16-1 BETDAQ MAGIC IN MEYDAN: Daqman banked on Joao Moreira, the jockey they call ‘magic man’, at Meydan yesterday and was rewarded when Vivlos (WON 14-1 from 17.0 on BETDAQ) took the Dubai Turf.
DAQMAN LEADS PRICEWISE 22-15: The value challenge now has Daqman leading Pricewise 22-15. Though we don’t switch to the Flat until Lincoln day on Saturday, today is likely to be the last clash before then.
100-1 DOUBLE FOR FLAT LAUNCH: Daqman promised a 100-1 plus double on the Irish Lincolnshire and the Ulster National as the scene shifts to Ireland. His bets in those races coupled up are not far short of that, if the outsiders win.
HAS THE BUBBLY GONE FLAT NOW?
3.10 Naas (Naas Racecourse Launches the 2017 Flat Season Handicap) Yes, for all those who can’t wait to see the back of the jumpers, ‘real racing’ returns today, when Naas does the honours.
Bubbly Bellini, who has won this twice, an ordinary 10,000-euro handicap when The Curragh launched the season, bids for the hat-trick with the prize boosted to 25,000.
But this is Naas, and Bellini and the fourth horse home last year, An Saighdiur, are unlikely to land the bubbly at the age of 10 though, as Chuck Berry said: You never can tell!
In fact, Bubbly Bellini is a CD winner here at Naas, as is St Brelades Bay and Maarek, who is also now 10.
This can be won from the far rail, but the draw usually favours middle-to-high numbers, and those three look comfortable in 12, 11 and 9 respectively, though we simply don’t know the best strips of ground on the track, which is officially soft to heavy.
And a feature of the race is the preponderance of front runners drawn low: Dinkum Diamond (2), Gymkhana (3), Sharliyna (4), Imagine If (5), Sahreej (6) and Geological (8) are all known race leaders.
Sharliyna for Dermot Weld gets further and his stamina could be a handy asset in the ground. Same for Geological but he’s a Dundalk AW horse; same for Dinkum Diamond but his form is all on top of the ground; and for Gymkhana but he’s having his first run outside France. Imagine If and Sahreej have won only over 5f.
On the high side, Dark Defender (stall 13) and Mizaah (17) should be finishing late if there’s enough pace on for them.
Mizaah won first time up last season for Kevin Prendergast, whose yard housed the 2016 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner. As a Pivotal, Sharliyna (family of Shahrastani) should enjoy the mud.
That’s me relying on last season’s crop of three-year-olds as they reappear at age four. I took 7.0 and 8.8 respectively
4.10 Naas (Park Express Stakes) Which yards are firing early is the big question, and all eyes will be on Somehow as Aidan O’Brien tests the muddy water at home after drawing a blank in Dubai yesterday.
Jim Bolger (Legitimus) and Dermot Weld (Queen Anne’s Lace offered 7.4) are boosted here by the huge concession to three-year-olds.
As a result, fillies have beaten the mares three years out of four and seven times since 2005 in this Group 3. I’ll try the Weld.
4.40 Naas (Irish Lincolnshire) The winners of the last two years, Sruthan (withdrawn) and Onenightidreamed, were set to face the dual runner-up Aussie Valentine, a stone and 17lb worse off respectively, and I tipped him in my preview during the week. He was 6.2 this morning on BETDAQ.
Third to Marshall Jennings on this course last April, he has prepped for this at Dundalk. Incidentally, Marshall Jennings was withdrawn because of soft ground once last year.
You could again do worse than Weld (Sikandarabad at 5.6) and Bolger (Stenographer) since both those horses won at the first time of asking in the last campaign.
Weld has won the race twice recently and I’ll stick to my plan to follow last year’s three-year-olds unless we see results going against them.
I’M PLAYING THE ENDA GAME AT 14.5
3.50 Downpatrick (Ulster National) Federici, successful for Enda Bolger last year, tries to do the double but saddled today by Donald , McCain, raiding from Cheshire.
Topper Thornton, fourth in 2016, now meets Federici 18lb better, including the rider’s claim. Folsom Blue (fourth Irish Grand National, second Leinster National) tops the weights.
But six of the last seven winners have raced off 11st 1lb or lower, which is where we find Gordon Elliott’s Definite Ruby, winner of two mares events in her last three starts but hiked hugely in trip here.
I’m siding with Enda Bolger again. Love Rory has bags of stamina and has mixed hurdles with banks racing, the sort who – now in cheekpieces first time – could be sparked by those and the unique Downpatrick track. I took 14.5
THE NAP: Kayf Adventure (3.15 Wincanton) is miles clear on the ratings and his stable is back to form.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 30 points, except the banker)
BET 5pts win MIZAAH and 4pts win SHARLIYNA (3.10 Naas)
BANKER: BET 20pts win (nap) KAYF ADVENTURE (3.15 Wincanton)
BET 2.2pts win and place LOVE RORY (3.50 Downpatrick)
BET 4.5pts win QUEEN ANNE’S LACE and 3pts win (stakes saver) SOMEHOW (4.10 Naas)
BET 6.5pts win SIKANDARABAD and 6pts win AUSSIE VALENTINE (4.40 Naas)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 4 x 1pt win doubles Love Rory and Definite Ruby (3.50 Downpatrick) with Sikandarabad and Aussie Valentine (4.40 Naas)
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