DAQMAN PREVIEWS ASCOT WITH HIS NAP IN FORM: Daqman landed his nap, Cu Chulainn, at Kempton Park last night on the first day of British Champions week, starting his daily countdown to Saturday’s big Ascot meeting with his preview of leading contenders for the opening stayers’ race.
WON 10-11 Cu Chulainn (Monday nap)
STRADIVARIUS LEFT IN AS THE FORECAST IS GOOD: The British Champions Long-Distance Cup could be run on a sound surface if the weather forecast is correct, so connections of Stradivarius are wishing they hadn’t taken him to France. He stays in at today’s five-day stage, with the very same weather forecast sounding a warning for backers of Trueshan.
STAYERS’ REMATCH WILDER THAN FURY
⭕ 1.25 Ascot, Saturday (British Champions Long Distance Cup): Stradivarius cantered back into Saturday’s big-race picture on the Newmarket gallops yesterday, looking so tuned that he tugged on the heartstrings of his connections, almost demanding he get another crack at Trueshan.
There was retirement talk in the air when Trueshan toppled him in deep ground for the French Gold Cup at the Arc meeting.
While a soft surface is essential for Trueshan, Stradivarius was going into that race after back-to-back wins in the Lonsdale Cup at York and the Doncaster Cup, both on firm.
Don’t forget that Trueshan was long-distance champion a year ago when Ascot was soft and Stradivarius trailed in, not himself on the ground. Fine weather this week and a return bout would be Wilder than Fury!
In fact, a dry spell, sometime sunshine sometime cloud, is forecast with no significant rain until Sunday but with drizzle Friday. I think the ultimate rematch is on!
Stradivarius Won this title in 2018, and in 2020 won his third Ascot Gold Cup and the following month a record fourth Goodwood Cup.
Trueshan When he won the long-distance cup a year ago, it was his first Group strike, with this year’s Goodwood Cup and French Gold Cup his first Group-1 wins at the double!
Hamish Has been the one for the money, though he’s never raced beyond 1m 6f. The Motivator five-year-old first caught the eye, travelling so well on heavy at Newbury (October, 2019) that Trueshan held him only by a neck.
Hamish has run just twice since then, beating Hukum at Kempton in September spoiling Hukum’s attempt at four consecutive Group-3 strikes. Needs rain.
Search For A Song Dermot Weld’s Irish St Leger winning mare (2019) was second to Trueshan in the British championship a year ago but at a respectful distance of seven lengths and more (Fujaira Prince third) .
But her best form has also been on a sound surface, as when she came right back to her best with a scintillating near-10-lengths strike at The Curragh last month in a Group 3.
Baron Samedi Acts on any, completing seven in a row with a £160,000 strike in the Belmont Gold Cup (2m) for Joseph O’Brien in June. Came into the Irish St Leger off a break and was third.
Manobo Unbeaten Sea The Stars gelding for Charlie Appleby and the boys in blue; bids to be the first three-year-old winner after taking the Chaudenay (1m 7f, very soft) on Arc day.
GETAMAN TO WIN HEREFORD ‘NATIONAL’
⭕ 2.13 Hereford A desperately disappointing turn out for today’s Hereford card with THREE three-runner races and just four in the opener.
With 13 runners, the 2m 5f handicap hurdle looks like the Grand National by comparison and presents a winning opportunity for Getaman whose best runs have come on faster ground and he comes into this on the back of a career best effort at Kelso last time out when chasing home Strong Team.
Thankfully the handicapper hasn’t punished him for that run and he should be suited by the longer trip today.
Whilst yet to win in seven starts over hurdles, he is a dual point winner so shouldn’t lack anything in the stamina department.
I’m On Snap is tried with a first time tongue tie and looks the danger with the Tom Lacey yard going well. She is another who likes the quick ground but is still 3lb higher than when she narrowly won a four runner race at Fontwell and this looks tougher.
PLANETS ALIGN FOR NEPTUNE
⭕ 6.00 Newcastle Neptunian went into plenty of notebooks, mine included, when a good fifth at Newbury behind Deodar. It looked a good race at the time and
Neptunian was only beaten a length and a quarter.
The runner-up from that race, Witch Hunter, has rubber-stamped the form with two good runs since including at York when he was narrowly beaten in the Listed Rockingham Stakes.
Early market signs on BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE are also positive about Neptunian who should prove too classy for recent course and distance winner Foxy Rascal who has more on his plate under a penalty.
MORE PROFIT TO BE POCKETED
⭕ 6.30 Newcastle Pocket The Profit is proving to be well named and connections are set to run him again under a double penalty.
That would normally make me think very hard but having watched yesterday’s facile win at wWlverhampton again I think he could easily be up for the challenge. Except another win before the handicapper catches up.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 10 points)
BET 2.0pts win GETAMAN (2.13 Hereford)
BET 10pts win (nap) NEPTUNIAN (6.00 Newcastle)
BET 6.6pts win POCKET THE PROFIT (6.30 Newcastle)
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.
