IRISH EYES ON BANKERS FOUR-TIMER: Daqman goes for a bankers four-timer at Fairyhouse today, hoping that a Willie Mullins youngster can follow up for him on this hat-trick:
WON 4-5 Tara View
WON 8-11 Le Prezien
WON 4-7 Baron Alco
CAN YOU BEAT THE HANDICAP LAYERS? Daqman also sets the scene for the weekend racing and previews more novice events today. There are handicaps at both Chepstow and Warwick but Daqman says they are trappy, low-class affairs. Can you beat the layers where Daqman ducks out?
HE CAN PROVE HE’S WORTH THE WORLD
What’s he worth? It’s crunch time for Yanworth on Saturday, with the middle-of-the-way Ascot Hurdle (2m 4f) said to be his test for the big decision: does he go for the Champion Hurdle, back at 2m, or the World Hurdle over 3m?
The snag is that Yanworth last year won both the Supreme Novices’ Trial (Ascot December 2m) and the Neptune Trial at Cheltenham (January 2m 4f).
It was heavy at Cheltenham that day and, when he went to the festival on fast ground for the 2m 5f Neptune itself, he didn’t have the pace to challenge Yorkhill, looking for all the world (pun intended) like a champion stayer for this season.
Yanworth is currently 15.5 in the BETDAQ ante-post orange for the Champion Hurdle but only 11.0 for the World Hurdle. Meanwhile, Yorkhill is shorter for the Champion than for the World.
But he, too, has the parting of the ways on December 4, when he goes for either the Hattons Grace Hurdle or the Drinmnore Novices Chase. Ruby Walsh’s verdict at the end of last season? ‘He’ll win the Arkle.’
‘SEE YOU’ IN SWITCH TO HAYDOCK MUD
Midnight feast? Seeyouatmidnight was being whispered for the Hennessy Gold Cup among those in the know but, well, what did they know, as he seems to be switched to this weekend’s Lancashire Chase at Haydock.
BETDAQ takes out Seeyouatmidnight from the Hennessy market, as exchange layers offer 9.6 for the Haydock race on Saturday.
It’s a race billed as the reappearance race for Coneygree the 2014 Gold Cup winner, but he hasn’t been seen since Sandown more than a year ago ruined his hopes of a back-to-back gold bid.
The Lancashire Chase is unusual for potentially fielding the last four winners, in that Cue Card and Silviniaco Conti have won two each, both going on to take the King George.
Are we to assume then that connections of Seeyouatmidnight now consider him King George and Gold Cup material, not a handicapper?
That’s one version of events; but I also think he’s at Haydock because he needs soft-heavy ground, which it was when he beat Blaklion at Cheltenham last January, only to trail him on fast festival ground in March.
IT’S A BANKER START FOR ASTHURIA
12.40 Fairyhouse Asthuria could be a name for Cheltenham. She was no match for the subsequent Punchestown champion novice, Jers Girl, at Fairyhouse in March but was not given a hard time on her first run since being bought from France.
Highly regarded by Willie Mullins, who decided that patience would be a virtue in her case. I put the mare in my Fortune Cookies list as a dark ‘horse’ but the world and his wife want to be on this morning.
12.50 Chepstow Mister Big, a half-brother to Somersby, is one you’re likely to be taking out of this race; he needs further than this 2m, surely.
Paul Nicholls says that Garo De Juilley wants time and soft ground, so maybe Utility is the one, with a run over hurdles under his belt.
1.20 Chepstow Dan Skelton is keen on Shantou Rock, related to an Irish National winner, yet quite speedy, and might have the legs of Compadre and Copain de Classe, who both need further: 9.2 best offers on BETDAQ this morning, as I write.
1.35 Warwick Jonjo O’Neill has a useful-looking mare, Which One Is Which, by King’s Theatre out of a Presenting, so this step up in trip for the Cheltenham bumper runner-up of a year ago is the obvious way to go.
There were several winners behind that day and, before that, she had won 14 lengths at Uttoxeter. She travelled like a good horse in both races.
3.35 Chepstow A big, strong French import, Keep Moving goes straight over fences on his debut for Philip Hobbs: 7.4 on BETDAQ this morning was too big.
4.05 Chepstow The longer trip will suit Bramble Brook, just touched off over 2m 4f on the last day. The rain he needed didn’t arrive that day, but the extra distance today should bring out his stamina.
One Cool Scorpion pleased Philip Hobbs on his return at Aintree, and he’s hoping the ground isn’t too soft here
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked 1 to 9 for strength)
BANKER: BET 10pts win (nap) ASTHURIA (12.40 Fairyhouse)
BET 5pts win UTILITY (12.50 Chepstow)
BET 2pts win and place SHANTOU ROCK (1.20 Chepstow)
BET 6pts win WHICH ONE IS WHICH (1.35 Warwick)
BET 3pts win KEEP MOVING (3.35 Chepstow)
BET 6pts win BRAMBLE BROOK (4.05 Chepstow)
FORTUNE COOKIES: Asthuria (12.40 Fairyhouse)
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