NAPS HAT-TRICK FOR 100 POINTS UP: Daqman completed a naps hat-trick yesterday with a 30-point gold banker on all-the-way winner Paint The Clouds (WON 1-3) at Doncaster plus a 5-1 return at Punchestown to take his profit to 102 points from seven winners for the week so far:
WON 8-1 Coolking (Monday nap)
WON 8-1 Plaisir d’Amour (Tuesday)
WON 5-1 Mossback (Wednesday)
WON 7-2 Tommy Silver (Tuesday nap)
WON 5-4 Charming Zen (Wednesday)
WON 4-11 Jerrysback (Tuesday)
WON 1-3 Paint The Clouds (Wednesday gold banker nap)
FOUR WINNING BANKERS IN A ROW: Paint The Clouds gave him his fourth consecutive winning banker in eight days (12 from the 17 this year):
WON 8-13 Bandon Roc
WON 2-1 Watersmeet
WON 4-9 Cue Card
WON 1-3 Paint The Clouds (gold)
JONJO’S STAYER HAS MORE TO COME
Cheltenham Cavalry The final day of Daqman’s horses-to-follow list brings his total to 21, his key-of-the-door to Cheltenham and beyond.
HORSES TO FOLLOW: Already given the big tick: Altior, Ballyandy, Blaklion, Brain Power, Cue Card (for one race), Defi Du Seuil, Douvan, Empire Of Dirt, Finian’s Oscar, Fox Norton, Frodon, Good Thyne Tara, Le Mercurey, Movewiththetimes, Native River, Wholestone, William H Bonney, Yorkhill.
RESULTS SO FAR: Blaklion (2nd 7-2), Cue Card (WON 4-9 and deleted).
ANTE-POST on BETDAQ (to win 100 each): Ballyandy (Supreme Novice Hurdle at 12.0), Brain Power (Champion Hurdle at 8.8).
MORE OF THAT
You are not alone if you’ve wondered from time to time what on earth Jonjo O’Neill was talking about when he declared: More Of That is ‘the best I’ve trained.’
The horse that beat Annie Power in the 2015 World Hurdle took two novice chases at the end of that year and a similar rise to the top over the bigger obstacles looked a formality.
It all seemed to fall apart when More Of That was beaten favourite in the 2016 RSA behind Blaklion and he’s been placed without winning since, with ominous PU and UR stickers on his CV.
But I warned in this column that he might be a different proposition in the Irish Gold Cup. In the event that was the PU. But, going well behind the leaders two out, he had every chance when he made a bad mistake and unseated rider at the last. He might so easily have won gold.
We now know that More Of That had to have a wind op, and it didn’t work. So the operation was redone and it seems to be good this time, as the excellent effort at Leopardstown and the ‘educated’ punts for the Grand National reveal.
NEON WOLF
Vinnie Roe hasn’t done much good work at stud and this is not his first mating with a Supreme Leader mare, but it could be the best.
Unbeaten at different distances on differing ground in a short career, Neon Wolf beat five winners impressively in a Supreme trial at Haydock in January.
Though always regarded as a 3m chaser for the future, he finds himself propping up Finian’s Oscar at the front of the Neptune market, with the step up to 2m 5f ideal if he can get a bit of cut in the ground.
ROMAIN DE SENAM
We haven’t seen and sifted the weights for Cheltenham yet (that’s my next job) but odds for this one will quickly be snapped up for the Novices’ Handicap Chase.
Beaten in a photo for the Fred Winter last March, staying on fiercely, and – as one who can take fences in his stride – will relish a fast-run race over around 2m 4f.
VROUM VROUM MAG
This column grabbed 6.0 for the 2016 Mares Hurdle (WON 4-6), guessing correctly at the choice of three or four Cheltenham entries, so she owes us nothing.
She has been odds on at SP in all 13 starts for Willie Mullins, winning all bar one, and has four entries again.
I shall not read too much into her Hatton’s Grace defeat by Apple’s Jade – it was her first run back – nor into Apple’s Jade’s defeat by Limini in the Quevega Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday (heavy ground).
EVEN DORIS CAN’T STOP BOTTI
The first favourite of the day goes in. Huntingdon called off due to high winds courtesy of Storm Doris doing her best to batter the country.
There’s still afternoon action from Chelmsford, Sedgefield and Thurles with an evening card at Wolverhampton and a good card at Meydan with two Group 3 races.
3.00 Thurles (Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle Grade 3) This will prove a stamina test over the two and half mile trip on testing ground.
The key form line is from Fairyhouse in January when Tin Soldier defied a lengthy absence to beat Champagne Classic over a longer trip.
I fancy Champagne Classic to reverse that form though over the shorter trip. He has won well subsequently at Thurles and will be race fitter than Tin Soldier who might still ‘bounce’ after that good run off a 600 day break.
4.05 Chelmsford There are some frustrating sorts in the maiden at Chelmsford at 4.05pm where winning looks beyond them and the lighter raced Basheer looks a solid bet for trainer Marco Botti.
He improved significantly from his Wolverhampton debut to finish fourth at Kempton last time out in what looked an above average event won by Dark Destroyer.
The really key point though is the drop back in distance to six furlongs which looks certain to suit as he was struggling in the closing stages last time and the six should prove optimum.
Josephine Gordon continues to impress this season and she is onboard chief rival Alfonso Manana – this one was turned over at 2/9 in a maiden thought and should carry a government wealth warning.
Red Alert stayed on well in the closing stages of a five furlong contest here last time out and showed ability over this trip on the turf at Windsor but overall form is modest.
5.05 Sedgefield A competitive handicap chase closes the card and preference is for Banny’s Lad who, aged seven is very much the young boy of this party.
He’s dropping down the weights to such a level that he looks interesting in this much weaker contest than he has been contesting of late and the stable are 4/19 in the last two weeks.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 5pts win CHAMPAGNE CLASSIC (3.00 Thurles)
BET 7pts win (nap) BASHEER (4.05 Chelmsford)
BET 4pts win BANNY’S LAD (5.05 Sedgefield)
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