NEXT WEEK’S SUPERSTARS ARE TRAINERS: Daqman’s going all in on Saturday when his horse of the year, Enable, bids to be a superstar in the King George. He needs the money for two other big bankers, his trainers to follow at Goodwood and Galway next week. If you know racing, you’ll know these guys. Here’s Daqman with the facts and figures.
SECOND NAP OF THE WEEK: DAQMAN’S three tips finished 122 on Wednesday – the winner was the nap Star Of Zaam WON 11/10 at Catterick and there was a stakes saver place return on Sarstedt who traded very low in running before finishing second at 4/1.
JUST TWO BETS ARE ALL YOU NEED
Mark your card for Goodwood, guv? Or would you rather go a Weld away across the Irish Sea for winners at Galway? It’s all happening next week. And two trainers dominate.
It’s 315 miles stable door to Goodwood winner’s enclosure for Scottish vet, Mark Johnston. Never has there been such a traveler into Sassenach country logging the last miles home with a smile and a lorry load of trophies from glorious meetings going back to the late Nineties.
He’s been TEN times leading Goodwood trainer since then: in 1998, 2000, 2002-3, 2005-6, 2009, 2012, 2014 and 2016.
Galloping tracks suit his horses, and Goodwood is ideal for the free-running style, without restraint, that signals super fitness in the animal alongside the Scot’s skill at finding the right outlet for their exuberance.
It’s also a case of the race picking the horse, in that he can choose the right runner when conditions and a vital stall position are revealed. And that’s right from the word go.
He is four out of eight in Tuesday’s opening race, a 1m 2f handicap, which he took last year with Fire Fighting, and notably landed first, third and fourth horse home when Sennockian Star was successful in 2014.
Galway will be a day old by then, and doubtless Dermot Weld will already be on the scorecard at the famous Ballybrit circus of Flat and jumps, a massive Irish picnic that rivals such as Flemington for the Melbourne Cup.
Last year’s 145,000 attendance is sure to be boosted in the seven-day festival this coming week, as – even with packed crowds – it will be a welcome racegoing relief from the sardine sandwich of a restricted Curragh.
Prizemoney will be a few euros short of two million, and there are no bigger pockets than those of trainer Dermot Weld, who rode a winner at the festival (himself then training to be a vet) the day before his 16th birthday in 1964.
Some 50-odd years on, Weld has won the Galway Festival trainers’ title TWENTY-NINE times with 245 winners.
This year he claims: ‘Things will be quieter this time around.’ Certainly one bird has flown. Weld has no acceptor in a Monday maiden he has won 29 times.
Weld doesn’t expect to have enough runners to win back the title he lost to Willie Mullins last year, with Weld’s horses slower to come to hand and Mullins currently on amazing form figures.
MULLINS: 11231300323131144P2313210121
WELD: 1030234000200
But, with this news on the grapevine, Weld’s horses could well be overpriced. In his Ballybrit series, he must have had years like this before. And won through.
FLAGGED DOWN BUNTING WINNER
3.05 Sandown (Listed) A really interesting Listed race for the fillies this afternoon which, unlike some of the races last night at the course, has received good patronage.
Mark Johnston sends down Cape Bunting who bids for a hat-trick after smooth wins at Newmarket and Musselburgh. The trainer won this race two seasons ago with Fireglow.
Cape Bunting was particularly impressive at Musselburgh when running out a five length winner and fully deserves to take this step up in class.
So Hi Society has probably achieved the most so far. She was a good third in a Listed race at Newmarket before finishing 6th of eight in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at the same venue. However, both of those races came over six furlongs and I am far from certain the seven will suit her any better.
In contrast, Billesdon Brook was a revelation when stepped up to seven furlongs at Kempton last time out recording her first win by no less than six lengths. She certainly looks the pick of Richard Hannon’s trio in the race and can give Cape Bunting most to think about.
5.15 Sandown Bengal Lancer looks interesting off bottom weight in this seven furlong handicap.
The grey is the most unexposed runner in the field and didn’t run too badly on handicap debut when fourth to Stanhope over six furlongs at Newmarket. He was doing his best work late on so the extra furlong today should help as will the 3lb drop in the weights. He seems to handle cut in the ground too and trading at around 7.2 on BETDAQ is a big tempter.
The market leader Alemaratalyoum will appreciate the give in the ground but just looks a little high in the weights.
7.35 Newbury Just six runners for this handicap over the straight mile but at the top of the market Cheerfilly has a penalty to defy if completing her hat-trick and has no experience with give in the ground.
The handicapper has kept Godolphin’s Finishing Touch on a mark of 81 after her handicap debut at Newmarket when third. She looks quite high after her York debut where she beat the maiden Spinnaka (a horse that has finished second in six of her seven starts).
There might be value in looking elsewhere and Medicean Ballet looks of interest. She was a good winner at Newmarket on good to soft ground last season and shaped well enough on her seasonal reappearance at Sandown when fourth to Time Chaser last month.
Although her trainer Henry Candy is without a winner in the last fortnight – his horses are generally going well – notable Sarstedt at Lingfield yesterday who I thought was home for all money before being collared by a Richard Hannon trained longshot.
DAQMAN’S BETS:
BET 7pts win (nap) CAPE BUNTING (3.05 Sandown)
BET 4pts win, 3pts place BENGAL LANCER (5.15 Sandown)
BET 4pts win, 3pts place MEDICEAN BALLET (7.35 Newbury)
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