ON THE BIG-RACE SCENE: YESTERDAY: Daqman’s Grand Sefton guide had winner and third, King Turgeon (BETDAQ 7.3, SP 9-2) and Gaboriot (10-1), and his November Handicap number-one Waxing Gibbous, was a fast-finishing runner-up at 17-2.
TODAY: Daqman takes you down the card at Sandown.
ON THE BIG-RACE SCENE: TOMORROW: Look out for Daqman previews to Saturday’s Autumn Gold Cup and the rest of the Cheltenham trials card.
TAKE 5.5 BEFORE YOU TELL
⭕ 12.30 Sandown Everything Paul Nicholls runs will be short after yesterday’s five-timer, and he’s booked his 2022 winning jockey in this, except that Freddie Gingell claimed 10lb then but now only 3lb.
That still dips Freddie below the 11st mark for six-year-old Don’t Tell Su, who hasn’t been out of a place since the Spring of last year: 123212. The morning 5.5 on BETDAQ looked good.
Sam Thomas, who produced the 11-year-old Al Dancer to win the big chase off top-weight at Wincanton yesterday, sends out another six-year-old, Vinenzo, but he’s still trying to win beyond 2m and has to give Don’t Tell Su 9lb.
⭕ 1.05 Sandown Freddie Gingell hardly has time for the valet to brush his boots in the jockeys’ room before bringing Belgarum’s weight down to the bottom of this handicap bar one, and that’s the precarious jumper, Abingworth.
Every little helps after Belgarum’s 21-lengths win in September meant he was put up a total of 23lb after an autumn double.
Passing Well and Hudson de Grugy return from 200-plus days off and the one I like is El Rio from the Chianti Classico stable of Kim Bailey. BETDAQ 4.1.
Mole Court beat El Rio at Huntingdon in the Spring but El Rio seems to have got his act together now, whereas Mole Court was down the field at Cheltenham the last day in a race he won in 2023.
HENDERSON TRADE CRAFT
⭕ 1.40 Sandown Paul Nicholls put his skates on yesterday, and it’s now time for Nicky Henderson to set out in pursuit of the leading trainers and show his Tradecraft.
Henderson won this maiden hurdle last year, his third time in eight seasons. Be warned that all were heavily backed.
That suggests you take the early 5.2 on BETDAQ about Tradecraft, placed in two bumpers out of three so making his hurdles debut.
Anno Power is a dual bumper winner – at Ascot and Cheltenham – while Noahsgreatrainbow has the pedigree to step up from this over longer distances. Watching brief.
⭕ 2.15 Sandown Henderson again and this time with a winner first time out when fresh last season (and second time; and third time!): the Point scorer Jeriko Du Reponet graduated from a basic novice hurdle via a hat-trick to Grade-2 success.
Unfortunately, there is nothing else in today’s race with any such success story or potential, though Kansas Du Berlais is interesting as the only other five-year-old, receiving 19lb but 2lb out of the handicap.
GOOD VALUE IN EVASION
⭕ 2.50 Sandown Dan Skelton, who has settled down to a winner a day now, seemed to get a pointed remark from former boss, P. Nicholls, on ITV yesterday.
The Bell boy asked him about his slow start and the rugged features rouged: ‘Those who start quickly can find they use up what they’ve got and run out of ammunition.’
Whereupon he loaded eight of his own bullets at Wincanton and five went home, with only two losers (still standing) and the shell casings left behind. Nicholls stressed the word ‘patience’ to the Bell boy; several times!
Skelton runs Don Hollow, who has needed a second wind op, and Lario still has to cope outside novice company.
So I’m taking another emerging novice Jour D’Evasion, a consistent hurdler last season, who is clearly thought a lot of, aimed for a class-2 handicap at Ascot but unseating.
THE BOBBY ON THE BEAT
⭕ 3.25 Sandown We may finish where we started the day here, watching Freddie Gingell do the business. Again his 3lb claim is handy for Copperhead to complete a four-timer but is it enough?
Copperhead beat Certainly Red receiving 23lb at Chepstow last month but now gets only 12lb.
The third horse that day, Good Boy Bobby, was returning from a lay-off; he’s better off with both and 2lb lower than when winning this Sandown race last year.
DAQMAN’S BETS
12.30 Sandown (win 20)
BET 4.5pts win DON’T TELL SU
1.05 Sandown (win 10)
BET 3.25pts win EL RIO
1.40 Sandown (win 20 nap)
BET 5pts win TRADECRAFT
2.50 Sandown (win 10)
BET 2pts win JOUR D’EVASION
3.25 Sandown (win 10)
BET 5pts win GOOD BOY BOBBY
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