100 NOT OUT AGAINST PRICEWISE: Daqman notched up the ton against Pricewise of the Racing Post yesterday. Play ended in a 2-2 draw, but the two wins took the score to 100-18 to Daqman this Flat season, reaching his century in the best possible way with a 9-4 nap.
150 WINS AHEAD OF HIS RIVAL: That puts him 150 ahead overall (241-91) in four campaigns – two jumps, two Flat – since November 2013, with plenty of action left in the Melbourne Cup and Breeders Cup series. Today they tackle races at Saint-cloud, Leopardstown and Aintree.
BACK-TO-BACK NAPS UP: In fact, Argus (WON 9-4) gave him back-to-back naps yesterday, following a successful banker, Magic Circle (WON 8-15) on Friday. Yesterday’s winners in time order were:
WON 5-2 Koora
WON 3-1 Devilment (number 99)
WON 9-4 Argus (nap and 100 up)
WON 10-11 Scrutineer
THE DAY THAT PUNTERS BET EYES WIDE SHUT!
Don’t blame Dettori! Following his instructions – not to give Foundation a hard race – Frankie was never going to use the colt up to get round the formation of Ballydoyle colts on Town Moor yesterday.
Their Doncaster defence of the Racing Post Trophy looked more like the diamond-shaped wedge of Roman legionnaires crushing the Celts at Watling Street.
It played into the hands of a ‘seize the day’ sweep by cool-head Andrea Atzeni, the new Ryan Moore or Mick Kinane of Group-1 races, to sweep through the ranks and take the battle honours on Marcel.
I was only saying before the Cox Plate that Peter Chapple-Hyam can still place his horses for the right race, and he was clearly marvellous with Marcel.
He was equally on the ball afterwards in admitting that his colt is unlikely to be the new Authorized and designated the French Derby (1m 2f) as the target for Marcel.
If such a bet could be had, I would wager that Marcel won’t beat Foundation again, certainly not at a mile and a half.
Praise is also due to John Gosden for warning the world beforehand that Foundation would not be subjected to a hard time yesterday.
But, as one of the most exciting, quality seasons in recent years comes close to the end, we have to ask how much information that should be public property is withheld from the punter; and, in consequence, how much money does he throw down the drain?
On the other side of the same coin, it is a staggering indictment of the same British punter that he and his legion continued to back Foundation off the boards, in to odds on, despite the trainer’s warning.
My answer, and yours, should be: thank heavens for that! Such eyes-wide-shut punting provides the value for the rest of us.
BANKER A PRESENT FROM THE CHAMPION TRAINER
2.15 Wincanton There’s some seriously good value on BETDAQ in three big races today, so I’m going to start by buying the money to bet with.
Present Man has been gifted (pun intended) this novices-hurdle. Won first time last season, gets a stone from his nearest market rival, Uncle Tome, in a race local trainer Paul Nicholls has won three times in five years.
Banker that’s a shade of odds against on BETDAQ as I write (2.08), but then so many winning odds-on-at-SP bankers have been!
BOY IS A BIG IMPROVER AND LOVES THE MUD
2.40 Saint-Cloud (Prix Royal-Oak) Alex My Boy has closed down Fly With Me as he’s improved this season and, though strictly he’s still 4lb down at these level weights, he could now have the edge as an improving four-year-old.
Meanwhile Vazirabad has been getting stronger and stronger, too. Still only three, he gets 9lb from the older horses.
Manatee has aimed high in the Grand Prix de Saint-cloud and the Arc but, in fact, none of these front-runners in the market has won a Group 1.
Apart from the old man of the party, Cirrus des Aigles, the only one successful in the very top grade is Mille Et Mille, winner of the Cadran.
An out-and-out stayer who was third in the Cadran that day, Fun Mac might have won the Ascot Stakes but a bruised foot interrupted his preparation and he was pipped half a length by Clondaw Warrior.
It’s a very tough decision to make, but the form book says that Mille Et Mille and Vazirabad are best on top of the ground, and that Fun Mac needs to go round again.
I think we have to go with German raider Alex My Boy, an improver who loves the trip and the mud, and has Olivier Peslier to do the steering.
The 6.2 on BETDAQ this morning was a fair deal and I took it; but I put some 6.4 out there and got it matched, so I’m on 2% commission, which makes that part of my bet even bigger value.
ON GUARD! IT’S A CUT-AND-THRUST CONTEST
3.20 Leopardstown (November Handicap) A cracking contest, and those who look no further than the likely favourite, Modem, should be warned that the last three years have seen turn-ups at 12-1, 14-1 and 16-1.
English backers who rush to support Deauville Dancer or Guard Of Honour might ponder that the three losing favourites in that time were all from UK (trained Ralph Beckett, Brian Ellison and Sir Michael Stoute).
Guard Of Honour, runner-up to Digeanta in the Irish Cesarewitch, is better off at the weights, but neither would want any more rain. Dermot Weld’s Silver Concorde was beaten favourite that day.
Weld also saddles Zafayan, who would win on his Chester Cup form, when third to Gold Cup winner Trip To Paris, but he has an awful lot of weight. Ditto for Toe The Line, fourth in the Ebor, fourth in the Park Hill.
Gordon Carter winner, Deauville Dancer, found the 2m 2f English Cesarewitch a trip too far but has shown only 6lb improvement in the last year, which is poor by Sir Mark Prescott’s standards.
Tony Martin, who has not had a great season (5% strike rate on turf), runs the consistent Pyromaniac, but I prefer stablemate Heartbreak City, who didn’t settle in the slow-run Cesarewitch, and was being well supported this morning early mouse.
So far Sir Cartage is a soft-heavy horse, not bred for a trip, suggesting that this is an experiment, though his light weight could be a big advantage if more rain gets into the ground.
But, assessing the lightweights together, I had to put Modem, who has won four out of his last five starts over hurdles and on the Flat, and Guard Of Honour ahead of him on what they’ve done. I took 10.5 and 15.5 respectively on BETDAQ this morning.
ORDER-IN: 1 Modem, 2 Guard Of Honour, 3 Heartbreak City, 4 Zafayan
BUY WISE ON BETDAQ FOR BIG VALUE OVER SP
3.30 Aintree (Old Roan Chase) Wishfull Thinking has won and been second but is 12 years old now, and is stuck on the same 162 mark as when scoring first time out in this last year, despite afterwards running second to Al Ferof, then winning the Peterborough Chase.
Richard Johnson has scored 10 times on the horse, and it would be great to see a clear round, though it’s hard to envisage success, giving away up to 20lb.
Nicky Richards’ Duke Of Navan was my Hot Spot earlier in the week, as better than the bare form. His breeding suggests that he’s been crying out for this step up in trip.
Buywise has twice won after long breaks and ran a race full of promise at the Cheltenham Festival. He is already a winner at this Grade-2 level, while Rajdhani Express and Surf And Turf have the advantage of having won over fences at Aintree.
Splash Of Ginge has needed his first run back in previous seasons; the Johns Spirit outfit is not in the best of form; and they seemed to be giving away Sound Investment at 10.0 this morning.
Buywise and Duke Of Navan look very solid at the weights and it’s hard to choose between them, so I’ll dutch at 6.6 and 8.0 respectively. You need a couple on your side at this time of year.
It’s a very open contest, 6.4 the field in an orange of 106% total percentage so, whichever one you fancy, make a bigger offer.
The SP Total with the bookmakers last year was 117%, so you are already quids in, though an even bigger benefit is the BETDAQ market on the Leopardstown November Handicap, compared with last year’s SP, which totted up to staggering 140%.
BETDAQ BETS (staked to win 20 points)
BANKER: BET 20pts win (nap) PRESENT MAN (2.15 Wincanton)
BET 3.7pts win ALEX MY BOY (2.40 Saint-cloud)
BET 2pts win MODEM and 1.35pts win GUARD OF HONOUR (3.20 Leopardstown)
BET 3.5pts win BUYWISE and 2.8pts win DUKE OF NAVAN (3.30 Aintree)
NEW !!!
You can now follow BETDAQ updates on Google+
For further details – CLICK HERE
£50 IN FREE BETS
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
