SHOCK AS THREE-YEAR-OLDS DETHRONED: A ferocious battle for the King George, won by six-year-old Hukum, failed to feature either the gambled-on Auguste Rodin (tailed off last) or his market rival, Emily Upjohn (8th), and the nearest three-year-old was four lengths third. Daqman warned in advance that such a result could set up the Arc de Triomphe for the French.
DAQMAN FORTUNE COOKIE AT DEAUVILLE: Before his verdict tomorrow, and his launch of Glorious Goodwood, Daqman sends out another Fortune Cookie as he analyses two races at Deauville, head to head with Pricewise (current score 40-18). He also has three Sunday bets from Pontefract.
ELITE TO KEEP HIS STATUS
⭕ 2.50 Deauville (2yo Group 3) We kept Elite Status in the Fortune Cookies for just such a race as this, up a furlong on soft.
This gives the Sandown National Stakes winner a chance to travel better and save his speed for the delivery end.
Elite Status was third in the Norfolk Stakes and we have to hope that the form since of runner-up Malc is not representative; that, as a 66-1 chance at Royal Ascot, his place was a bit of a fluke and his cover has been blown.
But the fourth horse, threeparts of a length behind Elite Status, has also been beaten twice, including when second to another Fortune Cookie, Ramatuelle, in the Robert Papin.
So, seemingly, we are very much ground dependent here for Elite Status, but the French seldom let you down when it comes to watering!
Reveiller was more than four lengths behind Elite Status at Ascot (The Fixer even further back), and Power Mode attempts to leap more than a stone from a York maiden.
Our problem is more likely to be Havana Cigar, with trainer Jean-Claude Rouget havin’ a ball at the top of the French table, with 137 winners and success here closing him down on the £3m mark for prizemoney won.
Havana Cigar ran five lengths clear at Chantilly but the runner-up did nothing for the form the last day, so maybe he’s not among the elite!
CHIPS DOWN ON POKER FACE
⭕ 2.50 Pontefract (Pomfret Stake) French racing aside, there are just two meetings domestically on Sunday at Pontefract and Uttoxeter. However we can look forward to Listed action at Pontefract with this Pomfret Stakes run over a mile.
On the ratings it looks very competitive despite a field of just six going to post. Southern raiders dominate the Betdaq Betting Exchange market headed mid-morning by Poker Face for Simon and Ed Crisford. This one ran well at Sandown last time out when finishing second to Savvy Victory in a similar Listed contest.
Poker Face would appear to enjoy it at Pontefract – he has won both his previous two starts here by an aggregate of over 10 lengths including over course and distance and on ground similar to today.
Everything appears to be in his favour and I’m not concerned that the drop back to a mile will cause any problems. That should be countered by the fact that the ground is on the testing side and this is a stiff mile loop.
Narrowly top of the ratings is Raadobarg for George Boughey. This one has yet to win in the UK since joining from Ireland but has been generally campaigned at a much higher level. He should appreciate the drop in grade. His latest effort was a mid-division finish in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot. He could easily bounce back to form but I would prefer to see him arrive in slightly better shape.
Flight Plan is the only three-year-old representative. Trained by Karl Burke he is having his first race since Royal Ascot and is still very hard to quantify on just his sixth racecourse start. Two of those runs have come on the all-weather. The concern might be the ground. His latest run was probably also his best one when the ground was good to firm at Ascot.
The biggest danger to the selection may come from Al Mubhir. He certainly doesn’t mind softer ground and would probably have finished closer in a Listed contest at Haydock last time out but for losing a shoe during the race. He looks the danger but I will stick with a horse that enjoys this quirky circuit.
SOUNDS LIKE A VALUE BET
⭕ 3.25 Deauville (Group-1 Fillies And Mares) We dropped Remarquee from the Fortune Cookies list which is a bit hard on a Coronation Stakes runner-up to Tahiyra and Falmouth second to the year-old Nashwa.
But every race she runs, with her jaw cocked as she challenges, excuses are made that she is still immature.
On the ground, Irish raider Sounds Of Heaven must have a similar chance for Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley at a better price. She was just a head behind Remarquee at Ascot.
Mqse de Sevigne is not that keen to win, with form figures of 220222, and Sauterne has finished her last three Group races a glass half empty, with figures of 322, including runner-up the last day to the Frankel filly, Kelina.
Tom Clover felt that Deauville would suit Rogue Millenium, rather than the Falmouth. Sure enough the neck runner-up to her at Ascot, Random Harvest, was well behind Nashwa and Remarquee at Newmarket.
Sounds Of Heaven, a Betdaq Betting Exchange offer at 6.4, might just be able to outrun Remarquee on the soft surface.
NOTES POINT TO ORCHESTRA
⭕ 3.25 Pontefract The market is built around Dubai Souq who represents Saeed bin Suroor but by the trainers own high standards he is relatively modest.
He didn’t seem to be in love with the game last time out when getting upset in the stalls and was withdrawn. He’s not one I would be rushing to back at short odds – although he might be good enough to win this by default particularly as one of the biggest dangers Auld Toon Loon is now a non runner.
I thought there could be a little bit of value in siding with Orchestra for Ed Dunlop. He gets his ground and the trainer is in pretty good form. This looks an easier contest than the one he took part in at Sandown last time out and it’s interesting to see that the visor that was used on that occasion isn’t on anymore. This won’t take much winning and he is preferred to the main other market rival Piecederesistance whose wins to date have come on quicker ground.
⭕ THE NAP: 5.10 Pontefract I like a speedy horse at Pontefract and could easily see Astapor bouncing out and making all. He was a beaten favourite last time out but off the same mark his general consistency might well be enough against mainly out of form rivals.
DAQMAN’S BETS
2.50 Deauville
FORTUNE COOKIE
ELITE STATUS
2.50 Pontefract (win 10)
BET 4.5pts win POKER FACE
3.25 Deauville (win 12)
BET 2.25pts win SOUNDS OF HEAVEN
3.25 Pontefract (win 10)
BET 2.5pts win ORCHESTRA
5.10 Pontefract (win 10, nap)
BET 4pts win ASTAPOR
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