DAQMAN LEADS 16-8 AS HE LANDS VICTORIA CUP AT BETDAQ 14.5: Daqman promised to land 70 winners against Pricewise this Flat season but is way ahead of schedule, already leading 16-8 in the value chase and, with six months left, could even target 105, his record score of 2015. Yesterday’s hits for a profit of 31 points on the day were:
WON 11-1 RIVER NYMPH (Victoria Cup from 14.5 on BETDAQ)
WON 9-4 LOUGANINI
FOCUS ON THE LEOPARDSTOWN TRIALS: Classic-trial winners in the mud at Lingfield yesterday were 28-1 and 14-1. Will they be any easier to find at Leopardstown today ahead of Daqman’s assessment of the three-year-olds tomorrow and Tuesday ahead of the York Dante meeting?
ZUBA TO ZOOM HOME
⭕ 1.35 Plumpton After the glut of UK racing on Saturday we have just the two jumps cards today which seems pretty bonkers especially allowing for the fact the we are still racing without crowds. Answers on a postcard …
The opener at Plumpton presents the ideal opportunity for Zuba to get off the mark. He has shown more than enough form on both the flat and jumps to take a modest contest like this.
He comes into this on the back of a good run at Goodwood in April when runner-up over 1m 6f and had previously finished a creditable fourth over hurdles at Warwick on the same good ground he faces today.
There are plenty of question marks surrounding his two chief BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE rivals. Jalwan hasn’t been seen since pulling up on his hurdles debut at Kempton where he was found to have bled from then nose.
The Venetia Williams trained Burgundy Man has been highly tried in his only two starts for the yard but was unruly at the start before unseating at the first at Cheltenham before getting round, but only beating one home, at Ascot when a tailed off 13th beaten 51 lengths.
JESSICA’S PLAYING A CLASSIC ACE
⭕ 2.15 Leopardstown (Amethyst Stakes) Not a Classic trial; not confined to three-year-olds. But Dermot Weld, who has won this Group 3 four times in the decade, saddled subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas third and Jersey Stakes winner, Mustajeeb in 2014.
Now here’s Dermot, fresh from winning the Chester Cup with plot horse Falcon Eight, saddling an improving second-season sort who loves cut in the ground.
Erzindjan is related to Gold Cup winners down the dam’s side and, as well as the Irish Guineas, is still in the Epsom Derby and the Curragh version later on.
Three-year-olds, who have won the Amethyst twice in the last three seasons, are also represented by Jessica Harrington’s Ace Aussie, likely favourite after running second to the Newmarket Guineas winner, Poetic Flare, when they met here over 7f in April.
Third in the race, the Leopardstown 2,000 Guineas Trial, was Monaasib, who had been less than a length behind talking-horse High Definition (Snapraeterea third) in last September’s Beresford Stakes at The Curragh.
So a very decent standard of three-year-olds being tested against older horses so early in the season.
With both Guineas form and Derby pretenders represented, we would be disappointed if Ace Aussie didn’t stand up the form for the Classic generation but I fear Erzindjan.
BETDAQ value 2.5 Ace Aussie
JOAN FROM A MARVELLOUS FAMILY
⭕ 2.45 Leopardstown (1,000 Guineas Trial) Irish 1,000 Guineas third, Just Pretending (2013), won this for Aidan O’Brien, who now saddles Joan of Arc, sister to Gleneagles, Marvellous and Happily.
She looked in need of this mile when she ran unplaced here in the 1,000 Trial over 7f but is today rated beneath Fantasy Lady and Sense Of Style. This pair are on 101 after being separated a short-head at the Curragh (1m, soft) last October.
Not yet given official marks after only one run (one win) each are Shandra and Acanella, who beat Climate here over the mile.
BETDAQ value: 7.4 Joan of Arc
BALLET HAS TOE FOR DERBY TEST
⭕ 3.15 Leopardstown (Derby Trial) With High Definition’s seasonal debut delayed – now a possible for the Dante – attention switches to Bolshoi Ballet from the Ballydoyle team.
The race could be a major marker. O’Brien has won it five times in the decade, including with Broome.
Bolshoi Ballet (rated 109) has already raced this season, clear winner of the Ballysax (Taipan third, Lough Derg fourth), which might give him a fitness edge over Mac Swiney (rated 116), not seen since his Doncaster Futurity defeat of One Ruler, who was sixth in the Newmarket Guineas.
BETDAQ value 2.68 Bolshoi Ballet
A WORD FOR PERCY
⭕ 3.20 Ludlow Percy’s Word was a beaten favourite at Doncaster last time out but on similar ground, in what looks an easier race, is worth persevering with.
The Dan Skelton trained runner only found L’Incorrigible too good but it was his best effort over hurdles to date and he can get a first jumping win here.
The obvious danger is Takeit Easy who doesn’t look too harshly treated off a 3lb higher mark for his recent course and distance win.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.35 Plumpton (win 10)
BET 7.5pts win ZUBA
2.15 Leopardstown (win 10)
BET 6pts win ACE AUSSIE
2.45 Leopardstown (win 10)
BET 1.5pts win JOAN OF ARC
3.15 Leopardstown (win 10, nap)
BET 5.75pts win BOLSHOI BALLET
3.20 Ludlow (win 10)
BET 2.1pts win PERCY’S WORD
What are points? Points facilitate a staking plan, which is the secret to creating profit. One point is whatever you choose: a pound, a euro, or whatever ….
Start with a bank and decide how much you can afford to lose over a period of time, and determine the size of your bets accordingly. Daqman makes this variation every day.
