17 OVEN-READY CHRISTMAS BETS THAT COULD BE FORTUNE COOKIES: All this week there’s a Heads Up from Daqman on stable plans and advance information for Cheltenham this weekend and Ascot next, the two big meetings before Christmas. Today he finds that 17 of his horses to follow are scheduled to run before the end of the year, as he forms his Fortune Cookies for 2020.
TUESDAY TRIO: Three bets for DAQMAN on Tuesday with two at Fontwell including his NAP and one later on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.
MILL MAKES FORTUNE COOKIES
No way is he run of the mill! Walk In The Mill now looks a very special Aintree horse, having followed up his Grand National fourth with a second Becher Chase success on Saturday.
I’m marking him down now for the Fortune Cookies to replace Tiger Roll and Rathvinden, who have run for us in the last two Nationals.
Elimay, Go Whatever and Walk In the Mill are all additions to the list of trialists for the Fortune Cookies of 2020. Target updates:
BATTLEOVERDOYEN (Gordon Elliott) Novice chases (Limerick December 26 or Leopardstown December 29)
BRELAN D’AS (Paul Nicholls) Winter Gold Cup (Cheltenham, Saturday)
CAPELAND (Paul Nicholls) Winter Gold Cup (Cheltenham, Saturday)
CYRNAME (Paul Nicholls) King George (Kempton, December 26)
DELTA WORK (Gordon Elliott) Savills Chase (Leopardstown, December 28)
EASYWORK (Gordon Elliott) Future Champions Novice Hurdle (Leopardstown December 27)
ELEGANT ESCAPE (Colin Tizzard) Coral Welsh National (Chepstow, December 27)
ELIMAY (Willie Mullins) I’d written off the favourite, Sinoria, before she fell and excellent-jumper Elimay strolled by on her chasing debut at Cork on Sunday.
ENVOI ALLEN (Gordon Elliott) Future Champions Novice Hurdle (Leopardstown December 27) or December Hurdle (Leopardstown, December 29).
EPATANTE (Nicky Henderson) Grade-3 handicap hurdle (Ascot, Saturday)
FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES (Joseph O’Brien) novice chase (Leopardstown or Limerick, December 26)
GO WHATEVER (Chris Gordon) I was very taken with the way he won his Pertemps qualifier at Sandown. Sure to improve aged only five, and loves a deep surface.
HONEYSUCKLE (Henry De Bromhead) Christmas Hurdle or December Hurdle (Leopardstown, December 28 and 29)
KLASSICAL DREAM (Willie Mullins) December Hurdle (Leopardstown, December 29)
LOSTINTRANSLATION (Colin Tizzard) King George (Kempton, December 26)
NOTEBOOK (Henry De Bromhead) Novice chase (Leopardstown, December 26)
SAM SPINNER (Jedd O’Keefe) Grade-2 novice chase (Doncaster, Saturday)
VINNDICATION (Kim Bailey) King George (Kempton, December 26 )
WALK IN THE MILL (Robert Walford) could go up 3lb for his Becher win and still hope to be in the Grand National off last year’s mark. Better than ever.
ZANZA (Philip Hobbs) Grade-3 handicap hurdle (Ascot, December 21)
*Also: As You Like (Jonjo O’Neill), Black Op (Tom George), Braid Blue (Gordon Elliott), Champ (Nicky Henderson), Fanion d’Estruval (Venetia Williams), Floressa (Nicky Henderson), Russian Bill (Noel Meade), Thyme Hill (Philip Hobbs).
EYES DOWN FOR TUESDAY’S NAP
2.30 Fontwell Eyes Right ran a race full of promise first time up this season when fourth to Silver Forever at Newbury.
Although the Alan King trained runner was beaten 18 lengths, it was more the noticeable promise she showed in the closing stages, sticking on in grand style.
She was a 50/1 shot that day on her jumping debut but had previously shown good form in bumpers – winning one at Southwell (on soft ground, same as today) and finishing second at Newbury. She was outclassed in his final start of last season in a Grade 2 bumper at Aintree.
This is a much easier task for her than Newbury and she should be able to see off the likes of Mystic Dreamer (Fontwell third in modest mares event) and Crystal Gazing (all form to date on good ground).
3.30 Fontwell Lochinver was a fair enough third at Huntingdon last time out but he might be even better suited by the soft.
Two starts ago he won a Stratford handicap hurdle in good style on soft ground under today’s pilot Paul O’Brien. He’s up in the weights but this doesn’t look as competitive as the numbers might first indicate.
Biggest danger might be Clondaw Robin who, although 2lb out of the weights, hinted at showing some improved form when fourth at Uttoxeter last time out.
4.15 Wolverhampton Love Explodes has had plenty of chances and looks worth taking on at the top of the market in this Ladbrokes sponsored novice event for fillies.
In any case she’s rated 11lb inferior to the John Gosden trained Millicent Fawcett who may have the greater scope on just her fourth start.
‘Millie’ has been expensive to follow as has been a beaten odds-on favourite twice but one of those runs was at Southwell which can be set aside for the different surface and on the other occasion she was beaten less than a length by Qamka who has run well subsequently in a Listed race at Deauville.
DAQMAN’S BETS (each staked to win 10 points)
BET 8.6pts win (nap) EYES RIGHT (2.30 Fontwell)
BET 3.1pts win LOCHINVER (3.30 Fontwell)
BET 5.0pts win MILLICENT FAWCETT (4.15 Wolverhampton)
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