‘HIDDEN HORSES’ LINED UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS: When the weather’s bad, the sun won’t rise and the horses are hanging their heads, look to the busy times ahead. The hot weekend racing, the Christmas festivals and on to the Spring cavalcade of Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown. The final part of Daqman’s horses to follow survey is a fun list for Christmas with hidden potential that could turn your Christmas crackers in to Fortune Cookies.
LINGFIELD FLIES SOLO: After the surprise abandonment of Wolverhampton DAQMAN switches to Lingfield for two bets on the Tuesday card.
LEGS ELEVEN CHRISTMAS CRACKERS
Do you know these horses? You will certainly know some of them before the year’s over. The Christmas Crackers X1 contains quiet plots and horses of huge potential.. Boum boom!
Al Boum Photo (Willie Mullins) By Big Buck’s brother out of a mare by Dom Alco, the sire of Neptune Collonges. No wonder he won his first chase seven lengths, looking like he’d stay for ever. Two Leopardstown entries in the week after Christmas.
Aristo De Plessis (James Ewart) Would be going for his hat-trick if lining up at Doncaster on Friday.
Bullionaire (Harry Fry) It’s now known that this one beat a race of winners in a Spring bumper. The next six home have all scored before or after that Newbury event.
Cracking Smart (Gordon Elliott) Reckoned a big-time chaser of the future. Meanwhile the Great Pretender gelding could go the Albert Bartlett trial route (Bristol Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday) to the festival. Wearing his heart like a crown.
More Of That (Jonjo O’Neill) In the Silver Cup at Ascot on Saturday week but J P McManus and Jonjo O’Neill could change direction with the Gold Cup sixth and try him in a cross-country at Cheltenham this Friday. Very skilful jumper but weaknesses surface under pressure. This type of gallop on a tricky jumping course could be the answer.
Jers Girl (Gavin Cromwell) With Nichols Canyon and Apple’s Jade too good for her over shorter, she did good when stepped up to 3m when raiding Kempton recently. Keep the up-and-coming Cromwell stable on your side, as this one heads for the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 28.
Le Breuil (Ben Pauling) Another stable to keep on your side. Le Breuil is ‘an electric jumper, and up there with my best.. possibly an Aintree Festival horse.’
Forest Bihan (Brian Ellison) If you delete Cheltenham and Aintree from his CV, this one has a steeplechase record which would have any punter reaching for his wallet: 12111, still standing. Prefers top of the ground.
Lady Karina (Venetia Williams) I like a Kayf Tara in my bag, and this one just gallops and stays. Entered at Bangor on Friday. Venetia has Cheltenham Festival plans.
Ravenhill Road (Brian Ellison) Unbeaten in a Point, two bumpers and a hurdle, could be seen out at Doncaster on Saturday in the novices’ championship hurdle series.
Shoal Bay (Colin Tizzard) Impressive hurdling in breaking his maiden at Taunton, six lengths ahead of Contented who then scored seven lengths, eased down, at Sedgefield. Shoal Bay could try Cheltenham on Friday, with an eye to festival plans.
TWO GG’s WORTH FOLLOWING AT LINGFIELD
No surprise to see Ayr called off this morning given overnight temperatures fell to -7.
However more of a surprise to see Wolverhampton’s card called off after a hastily arranged 10am inspection.
The Tapeta racing surface was OK but clerk of the course course Fergus Cameron reported other areas around the track are unsafe because of ice.
Hexham and Leicester have both been called off tomorrow but there is some hope for Newcastle’s jumps card on Thursday with temperatures set to rise in the north-east. An inspection will be held at 8am on Thursday morning.
In other news The Peterborough Chase has been rescheduled to take place at Taunton on Thursday. The race was originally due to be run at Huntingdon on Sunday which was called off.
2.10 Lingfield This class 2 handicap over the minimum trip is head and shoulders the best race of the day on the Lingfield card.
The Stuart Williams trained Shamshon looks on a competitive mark but isn’t the fastest away and will need plenty of luck from the number one draw.
Alsvinder made all to win a class three handicap at Wolverhampton last time out and remains in good heart but will will surely find this tougher under a five pound penalty?
Preference is for the David Evans trained Gracious John who handles Lingfield well as he proved when winning this race last year off a 6lb higher handicap mark.
2.45 Lingfield Little Boy Blue has only been beaten a head and a neck in his two starts but they came in modest contests.
Preference is for the Richard Hannon trained Ghepardo who is a little more battle hardened. She has only won one of her starts, when making all at Brighton but is fairly consistent and this looks a very modest contest.
DAQMAN’S BETS
BET 7.0pts win GRACIOUS JOHN (2.10 Lingfield)
BET 10.8pts win (nap) GHEPARDO (2.45 Lingfield)
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