SATURDAY SIX-HIT FOR DAQMAN: Our man hit the layers for six yesterday at the big meetings, Ascot and Haydock, and landed his banker, Ballycasey, at Gowran for a treble across the cards. Daqman’s six winners, which included the 100-30 big-chase hero, were:
WON 11-10 Fletchers Flyer
WON 15-8 Big Hands Harry
WON 1-3 The New One
WON 1-4 Faugheen
WON 4-6 Ballycasey (banker)
WON 100-30 Silviniaco Conti
NAP IS RUNNING FREE AT NAVAN: After a sixth winning day out of 10, Daqman concentrates on a top-class Sunday card at Navan, clashing with Pricewise in the Ladbrokes’ Troytown Chase, for which he has two opening positions at 13.5 on BETDAQ. His nap is the promising Free Expression.
BECHER HORSE BALBRIGGAN BIG AT 13.5
12.55 Navan (Monksfield Novices’ Hurdle) Memories of a great champion hurdler and a reminder of the loss of a great man, trainer Dessie Hughes, who rode Monksfield to victory in 1979. I was just a boy, of course!
Gordon Elliott, who won this recently (Mount Benbulben 2011) was only four years old. Gordon’s former point-to-point champion Free Expression is just five, going into this Grade 2 today. And, if he can beat Martello Tower, could have a memorable future.
Punters despairing of being able to split the pair may resort to Kauto Star’s half-brother, Kauto Grand Mogul, beaten by Martello Tower at Fairyhouse in the Spring, but who started the new season impressively at Limerick, seemingly a different horse but likely to come into his own over fences.
There’s usually a decent winner of this – Pandorama (2008) runs in the Ladbrokes Troytown later on – and I can’t believe it won’t happen today. Get your Cheltenham notebook out.
1.55 Navan This beginners’ chase was the opening shot of seven in a row for Flemenstar (2011), including three Grade 1s, and Ballycasey was another winning product of the race at Gowran yesterday.
His trainer will be keen to start out on a victory note with Vautour, winner consecutively of Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown top novices hurdles last season.
Vautour is a stone in front of everything in this field on hurdles form (rated 158, the equal of Faugheen) and was awesome at the Cheltenham festival, jumping superbly at speed.
2.25 Navan (Ladbrokes’ Troytown Chase) Eight winners in the decade carried 10st 7lb or less, and all raced off 138 or lower.
That illustrates the task facing Colbert Station, 10-year-old topweight off 141, and one of four runners for J P McManus, who is also represented by previous winner Groody Hill – back to form over hurdles on the last day –Nearly Nama’d and Like Your Style, all for different trainers.
Noel Meade also runs four. He takes the Daqman Award for the race, as the trainer who has most skilfully placed his horses: his Bose Ikard and Thomond are two of only four in the field that fit all the stats.
Hot-novice Bose Ikard landed a chase-and-hurdles treble in August but really catches the eye for this after running third in the Munster National. The snag (there’s always a snag, isn’t there)? He has thus far been kept to good ground, and there’s not much between him and Back Off Mate, who has won on soft.
Thomond, another from beginners’ chases, failed to step up when tried in a Listed at Wexford, and he’s another for whom the softened surface is a worry.
One of three Gordon Elliott runners, Vasco Du Mee, half-brother to five times Graded winner Roi Du Mee, pulverised the field for a Down Royal three-miler on the first of the month but then made mistakes at Ayr which would be no help in today’s fast-run contest.
Earlier in the week, I made Elliott’s Balbriggan a horse to follow on the strength of his giving weight to The Young Master and Charingworth (both subsequent winners) at Cheltenham last month.
Balbriggan, who has also scored since, is reckoned Grand National material, and has a date in the Becher Chase at Aintree in two weeks’ time.
There’s a maddening trend for reserves to get into these Irish handicaps at the 11th hour and win. Dushrembrandt, one of the reserve pair, is the fourth and last runner recommended by past facts and figures on the race. Second in the Cork Grand National.
You must also keep an eye on Tony Martin, witness yesterday’s fine 20-1 effort by big-hurdle third, Dara Tango, at Haydock. The Meath trainer has booked Barry Geraghty for Living Next Door, a tip in itself but not a convincing one: the horse is 23lb higher than for his last win in May, 2013.
There’s not much to choose on collateral form between Living Next Door, Black Benny and Rogue Angel, and Martin’s Wrong Turn is more interesting on his third in the Pat Taaffe Chase at Punchestown. Has had a prep run over hurdles, and his claimer won the Galway Plate.
I took 13.5 offers on BETDAQ for each of the grey hope, Balbriggan, and Wrong Turn, inappropriately named for Navan, since he’s won only left-handed. Both claimed off so both right on the floor of the handicap.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points at morning BETDAQ offers, unless otherwise stated, or multiples)
BET 12pts win (nap) FREE EXPRESSION (12.55 Navan)
BULL’S-EYE BETS (to win 50): 4pts win on each BALBRIGGAN and WRONG TURN (2.25 Navan)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 2 x 1pt win trebles Balbriggan and Wrong Turn (2.25 Navan) with Vautour (1.55 Navan) and Lyrical Theatre (3.25 Navan)
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