DAQMAN FIRES IN PROFIT ON THE DAY: Fingers burnt with big-odds places (including 20-1 and 25-1) and best-bet near misses in the last few days, Daqman called in Fire Brigade (WON 5-2) and made a profit on the first day of a week which culminates in the Breeders Cup on Saturday. Look out for his previews, starting with the weekend Jumps features in England.
UP THE JUNCTION IN THE GOLD CUP
Look out for the Northern lights. While everything this week seems geared up to Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup in America, Wetherby and Ascot launch big names of the English Jumps season.
There could be more big prices, too. In the opener at Wetherby, Blue Kascade will attempt a hat-trick in the Northern Lights Staying Chase series.
Two years ago, he came to the race without a run and last season had had four races totalling 90 lengths in defeat! So don’t worry too much about his current form ‘figures’ of PP-P.
The West Yorkshire Hurdle (2.40 Wetherby) has been won in the last eight years by Fair Along, Arkle hero Tidal Bay and subsequent World Hurdle winner Cole Harden
The featured Charlie Hall Chase (3.15) sees the return of 2015 winner Cue Card against old rival Coneygree, who had earlier that year won the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Rowland Meyrick winner on Saturday’s course, Definitly Red makes the race more than a duel.
At Ascot, Nicky Henderson’s choice (but not the commentator’s!) is Claimantakinforgan. Nicky has won the race – 12.40 novices’ hurdle – four times in eight years so pronunciation practice seems essential.
Similarly, check out the Byrne Group Chase (2.25) and see what Venetia Williams’ runs from Calipto and Zamdy Man.
She’s farmed this race at 20-1, 16-1 and 12-1, three ‘surprise’ winners in the last nine years (but the question is ‘surprise to whom?’).
If last year’s Autumn Gold Cup winner, Antony (3.35), turns out in the race again, he may have to give 10lb to the runner-up, Junction Fourteen, who had a really good ‘blow,’ trying to make all at Chepstow recently.
FIRE BRIGADE’S LINCOLN TARGET
12.55 Bangor Philip Hobbs is quietly excited about J P McManus’s 295,000-euro buy, Dostal Phil (12.55), who ‘jumps sweetly’ and is expected first time over hurdles here.
1.25 Bangor McManus and retained jockey Barry Geraghty seem certain of success on the card via novice-chase debutant Modus (1.25), who is a stone better than nearest rival Gibralfaro over hurdles.
1.15 Chepstow The same stable’s Ballygown Bay has come on the proverbial ton, according to gallops reports since his encouraging hurdles debut a month ago, and will be suited by the step up in trip: I took 5.0 on BETDAQ.
1.35 Catterick Fire Brigade for the Lincoln! That was the shout from jockey Jamie Spencer after the three-year-old quickened well at Leicester yesterday. Like Jamie, he is suited to big-field handicaps.
The lads at Bell’s can start saving for the Spring target with a few bob on stablemate Nurse Nightingale, who gets from 12lb to 26lb from this field, with the yard boasting a 44% all-round record at Catterick (9.8 BETDAQ offers).
3.25 Chepstow This was Thistlecrack’s first chase a year ago, after setting up a hurdles five-timer, which included the World Hurdle.
Now stablemate Morello Royale has her second try at fences, nowhere near as good over the smaller obstacles but she did contest the Coral Cup and the equivalent handicap at Aintree, and the King’s Theatre mare gets all the allowances today (7.8 best in the BETDAQ orange).
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20)
SUPERNAP: BET 20pts win DOSTAL PHIL (12.55 Bangor)
BET 5pts win BALLYGOWN BAY (1.15 Chepstow)
BET 2.25pts win and place NURSE NIGHTINGALE (1.35 Catterick)
BET 3pts win MORELLO ROYALE (3.25 Chepstow)
BET 1pt win and place LETS TANGO (3.55 Chepstow)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 1pt win treble DOSTAL PHIL (12.55 Bangor), MODUS (1.25 Bangor) and NURSE NIGHTINGALE (1.35 Catterick)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
