DAQMAN LANDS BOTH BETDAQ FEATURES: Daqman landed both big races on BETDAQ day at Kempton Park yesterday and just missed a third when his Eider Chase bet, West of The Edge (2ND 11-1), was edged out of it on the run-in. His supernap in the BETDAQ Pendil Chase was tipped ante-post when the horse was odds against, and supernapped at six-for-10 offers early mouse yesterday.
HE IS NOW 51 POINTS UP ON PRICEWISE: Daqman’s 8-1 winning bet in the main race of the day, the BETDAQ Chase at Kempton, put him 19-10 ahead of Pricewise, of the Racing Post, who drew a blank all day. Daqman is now 51 points ahead on a single-unit stake per bet (+39 to -12) and leads on winners 19-10.
WON 8-1 MASTER DEE (BETDAQ Chase)
WON 2-5 CYRNAME (BETDAQ Pendil Chase, supernap)
2ND 11-1 WEST OF THE EDGE (Eider Chase)
BEAT-THE-WEATHER ENGLISH AW LINE-UP: Naas today and Clonmel on Thursday take on extra significance as Fontwell (survived inspection) and Southwell may be the last of the English turf meetings for a while if the forecast Arctic blast strikes in the next 36 hours. But 12 AW cards up to Friday are lined up to beat the weather at Chelmsford, Kempton, Lingfield, Newcastle and Wolverhampton.
MAKIT MULLINS IN KEY NOVICES
2.40 Naas This novices’ handicap chase is the first of three Graded races at Naas this afternoon.
Joseph O’Brien’s 11-2 winner last year slammed a Gordon Elliott runner eight lengths and his Arkwright tries to do the same trick against Sutton Manor.
Not that the owners will be too fussed on the face of it, since both are Gigginstown owned, but Sutton Manor (I took 4.5. on BETDAQ) has multiple Cheltenham Festival entries, while Arkwright’s target is the Liverpool Grand National.
Fitzhenry is up 12lb after winning at Punchestown in November, though his follow-up chase form, a win at Thurles, has not been franked.
Coeur Joyeux was getting lumps of weight when he scored at the same Punchestown meeting but over further, though the first two finished a long way clear.
3.10 Naas A Grade-2 novice hurdle which made big splashes in 2012 and 13 when the winners consecutively were Felix Yonger and Annie Power, both trained Willie Mullins, who saddles Makitorix after his fine fourth in the Coral Hurdle three weeks ago.
Though beating nothing well over today’s CD at Nass two weeks back, Cartwright was impressive in slamming one-time Group winner on the Flat, Epicuris.
But Epicuris is also trained by Mullins so Willie should know the time of day.
Speak Easy was disappointing on this course in a novice Grade 1 but Hardline has won three times with Grade-1 failures in between
Those are probably the best of a cracking line-up, from which I shall support Makitorix at a tasty 7.0 in the BETDAQ orange.
3.45 Naas Henry De Bromhead farms this Grade-3 chase. He’s won it four times in five years, including last term with front-running Alisier d’Irlande, who is back for more, wearing cheekpieces this time around, facing stronger opposition.
But, if you think he can do it again, you get a massive 15.5 on BETDAQ, with a 105% orange headed by Doctor Phoenix, but with only 2.22 points separating the first three in the market at 9 a.m.
Doctor Phoenix has been winning races since 2013 and seems better than ever, still only 10, since joining Gordon Elliott. He’s 2-3 but this is his first Graded chase.
Stablemate Ball d’Arc has spent nine consecutive races in Graded events since last year at this time and has won both outings at today’s level.
Still only seven, and beat American Tom over the Naas CD at similar weights in November. I took 3.2
ON GUARD! THAT’S THE SPIRIT
3.20 Fontwell (National Spirit Hurdle) Paul Nicholls had four winners yesterday including the horse with the big future Cyrname in the BETDAQ Pendil.
He’s won this with Celestial Halo, who was placed in Champion Hurdle and World Hurdle, and Old Guard is another Cheltenham lover, winner of the International and the Greatwood Hurdle.
He is closely matched here with Air Horse One, whom he beat in. the Ladbrokes Hurdle at Newbury in November in today’s conditions, but can confirm his narrow advantage at 4.4 on BETDAQ this morning (super 106% orange for an eight-runner race).
Trip and ground also suit Lil Rockerfeller, who won this in 2016, was subsequently second in the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham and won another Grade 2 in the Coral Hurdle at Ascot in November.
Blinkers are tried to give him an edge but Neil King’s yard has been missing strike badly, with returns of 22033204, still standing, in the last two weeks.
3.35 Southwell Dual chase winner in Ireland, Kansas City Chief has been confined to hurdles since joining Neil Mulholland near Bath, beating a big field at Doncaster.
But, though a beaten odds-on favourite at Catterick last time, the Chief is up a stone on the Town Moor success.
Rocky’s Treasure was in good form last Spring on a sound surface. Sam Red is switched back to hurdles after disappointing over fences.
Back-to-back winner in the autumn, Sun Cloud is not out of it, despite his years. Peter Bowen has to do what Gordon Elliott couldn’t: win a race with the ex-French Jeannot De Nonant.
Jaunty Flyer is on the upgrade and looks handy at the foot of the handicap, stepped up to a trip which is suited to his pedigree. I took 7.4 in another super-friendly 107% book, considering just eight line up.
DAQMAN’S BETS (each bet to win 20 points)
2.40 Naas
BET 5.75pts win SUTTON MANOR
3.10 Naas
BET 3.25pts win MAKITORIX
3.20 Fontwell
BET 5.75pts win (nap) OLD GUARD
3.35 Southwell
BET 3pts win JAUNTY FLYER
3.45 Naas
BET 9pts win BALL d’ARC
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