LATE WINNER (AGAIN): For the second day running Daqman was saved by his final selection. This time THOMAS LANFIERE (WON 6/4) on Tuesday. Earlier his nap Peggoty was pipped a head having endured a truly nightmare run in the closing stages.
FRENCH VERDICT: Daqman previews the big race in France tonight – the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris where one of his Fortune Cookie horses to follow is declared. The ground is forecast as very soft.
ALENQUER IS A HOT COOKIE
⭕ 7.20 Longchamp (Grand Prix de Paris) Aidan O’Brien has scooped prize after prize in France this season, including the colts’ Classics.
Today he tries to add to his Guineas and Derby double with this Longchamp Grand Prix which he has won three years running with Kew Gardens, Japan and Mogul.
But his squad of three face huge improvers in Alenquer, the only Fortune Cookie running in the week, and Hurricane Lane.
Alenquer stepped up from his Group-3 Sandown Classic Trial success over the subsequent Derby winner, Adayar, with a striking Group-2 victory in the ‘Ascot Derby,’ King Edward V11 Stakes.
That was on heavy ground, which opened the door to today’s attack on this £306,107 grand prize at Longchamp.
Though Hurricane Lane won on heavy ground as a juvenile, his success this year, in the Dante and the Irish Derby, has come on good ground.
The German raider, Northern Ruler, has won on good and good to soft (Group 3, beat Bubble Gift) and was earlier beaten on heavy in an ordinary conditions race at Compiegne.
Saiydabad’s Spring double on good ground wasn’t good enough against St Mark’s Basilica in the French Derby but that was around 1m 2f and he was running on as if today’s 12 furlongs would suit (Cheshire Academy fifth, Baby Rider in rear).
Of the Ballymore contenders, Sir Lamorak was beaten in a handicap at Royal Ascot on the last day. Wordsworth will need a strong pace to aim at.
Third in the Irish Derby, he had been second 10 days earlier in the Queen’s Vase and looked St Leger material.
The Mediterranean has won only his maiden and was almost five lengths off Alenquer at Ascot.
YES TO YESYES
⭕ 1.35 Lingfield The domestic action on Wednesday is quite modest but there are, as always, some exceptions to the rule.
We might see a very good horse in Yesyes who goes in the fillies novice event at Lingfield where the ground is drying quickly but remains good to soft.
The Ralph Beckett trained runner coped well with the testing underfoot conditions at Haydock where she made a winning debut – beating market leader Eileendover by two and a quarter lengths. The runner-up didn’t really advertise the form next time out, although the fourth from that race has run well subsequently so mixed messages as to the value of the form.
What can’t be doubted though is the potential of Yesyes who should improve on second start and is held in high regard as she has a Group 2 entry at Goodwood later this month.
She’ll need to win this and in doing so defy her penalty to have those aspirations but it’s on the cards. Main BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE dangers are Fantaising who has finished well-held seconds in both her starts to date on quicker ground and Oceans Meet who ran a race full of promise on debut at Newcastle but that came 346 days ago.
FLIP IS NO FLOP
⭕ 3.55 Lingfield Flip Mode is in fantastic form and can continue the good work over the six furlong course.
He’s been transformed by the head gear – winning three of his four starts – all by narrow margins and just keeping on the right side of the handicapper.
Indeed he races off the same 60 mark as he did when winning an apprentice handicap at Windsor last time out so is the proverbial winner without a penalty.
⭕ 8.35 Yarmouth Pretty Shiftwell has improved on each of her three starts to date and doesn’t look overly burdened on her handicap debut off a mark of 62 given she is one of the few in this capable of further improvement.
She gets the nod over recent Bath runner-up Moonshiner.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.35 Lingfield
BET 10pts win (nap) YESYES
3.55 Lingfield
BET 4.0pts win FLIP MODE
7.20 Longchamp
FORTUNE COOKIE
BET 10pts win ALENQUER
8.35 Yarmouth
BET 3.1pts win PRETTY SHIFTWELL
