DAQMAN IN CONTROL: 2 OUT OF 3: Daqman landed two winners out of three yesterday for 17.40 points profit on the day, one in the afternoon at Sedgefield, and his nap at the Wolverhampton evening meeting.
WON 6-4 CREATIVE CONTROL
WON 11-10 (nap) MONDAMMEJ
LADBROKES TROPHY COUNTDOWN: Big-name jockeys have graced the Ladbrokes Trophy results since 2010. But where are they now? Just one stands out as the remaining star rider of Saturday’s Newbury race.
SCU THE LAST TROPHY STAR
Where have all the jockeys gone? Punters are reprimanded for ‘riding from the stands’ or from their cosy armchair if they dare to criticise a performance on the track.
But many are badly missing the stars of yesterday who became reliable allies in the battle called winner-finding. Just check out the vanishing jockeys who have been top dogs in Saturday’s Ladbrokes Trophy.
Winners in reverse order, but back only 12 years, Paul Townend, Richard Johnson, Wayne Hutchinson, Leighton Aspell, Barry Geraghty, Ruby Walsh. You won’t see any of them in the Newbury weighing-room.
All have given way suddenly to Harry Skelton, Rachael Blackmore and other new kids on the block.
My punting pal Jack echoes what many long-time racing fans would say: ‘I only recognise Davy Russell and Sam Twiston-Davies these days.’
And they have to confess that it’s still hard to accept Brian Hughes as champion jockey (2020). How many know he’s on 100 winners already this season?
Yet in all this musical jockeys, top trainers are more or less the same: numerically in England, Fergal O’Brien, Donald McCain, Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson; in Ireland, Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliottt, Henry De Bromhead.
Tom Scudamore remains as leading Ladbrokes Trophy rider with three wins (2008, 2018 and 2020). Watch this space.
BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE offers about Ladbrokes Trophy acceptors who fit the stats: 6.2 On The Ropes, 7 Eklat De Rire, 8 Enrilo, 8.8 Fiddlerontheroof, 22 Remastered, 23 Potterman, 25 Copperhead, 34 Mister Malarkey, 75 Canelo, 36 Annamix.
KEEPING THE FAITH
⭕ 4.45 Kempton The jumps cards continues to be decimated runner wise with FIVE x four runner races at Wetherby and Hereford at the last count! So it’s off to Kempton for today’s three bets.
Testing Faith should make it third time lucky in the opener, although I’m hoping that Fourth Time Lucky doesn’t make it third time lucky – more on him later.
Testing Faith probably doesn’t need to do anything more form wise than he did over the mile trip here last time out when second to Rochebrune who also runs on tonight’s card in the 6.15 race. Although Testing Faith was a beaten favourite last time he should be better suited by the drop back to seven furlongs for this race having struggled in closing stages of the mile event.
Fourth Time Lucky has shown promise in two events on testing ground at Redcar and now tries the all-weather for the first time.
The early signs on the BETDAQ market were not positive and I’d rather take the proven AW form of Testing Faith.
The fly in the ointment could be Jade Country who should improve for his debut fifth here earlier in the month and again account for Griffin Park who finished sixth.
SPIN THE DUKE BOX
⭕ 6.15 Kempton By far and away the most competitive race of the day with the Betdaq Sportsbook having 6/1 co-favourites of three in mid-morning trading!
It will likely be decided by small margins and hopefully the first time application of blinkers will help Sir Duke who is trained by Ivan Furtado who has an excellent record in AW nurseries.
Sir Duke was outclassed at Ascot in July but ran well again at Newcastle on just his third start when finishing fourth to Axopar. He carried his head high that day hence the blinkers going on and he should improve still.
The penny is slowly dropping for Petite Joe who probably needs a longer trip whilst Tropical Talent is a danger if progressing from his C&D third last time out.
KEN’S BACK
⭕ 7.15 Kempton (Hyde Stakes, Listed) Kenzai Warrior is risky in that he was pulled up at Newbury in May but seems to have put those issues behind him and he could easily outclass his rivals here.
He has gone on to win narrowly at Kempton and was then far from disgraced when mid-division in the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot in October. He was a Group 2 winner on just his second start so a Listed race is well within his compass now that he is seemingly back to somewhere near his best.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 10 points)
BET 5.8pts win (nap) TESTING FAITH (4.45 Kempton)
BET 1.5pts win SIR DUKE (6.15 Kempton)
BET 4.0pts win KENZAI WARRIOR (7.15 Kempton)
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.
