IT’S ALL GOING TO PLAN AGAIN: Daqman’s on his winner-a-day roll again; can he keep it going, and can he finish ahead on the staking plan, as he did yesterday?
WON 6-5 KOTMASK (Monday)
WON 15-2 ASK ME EARLY (BETDAQ 10.5 Sunday)
WON (2nd 28-1) w/p L’EAU DU SUD (Saturday)
GRAND NATIONAL TRIAL PREVIEW: Daqman also checks out Saturday’s Haydock Grand National Trial. Rain is forecast for the next three days but cloudy with sunshine is on the cards for Friday and Saturday.
IS THE TRIAL A BRIDGE TOO FAR?
⭕ 3.15 Haydock, Saturday (Grand National Trial) With the Grand National weights due out on February 20, this is the last big trial for an owner to try out his contender.
In the back of his mind is the knowledge that weights for Aintree could still be affected but they can’t be raised after next Tuesday.
Winning this cost Vieux Lion Rouge, one of the most popular stayers in recent years. He had to carry another 3lb in the 2017 marathon at Aintree off 149 and pulled up.
The runner-up, Blaklion, another great campaigner, was kept on his rating of 152 and finished fourth in the National.
The 2021 winner of the Trial, Lord Du Mesnil, was settled on the same mark of 149 but also pulled up at Aintree.
Saturday could see the clash of Famous Bridge and Iron Bridge, both in the green and yellow colours of the late Trevor Hemmings. The two Bridges race off 139 and 140.
To give you some idea where they currently stand if they lined up at Aintree, Trevor’s first National winner, Hedgehunter (trained Willie Mullins), scored off 144 with 11st 1lb.
Ballabriggs (Don McCain Jnr) then won for him off 150 under 11st, while Many Clouds made it a treble in his colours off 163 (carried 11st 9lb). I think both Bridges need to win.
Penrith trainer Nicky Richards (Famous Bridge) has been fifth and ninth in the Grand National, with Feels Like Gold (1999) and Skippers Brig (2011), in his bid to emulate his father, Gordon, who saddled Lucius (1978) and Hallo Dandy (1984) to win from the Greystoke Stables.
Cheltenham-based Jonjo O’Neill (Iron Bridge) trained Don’t Push It to score at Aintree under Tony McCoy.
FORTUNE FAVOURS THE NAP
⭕ 3.35 Lingfield This looks best left to team Skelton with their hat-trick seeking Major Fortune.
The six-year-old has improved since joining the yard and also coped with the step-up in trip to win at Hereford last time out.
He should be able to cope with the resulting 6lb rise in what doesn’t look the strongest of contests.
Bampton Star will need to show a lot more on his first start in handicap company. Despite finishing fifth and third in his last two races he has been soundly beaten an aggregate of 64 lengths.
A bigger danger may come from Barncroft whose Uttoxeter second placed effort doesn’t read so bad and he is bred to see out this extra trip.
Of the opposition he makes more appeal than Hi Riko and Elfride who are both on recovery missions.
Hi Riko is back to the drawing board after being pulled up in his last two races (over both chases and hurdles) whilst the mare Elfride got no further than the first when falling last time out at Hereford.
LOOKING OVER FOR LAND
⭕ 4.40 Lingfield The cards appear to have fallen here for Just Over Land with three non runners including likely Betdaq Betting Exchange favourite and hat-trick seeking Goguenard who also also holds an entry for Fontwell tomorrow.
However Just Over Land might again be a risky favourite – he’s been a beaten favourite in his last two starts at Chepstow and gets no relief from the handicapper. I’m not really a fan of ‘third time lucky’.
A small play on the two outsiders might be the play – they are also the only two in the race that can boast previous winning form.
Tara Ito is a previous four time winner over hurdles (prolific in the context of this race) and whilst most of his winning form has come on better ground he has run well enough with give in the ground.
Uncle Arthur was beaten when falling at the last at Musselburgh last time out but his previous form stacks up well.
I’ll stake them both for a WIN 10 return.
BUZZ LOOKS BETTER
⭕ 7.00 Newcastle Better won well on handicap debut scoring with plenty in hand and improving for the drop back to six furlongs. He drops back again today – to the minimum five furlongs – but gets a massive 11lb hike in the weights.
I prefer Buzz Box who dead-heated here on stable debut and doesn’t look too harshly treated on a starting handicap mark of 70.
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.35 Lingfield (win 10, nap)
BET 10.8pts win MAJOR FORTUNE
4.40 Lingfield (both staked to win NET 10 point profit on race)
BET 2.0pts win TARA ITI
BET 1.6pts win UNCLE ARTHUR
7.00 Newcastle (win 10)
BET 3.3pts win BUZZ BOX
What are points? Points facilitate a staking plan, which is the secret to creating profit. One point is whatever you choose: a pound, a euro, or whatever ….
Start with a bank and decide how much you can afford to lose over a period of time, and determine the size of your bets accordingly. Daqman makes this variation every day.
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