THREE WINNERS INCLUDE THE NAP: Three winners for Daqman across the cards at Hamilton and Leicester yesterday – Millys Gift (WON 9-4), Charming Thought (WON 10-11) and Stetchworth (nap, WON 8-15) – produced 51 points profit on the day.
GEARING UP FOR FINAL FLING: The big countdown to the end of the Flat begins this week with the Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket, followed by Ascot champions’ day, the Cesarewitch and the Arc. Tomorrow Daqman outlines his betting strategy.
THE TOP STABLES TO FOLLOW: Today, with 42 days left of Flat (turf) racing in 2014, Daqman checks out the trainers to follow for the best of the racing still to come, from the Pattern down as far as, and including, class-3 races.
GOSDEN v JOHNSTON IN FLAT FINALE
There’s more to come from the champion elect. I checked results of every remaining major race in the Pattern – Group and Listed – right down to class-3 handicaps, and John Gosden came out top with 16 winners in the run-in to the last two seasons.
He was narrowly in front of Mark Johnston for the cream of the races between the Ayr Gold Cup meeting and the final curtain on the Flat (turf) at Doncaster with its November Handicap.
Johnston (15) edged out Andrew Balding and Richard Fahey (13 each) with Richard Hannon (12) and Roger Varian (10) next.
Interesting for their late-season flurry of winners are Charlie Appleby, Ralph Beckett, David O’Meara, Tim Easterby, David Simcock, Jeremy Noseda and Saeed Bin Suroor.
Ed Dunlop and David Elsworth also came good but only in specialist areas, which I shall look at more closely, as I analyse the cards for those final 42 days, free on BETDAQ, the biggest betting edge of all.
BARRY IS BACK ON THE DERBY TRAIL
The most exciting I’ve ever trained. That was John Gosden’s farewell to Kingman at the news that his brilliant miler is being retired to stud to stand alongside Frankel.
The last few years – the century so far – of Galileo, Sea The Stars, Frankel, Kingman, Danedream, Treve and Zarkava have, for me, been almost a match for the legendary 1970s of Alleged, Allez France, Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard, Nijinsky and Troy.
Trainers Criquette Head-Maarek (1979 Three Troikas and 2013 Treve) and Sir Michael Stoute (1981 Shergar and three more Derby winners this century) are the two I most admire who have been able to bridge that gap of 30-40 years.
But my wallet will swell most sentimental if we can see a late-season winner of substance for Barry Hills, who also straddles the Classic generations of mighty horses from Rheingold (1973 Arc) to Haafhd (2004 Guineas).
Since he came out of retirement, he’s had his highest strike-rate since 1991, and has so brought along the juveniles in his care that he has made three Group entries at this week’s Cambridgeshire meeting, Markaz, Fadhayyil and Nafaqa (Royal Lodge Stakes).
The Sir Percy colt Nafaqa, also entered in the Dewhurst, is among those already being quoted for the 2015 Epsom Derby after Saturday’s results.
Still looking green, the Chesham debut fourth beat the Acomb runner-up, Toocoolforschool, at the St Leger meeting, form which now looks out of the top drawer after ‘School’ ran away with Saturday’s Mill Reef Stakes and may now be supplemented for the Middle Park.
Another Hills’ two-year-old to catch the eye at Doncaster was the $600,000-dollar yearling Mohatem (runs Thursday). He looked an absolute picture, running through toward the end of his maiden.
WATCH THE MARKET FOR ‘SAM’
BEVERLEY Green Door (3.45) threw his race away last time at Leicester, cocking his jaw, wall eyed, when he hit the front. I made a note to lay him, now that they have used all the headgear they can muster to sort his brain.
He won in blinkers first time, but that was more than a year ago now, and hood and cheekpieces have been used recently to try to iron him out.
Old-timers Kingsgate Native and Tangerine Trees, who won this race in 2010 and last scored in the Spring of 2013, take on another name from the past, Noble Storm, though he scored at Thirsk in May.
My idea of the winner is Iptisam, from a stable which is always bang on with the money (its last two favourites have both won).
Iptisam was thought good enough to try the Palace House Stakes in the Spring but something went wrong in that race and he hasn’t been seen since.
I would normally wait for a run before backing a horse after a lay-off but this Beverley 5f is so ideal for him it looks like The Plan. Iptisam, who won twice over 7f on turning tracks as a three-year-old, ran a cracker in a 5f Listed at Lingfield (drawn out wide in 10) in the race before the Palace House.
Iptisam, one the other day called Banovallum (Mick Easterby), and Mohatem (see above) are three horses among a score with potential for winning autumn campaigns that I have lined up in the final 42 days.
At 8.4 on BETDAQ in a six-horse race, Iptisam must be backed today, though I’m a bit worried that the ground is on the firm side for him.
I think I’ll get my money back by laying Green Door. If Andrea Atzeni is to win with that one, he’ll have to get him up right on the line. As I’ve said, watch the market for Iptisam, with James Tate getting his favourites home one after another.
Atzeni is on a live one in the opener. The market has already spoken for Natural Nine (2.10), very much the Early Mouse bet for Roger Varian, whose juveniles do well on this course.
NOTTINGHAM Another for the money later on could be Arracourt (9.4 on BETDAQ this morning), with Tim Easterby booking Richard Hughes for Henry Ponsonby’s gelding. Henry can still make them quake along the Rails.
Gelded more recently, and on his first run since, is Referendum, with Sir Michael Stoute engaging top claimer, Cam Hardie. It’s such a punter-friendly BETDAQ book, I can afford to back two in the race.
Another Hardie ride, Daisy Boy (4.05) – BETDAQ offers of 4.4 as I write – has only to keep his consistency to stand a big chance, getting bags of weight all round.
NEWCASTLE Winners in this grade or better drop back to their comfort zone (in the 3.15 late start) after class-2 attempts at Ascot and Haydock.
They are Intense Tango and Hesketh Bank (6.2 as I write), who failed to act on firm ground at Ascot but beat previous winners in the Edinburgh Cup at Musselburgh. Today’s showers are a blessing.
BETDAQ early mouse says that Moscato (4.50) can continue the sequence for Sir Mark Prescott from another skilful placing at the weights.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 3.8pts win on each HESKETH BANK (to win 20 points) and (stakes saver) INTENSE TANGO (3.15 Newcastle)
DOUBLE WHAMMY: LAY 5pts GREEN DOOR, and BET 2.7pts win IPTISAM (3.45 Beverley)
BET 5.8pts win (to win 20) DAISY BOY (4.05 Nottingham)
SPECIAL BET: 10pts win on each and 2pts Daq Multiples treble: NATURAL NINE (nap, 2.10 Beverley), MOSCATO (4.50 Newcastle), ALL ABOUT TIME (5.20 Newcastle)
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