DAQMAN BANKERS CRÈME DE LA CRÈME: Daqman named three more winners yesterday: Rehana (WON 6-4), Coconut Crème (nap, WON 5-4) and Minding (WON 1-3), with Coconut Crème his ninth winning banker from the last 12, seven of them – including the last six – at odds against on BETDAQ on the morning of the race.
NOW IT’S NINE WINNERS OUT OF 12: The list of maximum-stakes hits, with the strike rate now stepped up to 75%, reads as follows:
WON 11-10 CONVEY
WON 4-7 YORKHILL
WON 1-4 COPPER KAY
WON 5-4 SHUTTER SPEED
WON 4-6 CRACKSMAN
WON 9-10 SIZING JOHN
WON 11-10 HISTORIC EVENT
WON 6-4 SOMEHOW
WON 5-4 COCONUT CREME
COUNTDOWN TO THE GUINEAS: Daqman continues his preview of Guineas week with a rueful look at his challenge to Pricewise, who has bagged big ‘overs’ ante-post. Can our man find a way to fight back before the big day on Saturday?
WHO CARE? I DO: I LIKE TO WIN
I need that Churchill V sign! V for Victory, I mean. But, through gritted teeth, I confess that Pricewise has the drop on me this time.
First bloody nose I can think of in the seven seasons of coming out on top in our challenge. In fact, first time I recall his having a live chance with an ante-post bet. They are usually picked purely as bookmaker bait for Joe Punter.
But, whether through inspiration, judgment or ‘Le inside information’ (the horse is French) or a mixture of the three, he appears to have a 20-1 chance for the 2,000 Guineas, Al Wukair, now being quote at 4-1.
I would normally say ‘who care?’ (think about it), but – though I’m 10-4 up for winners – I am only a few points ahead of him to a level stake. I’ve had a 20-1 winner but he’s had a 16-1 hit.
It is possible that I can find something from the trials in UK and Ireland but it looks very much as though I will have to side with Churchill, the favourite, on Saturday.
Churchill’s not value! bleat my critics. He is if he wins, declare I, in the age-old tradition of punting repartee. Though I have to confess that, even at this late stage, I am hoping to gazump yer man Pricewise by going nuclear on something else at a price.
What about this Al Wukair then? Well, all winter I’ve been ready to oppose the Guineas favourite with the Lagardere winner, National Defense.
But the Lagardere result hasn’t worked out. Runner-up, Salouen, got stuffed first run back in a modest Listed.
The form was redeemed somewhat by the success of the third, Whitecliffsofdover, but – hold your horses – that one is trained Aidan O’Brien, so from the same yard as Churchill and seemingly down the pecking order.
The nail in the Lagardere coffin came when National Defense was well held in the Prix Djebel last month by a colt of Andre Fabre’s who still looked a work in progress but laughed at the Lagardere form.
The name? Yes, Al Wukair, who was in command the whole way. Result: National Defense stays in France for their Guineas. Al Wukair, crunched in the markets, is second favourite for the Rowley Mile Classic on Saturday.
PRINCESS PACKS A PUNCH
4.30 Yarmouth James Fanshawe didn’t have the easiest of starts with Gothic Empire when he took over the Dark Angel gelding from Marco Botti.
Only 12th of 15, too quiet and unresponsive to a hood at Doncaster; then found to be coughing after a race at Kempton.
But, hood removed and dropped a grade, Gothic Empire won eight lengths over today’s Yarmouth CD and, raised back to level four, scored 10lb higher in a field of 16 at Ascot later in the year.
With a run back under his belt, Gothic Empire can now cut more notches on the way to better things for his astute trainer, particularly on summer ground..
4.50 Nottingham Now I’m looking for a Joshua knockout. No, not Anthony Joshua – our heavyweight hero for years to come – but young Joshua Bryan.
He claims 7lb off Princess Roania (unless he was born in Essex, then it’s 7lb off of Princess Roania, innit).
The Princess goes well fresh and won six lengths at Bath in June with young Joshua punching his weight.
We’re following the four-year-olds in handicaps this season but only one, On Fire, is represented in this field and his best form is on AW. Next in the betting come Halstatt and Brigadoon and they’re 10 and 11 years old.
Trainer of Princess Roania, Peter Bowen took them all by surprise when his Henllan Harri won Saturday’s Sandown Gold Cup at 40-1. Let’s hope today’s journey from Welsh Wales has a similar outcome.
5.30 Yarmouth Sakhee’s Jem won here on her seasonal reappearance last year, and has Ben Curtis – three winners from just seven rides at the track to do the steering.
The alternative is Fantasy Queen, who did well in a big field on her reappearance, and won similar handicaps for fillies twice last season.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points each)
BET 7pts win (nap) GOTHIC EMPIRE (4.30 Yarmouth)
BET 6pts win PRINCESS ROANIA (4.50 Nottingham)
BET 5pts win on each FANTASY QUEEN and SAKHEE’S JEM (5.30 Yarmouth)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 5 x 1pt win doubles and 2 x 1pt win trebles
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