SO LONELY SUCCESS BUT SECOND NATIONAL FOR THE ORDER IN: Just like at Liverpool, Daqman had the winner of the Irish Grand National in his first five picks yesterday, Burrows Saint (WON 6-1), and he had an outright bet on So Lonely (WON 2-1) at Huntingdon. As ever, Daqman can’t wait to line up another attack on the layers this week.
DAQMAN HAS DOZENS OF WINNERS LINED UP IN HIS SIGHTS: He starts with a 24-strong Early Birds list of horses to follow. Three of them have targets during the week, two at Sandown on Friday including in the Sandown Mile, and one at Chelmsford on Thursday. The value challenge standings are Daqman 4, Pricewise 5.
THREE EARLY BIRDS RUN THIS WEEK
They’ve flopped and they’ve dropped. Big names are missing, injured, from the Guineas and several bubbles have burst. So it is that we have garnered nothing much so far for Fortune Cookies status this season.
We’re going to have to see the Guineas run and watch for our Enable or our Roaring Lion from the Derby and Oaks trials at Chester, Lingfield and York.
Meanwhile, Early Birds continue to try to grapple with Spring form. Entries and additions are as follows:
Addeybb (William Haggas) All set for Friday’s Sandown Mile
A Momentofmadness (Charles Hills) Missed the break in the Scottish Sprint Cup. Next time.
Auxerre (Charlie Appleby) Lincoln form was boosted by the third, Beringer, at the Craven Meeting.
Bell Rock (Andrew Balding) 2,000 Guineas
Dashing Willoughby (Andrew Balding) May have another run before Queen’s Vase target.
Dubai Warrior (John Gosden) Dante Stakes, York, May 16
Eirene (Dean Ivory) Chelmsford, Thursday.
Global Prospector (Clive Cox) Give him another chance after he boiled over when Bath race was delayed.
Hermosa (Aidan O’Brien) 1,000 Guineas
Iridessa (Joseph O’Brien) 1,000 Guineas
Joyful Mission (Sir Michael Stoute) A winner in waiting.
Just Wonderful (Aidan O’Brien), 1,000 Guineas
Kick On (John Gosden) Home run surge in the Feilden suggests French Guineas
Madhmoon (Kevin Prendergast) Promising second in Leopardstown 2,000 Trial
Mustashry (Sir Michael Stoute) Not given a hard time prepping for the Lockinge (May 18).
New King (John Gosden) Sandown, Friday
Ripp Orf (David Elsworth) Spring Cup was launchpad to the Victoria Cup
Sangarius (Sir Michael Stoute) 2,000 Guineas
Set Piece (Hugo Palmer) 2,000 Guineas
Skitter Scatter (John Oxx) 1,000 Guineas
Solage (Jim Bolger) Blue Wind Stakes at Naas (Saturday, May 11).
Ten Sovereigns (Aidan O’Brien) 2,000 Guineas
Weekender (John Gosden) Jockey Club Stakes, May 4
Wissahickon (John Gosden) There’s more to come on turf from this Winter Derby winner.
DELETED: Amade, Calyx, Clon Coulis, Dancing Vega, Dom Carlos, Jahbath, Raydiance, The Maxwecan, Too Darn Hot, Willie John.
RISE AND SHINE FOR DOODLE
1.50 Ludlow Dan Skelton has performed heroics this season in becoming only only the second British trainer since Martin Pipe to reach 200 winners in a jumps season.
And doing it in style too with a sensational six winners on Sunday.
When Martin Pipe was asked about Skelton’s achievements, in emulating his own, he replied simply: ‘he places his horses in the right races’.
Whilst that obviously goes in addition to his talents, it’s really a salutary lesson of optimisation of equine talent and not tilting at windmills.
Over half of his 47 runners in the past fortnight have finished placed and whilst winning with the stable cat at present would be an exaggeration (!) one of his lesser lights Cock A Doodle Doo looks another one well placed in the opening novice hurdle at Ludlow.
She has a penalty to carry but this really is a shockingly poor contest and represents the perfect chance for the mare to return to form.
Her only career win has come at Sligo on good ground and she didn’t do too badly in handicap company last time out.
Don’t get me wrong, you can find plenty of flaws in her form but you come back to the paucity of opposition here with only the French recruit Santini looking a danger on the basis of some placed efforts on the flat.
3.10 Fairyhouse (Mares Chase Grade 3) Ruby Walsh picked the right one in the Irish Grand National yesterday and could again be on the winner here with Pravalaguna who is preferred to stable companion Camelia De Cotte.
Pravalaguna was tailed off in the JLT Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival but this looks much more her level and she is worth another chance to build on the promise of her runaway listed race success at Naas.
Camelia De Cotte was a little disappointing at Naas last time out and might just prove vulnerable with her penalty steadier.
7.25 Lingfield Fareeq went close to following up on a course and distance success last time out but met trouble in running and could only finish third. Six runners here ran in that race so it is the essential form line but it would come as no surprise to me to see Fareeq reverse form with the ten-year-old Come On Dave.
DAQMAN’S BETS: (Staked to win 20 points)
BET 15.8pts win (nap) COCK A DOODLE DOO (1.50 Ludlow)
BET 10pts win PRAVALAGUNA (3.10 Fairyhouse)
BET 9.1pts win FAREEQ (7.25 Lingfield)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 3 x 2pts win double 2pt win treble above three
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