DAQMAN SALUTES SHAMROCK DERBY: In an Irish 1-2, Daqman and Shamrock raced to the line neck and neck in yesterday’s Derby until US Army Ranger faltered in the final few yards on the Epsom camber and Harzand triumphed for Shamrock’s nap at 7-1. Daqman had the winner and 20-1 third in the Oaks.
EURO LINE-UP IN FRENCH VERSION: Mais, calmez vous; arrêtez votre bluff! There is another day, and it’s today in the French Derby at Chantilly: an instant Derby rematch between the famed BETDAQ tipsters in a euro16 on French soil with horses from four nations.
NOW IT’S A NAPS BATTLE, TOO: Says Daqman: ‘It’s been no contest again in my challenge to Pricewise (Daqman leads 35-15) but Shamrock has also done better than me on his naps recently. So, finger out and head down for Royal Ascot.’ My nap today is unraced (1.50 Goodwood).
GROUND IS A FOUNDATION FOR DERBY WIN
3.15 Chantilly (French Derby) Will it be another Derby for the shamrock in a euro16 Classic? Runners are from France 9, England 4, Ireland 2, Germany 1, Italy 1.
While Dermot Weld has his Harzand party at Rosewell House, Ballydoyle tries to bounce back with two capable rangers, Black Sea and Bravery.
John Gosden, his Wings Of Desire, only fourth at Epsom, goes back to basics with Foundation but it’s Harry Dunlop who knows the French form with a French-bred horse.
Robin Of Navan has been (Group 1) winner and runner-up to Cloth Of Stars in successive races at Saint-cloud, winning their duel the day the ground was very soft, as it is today.
They took the Prix Greffulhe route; Mekhtaal won the Hocquart, beating Royal Julius more than six lengths after that one had finished only about a length behind Dicton.
Dicton, an £18,000 bargain at the sales, was making it six wins from 10 starts that day, but was well put in his place by The Gurkha in the French 2,000 Guineas, nearly six lengths back in third.
But Dicton has been supplemented for today by his Italian connections, and Olivier Peslier stays loyal.
Dicton is drawn high, out in the chateau car-park, next to the wet strawberries and so-cold ice-cream, as Paris and all points east to champagne country and 50 miles north to Chantilly are flooded by continual heavy rain.
But stalls 10 (twice) and 16 have won it in the last five years, though the problem of a high draw may be Mekhtaal’s undoing. As a front-runner, he’ll be used up early if he wants to lead.
Zarak (in 16), fifth to The Gurkha in the Poulains, is in the same ownership as Harzand The Aga Khan hasevery chance of a prestigious Derby double, as Zarak is out of the brilliant Arc-winning mare Zarkava.
Craven Stakes runner-up and Dante third look fair credentials for this, but Foundation (gate 12) was deemed disappointing in the Craven which was put down in the Press to the softish ground.
If that’s true – and I don’t believe it – he is an unusual son of Zoffany, whose progeny have a 25% strike rate on soft and heavy going.
Ballydoyle’s Bravery and Black Sea are both by Galileo, the one showing improvement when fourth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, the other only ninth in the Dante
Imperial Aviator’s Leicester and Newbury form was let down at Epsom twice yesterday by both Ulysees in the Derby and Cartago in the handicap. There’s not much between Raseed and Golden Bridge on collateral form
DAQMAN’S ORDER-IN: 1 Foundation, 2 Zarak, 3 Bravery, 6.6, 6.8 and 14.5 respectively on BETDAQ, as I write.
FRONTIERSMAN TO BOOST 100% RECORDS
1.50 Goodwood Charlie Appleby is 2-2 with his runners in maidens like this at Goodwood, and 3-3 teaming up with William Buick.
His newcomer Frontiersman won’t need to be much to win the opener: 3.85 in the BETDAQ orange as I write
3.30 Goodwood Galizzi is also with Appleby-Buick and has to be considered on his return from a long absence.
But I fancy Wordiness (5.6 BETDAQ offers best) to turn around Ascot form with Seaside Sizzler, better off at the weights and with the champion jockey taking over from a claimer.
4.35 Goodwood Bouncing Czech! One day Czech It Out he will bounce back, dropping in the handicap and now on his winning course for local trainer, Amanda Perrett. So I’d better have some 7.2 just in case it’s today.
BETDAQ BETS (staked to win 20 points)
BET 7pts win (nap) FRONTIERSMAN (1.50 Goodwood)
BET 3pts win on each FOUNDATION and ZARAK (3.15 Chantilly)
BET 4.3pts win WORDINESS (3.30 Goodwood)
BET 3.2pts win CZECH IT OUT (4.35 Goodwood)
£25 IN FREE BETS
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