13-2 KING OF THE SATURDAY TIPSTERS: NOW FOR BOXING DAY: Daqman was buzzing again on BETDAQ Value Saturday yesterday as he tried to repeat last Saturday’s four in a row. Bennys King (WON 13-2) put him 13-10 up on Pricewise and he was on the dramatic last-gasp big-race winner, Paisley Park (WON 9-4), but the nap was second and Buzz lost his sting in the final yards as he made his customary run from the back.
Yesterday (Four in the first two)
WON 13-2 BENNYS KING
WON 9-4 PAISLEY PARK
2ND 11-4 SOJOURN (nap)
2ND 13-2 BUZZ
Last Saturday (Four consecutive winners)
WON 4-1 SKY PIRATE (nap)
WON 16-1 CHATHAM STREET LAD
WON 12-1 MAKE GOOD
WON 6-1 SONG FOR SOMEONE
Boxing Day ??
WATCH THIS SPACE!
🗓️ TODAY: Today Daqman celebrates the Paisley Park victory, and looks at a lower-level of racing at Fakenham and Southwell. The race of the day is in Ireland though at Thurles with some exciting mares doing battle in the Listed novice hurdle at 2.00pm.
🗓️ TOMORROW: BOXING DAY PREVIEW: Look out tomorrow and Tuesday for Daqman’s countdown to Boxing Day.
THE EPIC BATTLE OF THE STAYERS
Irregular heartbeat? For Paisley Park it seems to be a thing of the past but was appropriate to his finish in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot yesterday. For his fans!
Aidan Coleman was kicking himself mentally as he kicked the horse’s girth in the final stages. He thought he’d left it too late.
That he let out an audible gasp of relief as he passed the post, winner by a neck, was drowned in the expletives of Richard Johnson, who lost his fresh-faced choirboy image in the anguish of the defeat of Thyme Hill.
If Aidan did everything wrong, Richard did everything right. But can they really repeat and reprise (to the power four) the same one-two, either way, in the Cleeve Hurdle and then at Cheltenham?
It was Thyme Hill who came out on top in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November, prompting the ‘get you next time’ mission for Coleman.
In 2018-19, Paisley did the Long Walk, Cleeve and Stayers Hurdle treble and set himself up for the same again last year but his heart missed a beat in the third leg, the vital Cheltenham showpiece in March,
Now, the daddy of stayers and the young pretender Thyme Hill, are on course for the Cleeve at Cheltenham at the end of January before a longish rest until the mid-March finale at the festival.
If their hearts – and ours – can cope, their renewed rivalry is set to figure alongside the epic two-mile tourneys of the Seventies by Monksfield, Night Nurse and Sea Pigeon.
Is there a ‘Third Man’ among the stayers? I’ll be looking after Christmas for what the Irish can offer, should one – or both – of these giants falter in the heat of battle.
ANOTHER GOLDEN WINTER?
⭕ 2.00 Thurles (Listed novice hurdle) Not great sport today with the pre-Christmas Sunday action reduced by one with the news than Bangor is off because of waterlogging.
The exception to the rule is this Listed Boreen Belle Mares Novice Hurdle at Thurles which has attracted a strong field of some exciting prospects.
The same race through up a 200/1 winner in 2017 with Killahara Castle and trainer John Burke returns today with another big priced runner in Musical Ava – you have been warned !!
Michael Winters did DAQMAN followers a huge favour with Chatham Street Lad at Cheltenham and he looks to have another serious horse on his hands with Sayce Gold who has impressed when winning all three starts this season from 2m to 3m and she seems very versatile.
She jumped well and couldn’t have been more impressive when stepping up in grade to win a Grade 3 at Cork last time out and whilst that was over three miles there’s no reason to think why she can’t do as well over today’s trip.
The obvious danger is the favourite Gauloise – hovering around evens on the BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE in mid-morning trading.
The Willie Mullins trained French import was impressive when winning easily over course and distance on debut and is now up in grade. She could be something special but has a decent rival in the shape of Sayce Gold who already has proven form in a higher grade.
Kapard has also done nothing wrong. She beat Make Good at Wexford on her second start and that rival has gone on to win two races since – including an impressive victory at Cheltenham last weekend in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
CHECK MATE
⭕ 2.20 Fakenham Chess Player shaped with promise on debut at Ayr but lost his way after a lengthy break but seemed to come back to form at Ludlow last time out with a good fourth – beaten less than six lengths.
That was a good effort and he might be racing off a decent mark on his handicap debut.
Silkstone is dropping down the weights but still looks a little short in the market for a horse that is 0-8 over hurdles and has yet to convince as having enough stamina even for the minimum trip.
PIANOLA TO FINALLY HIT TOP NOTE
⭕ 5.15 Southwell “I’m playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order” was a famous Christmas quote from the sadly missed Eric Morecambe.
Looking at the form figures of Grand Pianola 97-59060522352 some of the top ‘notes’ seem to be missing for the 13 race maiden but he should surely lose that status in today’s company?
He was only beaten a neck over course and distance last time out and this looks a much weaker event. Despite the frustrating form sequence, he always handles this surface well and Tim Easterby will be keen to get a win in before the track is dug up for the arrival of the Tapeta.
To sum up how poor this event is – the second and third in the market were beaten 42 lengths and 71 lengths respectively in their latest races 🙁
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 10 points)
BET 3.7pts win SAYCE GOLD (2.00 Thurles)
BET 2.7pts win CHESS PLAYER (2.20 Fakenham)
BET 11.5pts win (nap) GRAND PIANOLA (5.15 Southwell)
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