KAP THAT! BACK-TO-BACK NAPS: Daqman yesterday landed back-to-back naps when, after Scrutineer (WON 3-1) on the Flat on Monday, he named Kapstadt (WON 11-10) at Sedgefield yesterday.
ARC WEEKEND COUNTDOWN: TODAY Daqman checks out the English squad’s abilities for the French Gold Cup (Prix Du Cadran) on Saturday. TOMORROW: ABC Guide to Sunday’s Arc.
GOING GOOD AS WE THROW SIX FOR GOLD
Just one win in six seasons. But there’s a strong quest for more gold by a potential six-strong raid on Saturday’s French Gold Cup, Prix Du Cadran, from English yards.
Quest For More, who misses the Melbourne Cup this time around (ninth last year), landed the Lonsdale Cup at York in August, and stepped up to 2m 2f for the first time when narrowly nosed out of the Doncaster Cup after trying to make all.
With the Cadran trip all of 2m 4f, I would be aiming Quest For More at the 2m Champion Stayers at Ascot in two weeks’ time.
Burmese (Marcus Tregoning), fourth at Doncaster, was fifth in the Ascot Gold Cup (2m 4f on soft), and looks one paced.
Amour De Nuit (Sir Mark Prescott) has already tried the big step up from 2m to the near 2m 6f of the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascopt; he was nine-lengths sixth after failing to settle.
Cayirli (Seamus Durack) was second but hasn’t won since his debut maiden, always a bad sign. He’ll need everything to fall right for him.
Nearly Caught (Hughie Morrison) has to prove his stamina for this, after back-to-back wins at Deauville (15f). He had been third in the Northumberland Plate (2m and a bit).
Trip To Paris (Ed Dunlop) won the 2015 Ascot Gold Cup on firm ground bur has failed to score since, and was beaten favourite behind Quest for More in the Lonsdale.
Likely hot favourite for the Cadran is Vazirabad, winner of eight out of nine races, his only defeat when dropped back to 12f in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
But Vazirabad, too, has not scored beyond 2m, so it’s all to play for in Saturday’s marathon, with the weather fine except for showers on Friday; the going is likely to be good.
THE FINAL WORD IS: I AM NOT HERE ..
3.00 Nottingham With a 29% strike rate at Nottingham, Ralph Beckett, who has withdrawn Desdichado (3.30) now has just the one runner there, Mount Moriah, the 3.25 favourite in the BETDAQ orange, at the time of writing.
Mount Moriah made all at Kempton but, when different tactics were employed, waiting on the leaders at Doncaster, he ran into traffic.
The saver has to be the 8.0 about Outre Mer, steadily progressive for John Gosden, and running in his first nursery handicap today.
3.30 Nottingham (Grass Roots Middle Distance Series Final) Last year’s winner Lord Franklin is up in the handicap for winning two races out of three this summer, including another one on today’s course. The widest draw of all in 16 doesn’t help.
Bedrock, up in grade, also has a high stall, whereas the 7.2 BETDAQ offer I Am Not Here is back down to his winning ratings level and has a low draw.
Compton Mill seems to be stuck in class 4, here Cottesloe is struggling, with n o help from the hjandicapper after class 5 and 6 success more than a year ago.
PANOVA NAPPED ON GOOD HOMEWORK
4.40 Nottingham (Grass Roots Sprint Series Final) You need a bet on both sides; high numbers have bunched at the finish of this in its two renewals but, on each occasion, a low-stalled horse has pipped them on the other flank.
Cool Bahamian (was in 12 now in 17) was beaten a neck and a head last year and will carry 3lb less. Just in front of home, Syrian Pearl (was in 17 now in 2) is 3lb higher today.
CD-winner Ambitious Icarus, who was seventh that day, has slipped down the handicap, and ran better last time out. He will have 13lb less in the saddle today.
Only Silvestre De Sousa has been able to win a handicap (at Epsom) with Ancient Astronaut and he’s back on board today. They’re two grades higher and 2lb higher but, at age three, the gelding should improve. However, there’s not much between Ancient Astronaut and Frenchman on Epsom form.
Curious Fox, Penny Pot Lane and Alpine Dream also have to take two rungs at a time up the ladder.
It’d my belief that, with front-runner Guishan to take them along from the 9 stall, adjacent Curious Fox (in 7) and Ancient Astronaut (in 8) should get the drop on the field. They were 11.5 and 10.0 respectively this morning.
6.40 Kempton Panova (3.35 on BETDAQ this morning) has made huge leaps forward at home since meeting trouble in running on the debut at Chelmsford. Ryan Moore takes over on the nap. Get on early; there could be a gamble.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked 1 to 9 for strength)
BET 7pts win MOUNT MORIAH and 3pts win OUTRE MER (3.00 Nottingham)
BET 3pts win and place I AM NOT HERE (3.30 Nottingham)
BET 3pts win on each CURIOUS FOX and ANCIENT ASTRONAUT (4.40 Nottingham)
BET 9pts win (nap) PANOVA (6.40 Kempton)
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
