‘SUGAR’ SWEET AS DAQMAN LANDS FIVE CONSECUTIVE NAPS: Yes, there was no hiccup. But it needed – as Daqman predicted – the will and strength of that man Tony McCoy to land our tipster’s fifth winning nap in a row with Sugar Hiccup (WON 6-4) at Southwell yesterday. The sequence is:
BANKER Saturday INTEGRAL (WON 13-8 dd ht)
BANKER Sunday NOVELLIST (WON 3-10)
NAP Monday PILATES (WON 5-2)
NAP Tuesday GOAL (WON 7-4)
NAP Yesterday SUGAR HICCUP (WON 6-4)
35.0 IN RUNNING BUT TREBLE IS LANDED: The McCoy drive had to be matched by Richard Hughes in forcing up Aspirant (WON 5-4) to complete a Daqman double and treble with Sugar Hiccup and Shilla (WON 1-6). In running, Sugar Hiccup was offered at 11.0 and Aspirant as big as 35.0, such did the odds seem against him at one stage.
110 POINTS PROFIT FROM SIX WINNING DAYS: Those three winners made it 19 winning bets for 110 points profit in a six-day streak for Daqman, who today naps at Salisbury and tries to win money every day for a week.
Frankel’s half-sister Joyeuse is a nervous banker. Short prices dictate the stakes on a moderate day’s racing. They’re calling the Salisbury race (3.45) in which she reappears a stepping-stone to the Cheveley Park but only one favourite has won this Listed in the last seven seasons.
And those that earned their ticket to Newmarket have fared patchily. Their Cheveley Park finishes in the decade are 0250-15-P2.
Joyeuse, third in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, could run away with this today, with the first two in the Albany having taken the Group-3 Prix Du Calvados and finished second in the Group-1 Moyglare Stud Stakes.
But what really counts is not what beats you but what you beat and, of the pair immediately behind Joyeuse, Heart Focus has twice been beaten since in Group 3s and Wedding Ring (who renews rivalry here) once at a similar level, as if today’s Listed is indeed Joyeuse’s true level.
The comforter for Joyeuse punters is that the next filly home in the Albany, Lucky Kristale, has since won two Group 2s, including the Lowther Stakes, with Alutiq fifth.
But it always worries me when a horse drops hugely down in class at this stage and, in 2010, Margot Did came from runner-up in the Albany rated 108 to be 11-10 favourite for this, and was only third, albeit in a bigger, stronger field than today’s.
The handicapper is nervous as I am. He’s issued no official rating for Joyeuse but she would be around 102 on that Albany Stakes third, more than a stone ahead of Dorothy B on 85, who’s a bit behind Lamar, and with Wedding Ring (97) playing catch-up, Alutiq (95) well behind, collaterally.
That leaves Lilbourne Lass (96), never yet out of the first three, but already beaten at Listed level by a filly who ran third to Lucky Kristale in the Lowther.
In fact, the first four races at Salisbury are for two-year-olds, so further search for a nap had to focus on the 4.20 and 4.50, with the last two races a maiden for older horses and a whips-not-to-be-used apprentice finale.
Three-year-olds have won five of the last six of the sprint dedicated rather oddly to Lochsong (4.20). Ok, she was bred nearby, but was beaten in her opening maiden over today’s CD, her only Salisbury start.
Five of today’s field have raced at Newmarket – four of them have appeared in class 2 events – with Floating Along the odd one out, coming to this from lower-level tracks and trying to raise her game by two grades from class 4.
Indignant looked Listed level at York (had tried a Group 3 without success) but is now badly in with Tantshi, who doesn’t say much for the form, winner only of a modest race at Leicester since her maiden.
Ghanaian is probably the one with further improvement in her, raced only three times this term and with a good run behind her last time, after a lay-off.
Viking Storm (4.50) won his best races in August and September last year and may be ready to bounce back. Suegioo is weighted to reverse recent form with Mysterious Man, for whom the hood must work a second time.
Asbaab can improve from his maiden after only three starts but Cavaleiro is another who needs to bounce back. And they all may be chasing No Heretic, who drops down from the pattern after trying to make all, fifth, in the Goodwood Cup.
At Haydock, Lady Cecil tries to make it a joyeuse day with a feature-race double via CD-winner Venue (3.35) in a race won by a three-year-old every year since its inception in 2010.
Fennell Bay is likely to play catch-me, and may be hard to collar back with all four of his opponents raised in class. Mankini races keenly and may be first to cry enough, leaving it to the hold-up horse, Venue, though those he’s beaten have been beaten favourite since. Too tricky and potential for a tactical race.
Intransigent (in the 3.50) has never won on turf, despite six placed efforts, Smarty Socks has never won this high in the handicap.
Of the two previous winners of the race, Firebeam (2011) needs some cut in the ground, and Set The Trend (2012) gives them all nearly a stone.
Those better men than I who have an opinion on this are rescued by BETDAQ, with a range of punter-friendly offers in the orange totting up to only 104% this morning, as I write.
Snow Sky (2.00 Haydock) is said to be the business but there are a lot of unknowns in there, and all bar the front two in the market are a better price for a place, with Asteroidea the one for a tickle at 60.0, by Sea The Stars out of a 1,000 Guineas winner.
Kempton doesn’t have the zip of last night’s BETDAQ meeting and the race of winners, class 4 (7.40), doesn’t have Zipp, who was my early fancy for the race.
Of the Kempton winners – Tajheez, Grendisar and Poetic Verse, – Grendisar is under a cloud after flopping last time and Poetic Verse is having her 14th race this year, so I’ll try Tajheez, despite his top weight, Paul Hanagan’s only mount of the night.
It’s one of those days where you’d probably have a concidence double, Poetic Verse and Poetic Dancer, and call it a day. But my job is to find a nap and I have to let Joyeuse run for me, heart in mouth, no stakes possible short of the maximum.
DAQMAN’S BETS
staked to win 20 points, except the banker
BET 0.3pts win and place ASTEROIDEA and 1pt win (stakes saver) SNOW SKY (2.00 Haydock)
BANKER: BET 20pts win (nap) JOYEUSE (3.45 Salisbury)
BET 8pts win GHANAIAN (4.20 Salisbury)
BET 12pts win NO HERETIC (4.50 Salisbury)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 4 x 1pt win trebles SNOW SKY (2.00 Haydock), SEBASTIAN BEACH (2.10 Salisbury), JOYEUSE (3.45 Salisbury) and TAJHEEZ (7.40 Kempton)
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