NOW IT’S FOUR NAPS IN A ROW AND NO BLANK DAYS IN EIGHT: Daqman made it a winner a day for EIGHT days in a row and FOUR consecutive winning naps, with an easy success at Beverley yesterday, Amelia R, who went clear in the Summer Festival Handicap.
✔️ WON evens AMELIA R Monday nap
✔️ WON 6-5 COURTLAND Sunday nap
✔️ WON 13-2 SCARAMANGA Saturday bull’s-eye nap
✔️ WON 2-7 SNOWFALL Saturday Supernap
KING GEORGE BATTLE OF THE ROYALTY OF RACING: Daqman today sets the scene for the King George with an in-depth analysis of the families at war in the two great battles of the second half of the season, the King George and the Arc de Triomphe. The truth is the families are all closely tied, the royalty of racing.
Acceptors Adayar, Addeybb, Broome, Japan, Lone Eagle, Love, Mishriff, Mogul, Wonderful Tonight.
KEEPING IT IN THE CLASSIC FAMILY
Six of the best this season. But hidden among their big-race results below are nine other very talented horses in what seems to be a vintage year. How good is Snowfall? Can you spot the King George winner? Or the Arc winner?
But the real sensation of the super six is that they are an amazing tribute to the great Galileo family, and an unsung bloodstock hero in Pivotal.
In fact, since Galileo himself won the King George, only his son, Highland Reel (Arc 2016) and granddaughter Enable have won the big end-of-season races (Arc and King George); though Doyen (King George 2004) was by his sire, Sadlers Wells.
The top six of this season are listed with their ratings, followed by my four best this century of the Galileo and Pivotal lines.
127 ST MARK’S BASILICA (3 b c by Siyouni/dam’s sire 130 Galileo; Siyouni’s sire 120 Pivotal) won French Guineas, French Derby and Coral-Eclipse, beating 125 Addeybb and 122 Mishriff; 1m/1m 2f+
122 LOVE (4 ch f by Galileo, dam’s sire Pivotal) won Newmarket 1,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks, Yorkshire Oaks; Prince Of Wales’s Stakes; 1m, 1m 4f.
121 ADAYAR (3 b c by Frankel) won Epsom Derby (Hurricane Lane third, Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Mac Swiney fourth); 1m 4f
120 HURRICANE LANE (3 ch c by Frankel) won Irish Derby from Lone Eagle, Wordsworth, with Mac Swiney sixth; won Grand Prix de Paris from Wordsworth and Alenquer; 1m 4f
120+ SNOWFALL (3 b f by Deep Impact, dam’s sire Galileo) won Epsom Oaks 16 lengths and Irish Oaks more than eight lengths; 1m 4f
115 SNOW LANTERN (3 gr f by Frankel) won Falmouth Stakes from 1,000 Guineas winner Mother Earth and Coronation Stakes winner Alcohol Free; 1m.
THE VERY TOP OF THE TREE
140 FRANKEL (b h by Galileo, dam’s sire Danehill) won 14/14 races, including Newmarket 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes, Sussex Stakes (2), Champions Mile, Champion Stakes, Juddmonte International; 1m, 1m 2f.
130 CRACKSMAN (b h by Frankel, dam’s sire Pivotal) won Champion Stakes (2), Coronation Cup; 1m 2f, 1m 4f.
125 ENABLE (b m by 126 Nathaniel/dam’s sire Sadlers Wells; Nathaniel’s sire Galileo) Epsom Oaks, Irish Oaks, King George (3), Arc de Triomphe (2); 1m 4f
123 SOTTSASS (ch h by Siyouni/dam’s sire Galileo; Siyouni’s sire Pivotal) French Derby and Arc de Triomphe; 1m 2f, 1m 4f.
Galileo (b h by Sadler’s Wells out of Urban Sea); Sadlers Wells by Northern Dancer (by Nearctic out of a Native Dancer mare); Galileo won 2001 English and Irish Derbys and King George.
WHISTLE TO TAKE SOME STOPPING
⭕ 1.55 Ffos Las Like the rest of the country, Ffos Las has been baked in sunshine and the resulting fast ground will suit Whistledown.
The Mick Channon trained filly made a winning debut in nursery company last week at Nottingham and is taken to progress further on her fifth start and in doing so defy her penalty.
The step up to six furlongs (today’s trip) seemed to suit her and this is a really weak contest.
Chief BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE rival is Winter Siege who has been beaten by an aggregate of 24 lengths in her three starts to date and will need to show a lot more for the step into nursery company.
A bigger danger may come from the Richard Hannon trained Mount Rainier who disappointed on the all-weather last time but might do better for the switch back to turf.
NO NEED TO BE BASHFUL
⭕ 4.30 Wolverhampton I wouldn’t be in a huge rush to back Bascule at close to odds-on in this 12 furlong auction event.
The Richard Hughes trained gelding has already been a beaten favourite (evens and 5/4) in his last two races and although narrowly beaten in both is taking a big step up in trip for this (one mile up to 1m 4f).
In any event, he is rated the same 74 animal as Bashful who, despite a string of seconds, brings the best form into the race in my opinion and is far more certain to stay the trip on the evidence in front of us.
He was staying on nicely at Chester last time out when a half length second to favourite Mr Excellency over ten furlongs.
CONTRAST STANDS OUT
⭕ 8.20 Nottingham Leaving it late for the nap on Tuesday but I am hoping it will be well with the wait for Contrast.
Trained by the new duo of Michael and David Easterby, Contrast looks undoubtedly well treated at the moment and should be capable of defying his 4lb penalty for his comfortable three and a quarter length romp at Beverley last week.
He’s got a 5lb hike in the weights for future races so it’s no surprise to see him running again so quickly as his technically not even a ‘winner without a penalty’ but a ‘winner with 1lb up his sleeve’.
Although the win at Beverley came on soft ground, the quicker conditions tonight are unlikely to pose any problems as he seems versatile in this department. He’s twice won on good to firm ground.
Tonight’s race has cut up to just four runners with three defectors including Bird To Love who I had down as the biggest danger.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 10 points)
BET 6.25pts win WHISTLEDOWN (1.55 Ffos Las)
BET 5.8pts win BASHFUL (4.30 Wolverhampton)
BET 8.1pts win (nap) CONTRAST (8.20 Nottingham)
