IRISH STABLE TARGETS LADBROKES TROPHY: Daqman digs out his French phrase-book as he starts his preview of Saturday’s Ladbrokes Trophy and finds Henry de Bromhead tilting at a quarter of a million in English prizemoney in one week.
TODAY: Daqman heads to Sedgefield and Wolverhampton for three bets.
QUARTER-OF-A-MILLION DOUBLE
Hottest chase sequence since the French Connection? It was continuing where he left off when Henry De Bromhead, who stole the show at the Cheltenham Festival, bagged Saturday’s £114,000 big chase with A Plus Tard.
And maybe, says the expression, it’s a case of ‘see you later’, as he targets Eklat De Rire at Saturday’s Ladbrokes Trophy for ‘peels of laughter’ at England’s expense.
Eklat De Rire won four consecutive chases still standing, with ‘unseated rider’ among them when he was only three lengths down to Monkfish at the Cheltenham Festival, Fiddlerontheroof (another likely runner on Saturday) finishing second.
Eklat is a big, heavy-topped sort and Henry is looking for the promised rain to materialise at Newbury to confirm his bid for the £142,000 first prize to give the stable a quarter-million haul from England in seven days.
⭕ 3.00 Newbury, Saturday (Ladbrokes Trophy Chase) STATS: Is there a Bobs Worth or a Native River (both Ladbrokes Trophy and Gold Cup winners) or is there a Many Clouds (Ladbrokes Trophy and Grand National) in Saturday’s big race?
A new rival for A Plus Tard at Cheltenham or for Aintree glory may be found in a top-quality contest which in the past threw up superstars from Arkle (1964 and 1965) to Denman (2007, 2009).
Age Only one winner of double-figure age since 1982 and only three in total since the inception of the race as the Hennessy Gold Cup in 1957. None younger than six.
Weight carried 10st 8lb to 11st 6lb (eight out of the last nine).
Trainers Nicky Henderson (3), Paul Nicholls (3), Oliver Sherwood (2), Colin Tizzard (2), and one each Nigel-Twiston Davies, Philip Hobbs, Alan King, Emma Lavelle, Willie Mullins, Jonjo O’Neill, Evan Williams, Nick Williams, Venetia Williams.
Jockeys Tom Scudamore (3), Daryl Jacob, Ben Jones.
TIME TO TAKE CONTROL
⭕ 12.40 Sedgefield Small fields are again the order of the day across today’s jumps cards, I know it’s a recurring theme at the moment, but there is the unusual case in the opener at Sedgefield of a five runner race becoming a four runner race yet more competitive at the same time!
The reason being the forecast odds-on favourite Kavanaghs Cross is now a non runner which – with the exception of Stinggrey – leaves a harder puzzle.
Of the three that remain Ask The Doctor undoubtedly has the more scope given there was plenty of promise from his debut in Ireland when third at Tipperary. But there are risks in backing him at short odds on BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE though.
Firstly this is his first start for 244 days, his first start for Oliver Greenall who is currently 0-22 and finally today’s ground is good whereas it was soft when he made that encouraging Irish debut.
On the plus side it’s a poor race and he might still well win but surely you want more positive factors in your favour?
Creative Control could be the one. The Donald McCain yard are in good form (10 from last 39) and whilst the overall form of Creative Control is modest, he could easily improve for the step up in trip. He was keeping on in the closing stages at Kelso when third last time out and gets the extra half mile today.
Sue Smith’s Wolf Run showed some ability on hurdling debut at Uttoxeter but was subsequently well beaten at Wetherby and it’s slightly surprising to see him still running over this trip as he struggled in the closing stages that day.
A MAXI BET
⭕ 1.10 Sedgefield Last time out winners Regaby (Hexham) and Kaphumor (C&D) take a big percentage out of the market but both are up in the weights and might prove vulnerable. Kaphumor, in particular, is up 10lb for winning a modest Hexham event whilst Regaby is up 4lb for a hard fought win here last time out.
Maxi Jazz is waiting in the wings and could take advantage. The Charlie Longsdon trained grey is going the other way in the weights but proved at Market Rasen two starts ago he has the form to win a race like this. The stable are also in good form.
Tanora has attracted some early support on BETDAQ which is pretty hard to fathom given the mare has been beaten an aggregate of 97 lengths in two starts since joining the Sam England yard!
SEQUENCE SNAPPER
⭕ 6.00 Wolverhampton Mondammej needs to snap a sequence of 10101 which usually means a poor run following a winning one – but he has some mitigating factors in that he has often been thrown in at the deep end as he was in a heritage handicap at York.
It’s different tonight – he’s just been asked to do what he did over course and distance last time and the handicapper has given him a chance of doing just that with a pound penalty.
When the stewards asked about the ‘improved performance’ when he won here in October connections could offer no explanation. But was it really an improved performance? The market didn’t think so as he was sent off the 2/1 fav and it was a much easier task for him. A form book for the stewards at Christmas I think.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 10 points)
BET 6.6pts win CREATIVE CONTROL (12.40 Sedgefield)
BET 2.6pts win MAXI JAZZ (1.10 Sedgefield)
BET 7.0pts win (nap) MONDAMMEJ (6.00 Wolverhampton)
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.
