SINGING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK: Daqman wrote the score to a musical double at Kempton last night, with two bets up out of two, Singing The Blues (WON 2-1) and Viola Park (WON 11-4), for a 20-point profit on the day.
PLAYING CHELTENHAM ANTE-POST: Today he stakes some of his winnings on an ante-post bet for Cheltenham, as he completes his ratings survive of the non-handicaps at the festival. Next week: See How They Won festival stats and facts.
FRODON IS THE ABLE DEPUTY
Frodon set for take-off. With star stablemate Cyrname sticking to right-handed tracks, he’s Paul Nicholls top turn in the Ryanair in two week’s time. I took 9.6 on BETDAQ, when many bookmakers were as low as 6-1.
Two of the three that challenge him on the ratings are all trained by Willie Mullins, all engaged elsewhere at the festival.
Frodon’s official equal on 169 is Waiting Patiently, who needs soft ground, and may not yet be ready for such a race, according to Patiently’s patient handler, Ruth Jefferson.
Paisley Park (Stayers Hurdle, Thursday) and Honeysuckle (Dawn Run Novices Hurdle, also Thursday) could become bankers, with defections among their nearest rivals.
2.50 Cheltenham, Thursday (Ryanair Chase)
Frodon (169): 6-1 some bookmakers, 9.6 BETDAQ
Waiting Patiently (169) 18.0 BETDAQ
Min (167) 9.0 BETDAQ
Footpad (165) 8.2 BETDAQ
3.30 Cheltenham, Thursday (Stayers’ Hurdle)
Paisley Park (168) 3.2 BETDAQ
Penhill (165) injured
4.50 Cheltenham, Thursday (Dawn Run Novices’ Hurdle)
Honeysuckle (135) 7-2 with Corals
1.30 Cheltenham, Friday (Triumph Hurdle)
Sir Erec (148) favourite all round
Quel Destin (146) Corals, Ladbrokes best at 8-1
Adjali (145) 18.0 already taken on BETDAQ
3.30 Cheltenham, Friday (Gold Cup)
Clan Des Obeaux (173) 4-1 with most
Native River (173) BETDAQ 7.0 touched 9.0
Presenting Percy (169) fluctuating on BETDAQ: 7.0<>5.4.
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL ANTE-POST UPDATE
WIN 100 MISTER MALARKEY (8.25pts x 13.0 BETDAQ, NH Chase, Tuesday)
WIN 100 GETAWAY TRUMP (8.25 x 12.0 Ladbrokes, Coral Cup, Wednesday)
WIN 100 MISTER MALARKEY (4.75 x 22.0 BETDAQ, RSA Chase, Wednesday)
WIN 100 FRODON (11.5 x 8.6 BETDAQ, Ryanair Chase, Thursday)
WIN 100 ADJALI (5.8 x 18.0 BETDAQ, Triumph Hurdle, Friday)
WIN 259 HOLD THE NOTE (1 x 260.0 BETDAQ, Albert Bartlett, Friday)
KILCREA VALE LOVES LUDLOW
3.35 Ludlow (Forbra Gold Cup) Paul Nicholls has always said that Tommy Silver needs good ground and a strongly run 2m. How then can he be favourite here over 3m with rain forecast?
Uhlan Bute has never been this high in the handicap and is 11 now. Calipso Colonges four straight wins at this time last year were all on soft-heavy. Rain is forecast today but not until around 3pm.
The last time Kilcrea Vale was dropped to this level was at Ludlow 14 starts back in December, 2016, when he won by 19 lengths.
This Grand National outsider has first-time cheekpieces today: BETDAQ 5.6.
Dream Bolt has dropped down the handicap by nearly a stone in the last 14 months and is reunited with Sean Bowen, whose record on him is 113243, still standing.
Sean usually rides More Buck’s (form together 2143110, still standing) but James Bowen took over on the last day (2m 4f) and won 15 lengths, so just had to continue the partnership here.
More Buck’s has put back-to-back wins together twice before and was too big this morning at 12.5 offers.
3.45 Taunton The last two winners of this were bottom weight, off 10st 5lb and 10st 6lb. Step forward The Dellercheckout, first-time blinkered under Bryony Frost, and carrying 10st 4lb at around 6.0.
4.10 Ludlow She Might Bite is by the same sire as Might Bite, trained by the same outfit. There the connections end, with a little matter of 50lb separating their respective abilities, but She is worth another bet on James Bowen. I took a Bite of BETDAQ 4.3.
HANDICAPPER IS SEEING RED!
4.20 Taunton If Spring has sprung, Nicky Henderson’s Colonial Dreams will tell us. His three wins have all come in March and April.
Highly tried since he returned in December, his January Ascot second looking quite special (Grade 3), albeit he was receiving a lump of weight that day.
Thistle Do Nicely is worthy of his Cheltenham entries on the book but both of his recent defeats were behind quality horses trained by Henderson.
Red Mix, a 6.4 offer, jumped to the right on the last day, only his second run in England, so clockwise Taunton should suit, and his receipt of 9lb from the top weights is more than it seems. He goes up another 3lb in future races.
4.40 Newcastle John Gosden is striking at 50%. Not many can better that, but his jockey today, Nicky Mackay, can. He’s 100% in the last fortnight, and 43% on AW with three-year-olds.
Gosden took Forest of Dean up to Newcastle in November and was beaten a neck. Now, with Mackay called in, the Iffraj colt steps up in trip.
Not what you’d expect, but the principal opponent, Almost Midnight, beat one at Kempton that had been annihilated by a Gosden horse in December.
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.35 Ludlow (win 20)
BET 4.25pts win KILCREA VALE
BET 2pts win MORE BUCK’S
3.45 Taunton (win 20)
BET 4pts win THE DELLERCHECKOUT
4.10 Ludlow (win 20)
BET 6.25pts win SHE MIGHT BITE
4.20 Taunton (win 20)
BET 3.75pts win RED MIX
4.40 Newcastle (supernap)
BET 20pts win FOREST OF DEAN
DAQ MULTIPLES
2 x 3pt win doubles
RED MIX, COLONIAL DREAMS (4.20 Taunton)
FOREST OF DEAN (4.40 Newcastle)
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