THREE NAPS UP OUT OF FOUR: Yesterday’s winning Daqman banker wasn’t very profitable at SP but morning BETDAQ offers will always show up bookmakers’ poor returns. All naps are accounted at SP for fair comparison with other tipsters. The three winning best bets since Saturday are:
WON 11-8 Adrien Du Pont (banker)
WON 1-1 Jacob’s Pillow
WON 1-6 Garde La Victoire (banker)
A WICKED MONTH FOR IRELAND: Daqman checks out a feast of January Irish racing, starting tomorrow at Thurles. Today’s card at Taunton has two class-3 races, a chase and a hurdle, and produces Daqman tips at up to 14.0 at the morning BETDAQ offers. The nap runs at Chelmsford.
HERE THEY COME: THE IRISH LUCKY SEVEN
The Irish can’t wait for Cheltenham. Not content with feasting on the English prizes there, they have their own terrific fare at the top tables of Thurles, Gowran Park and, of course, many a main course at Leopardstown between now and then.
Starting with the Kinloch Braes Chase at Thurles tomorrow, they have seven major dishes, and several tasty side-dishes through January, right up until the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 6.
More about Thurles on the day tomorrow; more about the Leopardstown Gold Cup nearer the time. But here’s the meat sandwiched in between on major race days at Leopardstown, interrupted by the annual pilgrimage to Gowran Park for the Thyestes.
The contenders born of these super seven Graded races will be men of war for all punters, Irish or no, to go into battle with at Prestbury Park and Liverpool in March and April.
2.10 Ladbrokes Ireland Kinloch Brae Chase (tomorrow) Don’t miss Betdaq Tips tomorrow for Daqman and Shamrock verdicts.
2.25 Coral Leopardstown Chase (Sunday) The Leopardstown Chase used to be a great guide, so I followed it in 2012 and backed the winner for the Aintree Grand National.
I was on the subsequent 11-2 favourite Seabass at 60.0 on BETDAQ and the horse staged a great run under Katie Walsh to finish third, beaten only about five lengths.
Seabass, now 13, is among the entries for Sunday’s race, but I expect I’ll be looking for some younger blood – nine year olds have won six of the last eight – to back on the day, and maybe for the National again.
On the same day, there’s also….
3.00 Leopardstown (Coral Hurdle, Sunday) This is a punter’s paradise, with all bar two winners in nine seasons finishing between 10-1 and 16-1 at SP. All carried 10st 10lb or less.
This could be a Cheltenham guide, too, with several going on to success there, notably in recent years, Final Approach, who went on to win the County Hurdle.
3.10 Gowran Park (Thyestes Chase, Thursday week) This race has been a kingmaker in the past, from the 1964 winner, Arkle (I’m too short of space to list all his success), to the 2005 and 2006 Grand National heroes, Hedgehunter and Numbersixvalverde.
Last year it threw up Djakadam, only 4.8 on BETDAQ for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March last time I checked out the offers.
1.40 Leopardstown (Arkle Novice Chase, Sunday January 24) Kicking King (Gold Cup) and Un De Sceaux (Arkle) have gone on to Cheltenham glory from winning this in recent years.
Six out of 12 entries for Willie Mullins. including seven-wins-in-a-row Douvan, suggests ‘winner trained in Co Carlow.’
2.45 Leopardstown (Irish Champion Hurdle, Sunday January 24) Mullins could have the first three favourites – and the first three home? – Faugheen, Nichols Canyon and Arctic Fire!
He’s won it for the last five years with Hurricane Fly, following four in a row for Aidan O’Brien (1998-2001) with Istabraq. But there’ll be a new kid on the winners’ rostrum this time.
3.00 Leopardstown (Irish Gold Cup, February 6) Preview in the week and full analysis and tips on the day, as with all these attractive Irish races.
TOP WOOD SHOULD WIN IN THIS COMPANY
2.40 Taunton Easter Day hasn’t won for two years but the handicapper says that he’s deteriorated only 6lb and he could bounce back, with his stable in from the cold: Ditcheat form figures now 1011113, still standing.
Top Wood ran a good second in the Chepstow Welsh Grand National Trial in December on heavy, and is down a grade here.
Lightly-raced St Dominick picked up a 7lb penalty for winning at Exeter in the mud; his effort in a marathon on the last day can be disregarded.
Wychwoods Brook scored in the prodigious Peter Marsh (heavy) two years ago but hasn’t been anywhere near that form over fences since, though the small field will help.
Union Jack d’Ycy has won off 116, 117 and 119 but has not been effective at today’s 128
Murrayana is still a novice over fences but has met one or two decent sorts, and he was an unlucky faller when in with a big shout at Chepstow (heavy) on the last day.
Morney Wing made all in similar conditions on the same course in December – but that was when dropped back in trip – and it was also a bog when 13-year-old Paddy The Oscar returned to form at Warwick.
Top Wood looks best; a bit fresh on his return, but then so many Pipe horses are keen-goers. I took 3.98 this morning on BETDAQ which was a fair deal.
2.55 Chelmsford In the absence of Oakley Girl, the nap is Pactolus, who has a 5-12 strike rate on AW and was twice a winner at Chelmsford, among four wins in 2015.
Yet he is racing 9lb below his turf mark today, and 2lb below the level of his back-to-back success on AW in December, claim allowed for.
3.10 Taunton Pull The Chord and The Brock Again front the paper-forecast market from a field containing four veterans (aged 10 and 11).
Last year’s winner, Pull The Chord (around 3.0 on BETDAQ), has to give weight all round, up 10lb for scoring at Exeter in November and The Brock Again is a maiden, returning from a near-14-month lay-off.
They were pressed on BETDAQ this morning by Winning Spark (11.5 bar the three). But he has only ever won one race, 9lb lower, albeit here at Taunton.
Tornado In Milan (big at 14.0 offers) should run his usual honest race – twice a January winner on the course – as trainer Evan Williams goes for the hat-trick after a Ludlow double yesterday.
The snag with the Milan gelding is the extra distance and, since Pull The Chord has already carried 11st 12lb to victory in a class 3, he will hardly notice his weights ‘rise’.
DAQMAN BETS
BET 7pts win TOP WOOD (2.40 Taunton)
BET 9pts win (nap) PACTOLUS (2.55 Chelmsford)
BET 7pts win PULL THE CHORD, and 1pt win and place TORNADO IN MILAN (3.10 Taunton)
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