, stall 15 has won three in a row and been third once, which may boost Promise Of Peace for Andreas Wohler, who has trained the winner four times.
Markus Klug, who sent out the 2014 winner, does an Aidan O’Brien and saddles no fewer than seven runners, of which four have managed to get double-figure stalls.
I shall have my pound on the yard of Waldemar Hickst, who has saddled the winners of three German Guineas and an Oaks, and an Italian St Leger, to get his first Derby courtesy of Parviz.
Parviz (drawn 18) is by a French Derby winner out of a Galileo mare who goes back to an Italian Derby winner and an Irish Derby runner-up. I took 6.4 on BETDAQ
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points, unless otherwise stated)
BET 3.5pts win PARVIZ (2.40 Hamburg)
BET (to win 30) 5.5pts win (nap) CELEBRATION (2.45 The Curragh)
BET 5pts win SILVERWARE, and 1.25pts win and place DOHA DREAM (2.55 Saint-Cloud)
BET 7.5pts win THE GREY GATSBY (3.15 The Curragh)
BET 2pts win and place FACT OF THE MATTER (10.0 taken), and 1pt win and place JOIN THE CLAN, 27.0 (3.30 Uttoxeter)
BET 8.5pts win CLEMMIE (3.45 The Curragh)
BET 1pt win and 3.5pts a place INTRICATELY, with 2pts win (stakes saver) JOURNEY (4.20 The Curragh)
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