LAST-CHANCE SALOON FOR A PLACE IN THE DERBY LINE-UP: The final Derby and Oaks trials are run this week at Goodwood. Look out for Daqman’s analysis and the return of supernaps, which are currently nine winners in a row.
➡️ TODAY The great Goodwood trial winner
➡️ TOMORROW Aidan O’Brien’s Big Three
LOOKING ROSY: DAQMAN started the week with a profit of 4.9 points on Monday when his first bet of the day ROSE OF KILDARE won at Redcar at 6/5.
MEMORIES OF THE SIEGE OF TROY
There’s one chink of light left. That’s if you are still struggling in the dark -whether trainer or punter – to break the Ballydoyle domination of this year’s Epsom Derby.
We won’t know until next Monday which of Aidan O’Brien’s contingent will go to Epsom and which to the French version, making life difficult for ante-post betting.
But at least with the backup of BETDAQ, you can support a second choice next week at odds better than you’ll find with bookmakers, especially if you already have big ’overs’ about one of the runners, and you can lay off in the BETDAQ green.
In fact, there are still two trials left, one for the Oaks one for the Derby, both at Goodwood, the Height Of Fashion Stakes for fillies on Thursday and the Cocked Hat for colts on Friday.
It was in 2010 that the Height Of Fashion race last produced an Oaks winner when Snow Fairy did the Goodwood-Epsom double for Ed Dunlop.
Sir Michael Stoute and Hughie Morrison, with two winners apiece, have the best training records in the race in the last decade.
The Cocked Hat also has a modest record, but with occasional rising stars. The best winner in the decade was probably Rewilding (2010), who was subsequently placed in the Epsom Derby and won the Great Voltigeur.
John Gosden has taken four Cocked Hats in 10 years, his best winner being Masked Marvel (2011), who went on to capture the St Leger at Doncaster.
The magnificent ace of the Cocked Hat, when it was known as the Predominate Stakes, was Troy.
Even though the Goodwood race was his second trial win, he didn’t start favourite at Epsom because his stable had a royal runner, Milford, who was all the rage with the public.
But Troy had beaten Milford in a secret gallop at his Berkshire yard, and was the choice of stable jockey, Willie Carson.
In the race, punters in the know were tearing up their tickets when Troy came into the straight in 13th place, and on the rail at that. But Carson pulled him out with ease and the colt went right away up the outside to win seven lengths, with the subsequent Eclipse and Champion Stakes winners toiling in second and third.
TABASSOR SOARING HOME?
One winner was enough to show a profit on Monday from three selections and the same tactics are deployed today.
All three bets are staked to WIN 20 points on BETDAQ and just one winner will guarantee a profit on the day.
2.45 Nottingham Both Aegeus and Tabassor set a fair standard for the debutants to aim at and it looks a race to focus on the experienced runners.
Aegeus made a pleasing enough debut at Bath, finishing a length second to Nahham – however was receiving 15lb from the winner and the fourth from that race has been well beaten since. It’s difficult to surmise what the form is worth – if pressed, I’d say not a lot.
Tabassor wasn’t fancied on debut but ran well to finish third at Haydock and the Charlie Hills trained filly should improve on that run if coping with the quicker ground.
Aldente is an interesting debutant for Andrew Balding but her breeding (by Archipenko) suggests longer distances will be her forte in time.
3.45 Nottingham Not a bad class 3 handicap for fillies.
Roger Varian saddled Rasima to win this last year – she went on to win in Listed company and the trainer looks to have another smart prospect on his hands here with Nearooz who is unbeaten after two starts with wins at Newmarket and Wolverhampton.
There’s surely improvement to come but the handicapper may have erred on the side of caution with her mark of 85.
I Am Magical is much better priced and a credible alternative. The Charlie Fellowes trained runner is out again quickly after her win at Newmarket last week and even with the resulting statutory 6lb penalty could get competitive in this better race.
5.15 Brighton Imperial Act has yet to be tested around the idiosyncratic Brighton circuit but certainly comes into this as the form horse.
He arrives on the back of an impressive win in a big field at Chelmsford and although up 4lb for that, trainer Andrew Balding has booked William Carver for this who takes off 7lb.
The young jockey has ridden 7 winners from 43 rides this season so is good value for that claim and we might be looking at a theoretical ‘winner without a penalty’ in the shape of Imperial Act.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points)
BET 9.75pts win (nap) TABASSOR (2.45 Nottingham)
BET 6.25pts win I AM MAGICAL (3.45 Nottingham)
BET 8.7pts win IMPERIAL ACT (5.15 Brighton)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
