TOP TRAINER WITH BIG HANDICAP TEAM: Daqman looks ahead to the autumn double of the Cambridgeshire next Saturday and the Cesarewitch in October, for which a top trainer has lined up a team of winners.
TODAY: On a quiet day of racing after Saturday’s overload, Daqman selects three bets including a WIN 20 proposition at Plumpton where he has one eye on the weather forecast.
SALUTE THE SUPER TROOPER
He doesn’t get so many nowadays. And there won’t be another one like that for a while. I remember those Press verdicts on Sir Mark Prescott and Alpinista.
They were just saying that old-man Mark didn’t have so many sequence winners, and they were talking down Alpinista with memories still fresh of Arc-winning filly Enable, who landed 15 races out of 19.
But Alpinista, a Frankel filly, scored eight in a row – including the Arc – in the manner of many a sequence horse trained by Sir Mark. He didn’t stop there; he was just starting up again!
There is another top filly this season, Tiffany, recent winner in Germany, just like Alpinista, and contender for the British Champions Fillies And Mares next month, with form figures of 1111211121.
This week Sir Mark confirmed with a vengeance that he can still do it with handicappers, after another Press article used the past tense on his sequence building.
On Monday (Warmonger), Wednesday (Overture) and Thursday (Judgementofsolomon) landed a spectacular hat-trick.
All are running up sequences or just starting one: Warmonger 11121, Overture 1111 and Judgementofsolomon (watch this space).
But perhaps the most significant result was yesterday when Trooper Bisdee finished fourth, running on, in the Cesarewitch Trial so that his form sequence now reads 10131141104.
The only real blip in that long run since last June was that he was trained for the Northumberland Plate but didn’t take to the surface and was beaten favourite of the 20-strong field.
And Sir Mark has him in a whole team of Cesarewitch potential, some with their own sequences: 11031311 Pledgeofallegiance, 12111 Godsend, plus Trooper Bisdee, Warmonger and three others.
* Meanwhile, still at HQ, tomorrow starts Cambridgeshire week and I’ll bring you the news, plus stats and form guide for the first leg of the autumn double.
CHECKMATE FOR KING’S CASTLE
⭕ 3.50 Plumpton The Sussex course has escaped much of the overnight deluge that has hit the south but the forecast is ominous and the official going on the hurdle course of ‘good to soft, good in places’ would surely be better predicted as ‘good to soft, soft in places’. That’s certainly what I am working on for a very modest days racing.
This class 3 handicap hurdle is the best race on offer and at the top of the weights is the morning Betdaq Betting Exchange market leader Aucunrisque who squeezes into this 0-130 rated race on his mark of 130!
He goes well here which is worth a couple of points as it is a horses for courses track but doesn’t make much appeal on his first start since April. It’s not the absence that concerns me, he’s run well after breaks before but his form last season really tailed off and the first time cheekpieces didn’t bring about much improvement on his last start at Chepstow. He’s down another 4lb in the weights but doesn’t look a betting proposition for me here as he might not be in love with the game at which point handicap marks become less important.
He’s also up against the bang in form King’s Castle who won four in a row (all good ground, but also has form on good to soft) before the streak came to an end at Perth where he was beaten a neck in a class 2 event. I think, despite another rise of 2lb, he is still more than capable of winning again and this is a small drop in class. Will try for a WIN 20 return.
A GREAT NAP AWAITS
⭕ 4.50 Plumpton I am sticking with the hurdles for the final race of the day where Greatness Awaits can continue his run of solid form for trainer Ben Pauling.
Whilst his flat form has struggled, he seems revitalised by the switch to hurdles and followed his Newton Abbot win in June with a second at Worcester (July), and a second at Market Rasen (August). The one run a month policy seems to be reaping rewards!
He has been held up recently but it would come as no surprise to see him try and make the running and could be hard to peg back under regular pilot Ben Jones.
The Dark Edge shaped well on his comeback run at Huntingdon in April but it was good ground and his form on softer is less convincing.
I am hoping the weather forecast, my interpretation of it, and this being run on chewed up ground will count against him and in favour of then nap Greatness Awaits.
SUSIE TO SPARKLE AGAIN
⭕ 5.12 Hamilton I thought the card was tricky with the best bet saved for the final event. Susiesparkle justified favouritism in some style to win at Thirsk on Monday this week and escapes a penalty given it came in an apprentice race. Mohammed Tabti rides again and the partnership will be hard to beat off the same mark.
Kevin Ryan’s Ribble River finished strongly to win well at Carlisle last time out and should appreciate another step up in trip over a demanding course but he’s up 5lb against a well handicapped rival.
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.50 Plumpton (win 20)
BET 4.3pts win KING’S CASTLE
4.50 Plumpton (win 10, nap)
BET 5.0pts win GREATNESS AWAITS
5.12 Hamilton (win 10)
BET 6.8pts win SUSIESPARKLE
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