SIX TO FOLLOW IN FORTUNE COOKIES: Daqman’s late launch of his 2023-4 Fortune Cookies for the jumps follows a series of shocks in the season so far. Today he names six progressive types showing results over longer distances. More to come.
LOOK OUT FOR NEWBURY BIG RACES: The midweek meetings of lower-level horses are hard to fathom but Daqman will preview the weekend Newbury big races later in the week.
TODAY: An early NAP for Daqman and he spots a UK debutant of interest later in the day.
FORTUNE COOKIES: STAYERS
CORACH RAMBLER (9yo by Jeremy, Lucinda Russell) Still only nine and passed his 2023 autumn test, with a staying-on third in the Lancashire Chase, in which Royal Pagaille and Bravemansgame were the one-two.
Dual winner of the Ultima at Cheltenham, and went clear in the Grand National, with the previous year’s winner, Noble Yeats, in fourth.
Noble Yeats had been raised 147>166 between Nationals, whereas Corach Rambler has so far gone up 146>159 and could, therefore, get in 7lb lower for Aintree 2024 and have a much better chance of the double.
FASTORSLOW (7yo by Saint Des Saints, Martin Brassil) Beaten a neck by Corach Rambler in the Ultima in March, quickly rose to the top of the tree by beating Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Galopin Des Champs, at 20-1 in the Punchestown Gold Cup five weeks later.
Press pundits and pro punters didn’t believe it, so he was again a long-shot (BETDAQ 11.0) when he returned to Punchestown and won the John Durkan on Sunday, with Galopin Des Champs only third.
GENTLEMANSGAME (7yo by Gentlewave, Mouse Morris) Beat the King George winner, Bravemansgame, in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby and can consolidate his improvement in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on New Year’s Day.
GERRI COLOMBE (7yo by Saddler Maker, Gordon Elliott) With runner-up Royal Pagaille turning round 20 lengths on last year’s King George winner, Bravemansgame, when they met again in the Lancashire Chase at the weekend, Gerri Colombe has been well backed for Kempton on Boxing Day.
Gerri was winner of four out of five chases, four of them at novice level, when he won the Champion Chase at Down Royal first run back, beating Envoi Allen, who defeated Shishkin in the Cheltenham Ryanair in March, and Cheltenham Gold Cup third, Conflated.
LE MILOS (8yo by Shirocco, Dan Skelton) Newbury Gold Cup winner (3m 2f) last November – look out for the race again this Saturday – who was one of the Skelton horses who badly needed his (hurdles) run back. Grand National target.
LATENIGHTPASS (10yo by Passing Glance, Dan Skelton) Liverpool Foxhunters winner and fourth who burst onto the cross-country scene, with a rear run into second at Cheltenham earlier this month, achieving a 140 mark. Right age for the National.
JOHNNY COME EARLY
⭕ 12.15 Sedgefield An early nap on Tuesday with What A Johnny who was a point winner and also on his hurdles debut at Stratford where he faced the same soft ground as today.
With normal improvement he should go in again and defy the penalty in a very modest field.
The race has been turned upside down with the defection of Recoup who could well have started odds on.
Treaty Boy didn’t show a great deal on his hurdles debut whilst Coup De Coeur’s course and distance third last time out came in a weaker looking race than this.
I’M NOT TELEPATHIC
⭕ 2.40 Southwell The pre-Christmas break of flat racing has left two jumps meetings in the UK but even the most ardent National Hunt fan will surely struggle to muster up too much enthusiasm.
There seems to be quite a few a few vulnerable looking favourites, or at least horses I wouldn’t be in a mad rush to back at short odds on Betdaq Betting Exchange.
A case in point is Telepathique who is hovering around the evens price tag. Her chance is surely made easier by the 9 (NINE) non runners she is completely unproven on the forecast heavy ground.
Her sole win came in a bumper at Warwick (good) – she was then trounced in better company at Aintree and her hurdles debut at Newbury might not be the strongest formline. She was a well beaten second at 50/1 to Manimole who dominated from the start.
She might pick this up by default – especially as one of the bigger dangers Fortune Forever is amongst those with an absentee note but it’s a rare occasion I’m sticking up a debutant (at least to the UK) on value grounds.
The Dan Skelton trained Alljani was a winner on the flat when trained in Germany and has been a long term project for the Skeltons. She has been well entered up this week so they are clearly at last ready with her and it looks significant than she also holds an entry for a Listed mares event at Newbury at the weekend.
This will be by far the easiest option as the bar is not set high and I think she is worth a small bet to win 10 points.
Also at Southwell ….
⭕ 3.10 Southwell I wasn’t massively keen on the favourite here either – King Of Beara who is far from convincing on his previous starts on heavy. The problem I have is I can’t find anything better and you always need one running for you (preferably more than one!). It’s a watching race for me despite me being tempted to press the lay button.
FORMBOOK MEETS FACEBOOK
⭕ 2.50 Sedgefield Zuckerberg was a winner here last November after which his form over jumps tailed off alarmingly.
A 213 day break seemed to do the trick and there was plenty to like about his reappearance here earlier in the month when he chased home Tom Creen.
The 2lb rise looks a little mean but he is still preferred to the enigmatic Methusalar who was beaten 91 lengths in his last race but was still heading the morning market. I did say it was one of THOSE days !!
DAQMAN’S BETS:
12.15 Sedgefield (win 10, nap)
BET 5.7pts win WHAT A JOHNNY
2.40 Southwell (win 10)
BET 5.0pts win ALLJANI
2.50 Sedgefield (win 10)
BET 2.5pts win ZUCKERBERG
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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.
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