LUCKY SEVEN FROM TOP TIPSTER DAQMAN: Four more gems? Daqman completes his preview of the weekend racing at Cheltenham. Three more gems? And he picks three bets at Leicester and Lingfield today. He’s frightened of nothing!
PREVIEW: KEY RACES AT CHELTENHAM
12.10 Cheltenham, Triumph Trial (Saturday) Last time there was a decent field for this, the winner went on to take the Triumph itself at the festival in March.
That winner was Defi Du Seuil, and family member Fanfan Du Seuil, five lengths Exeter winner, is expect to be in Saturday’s line-up.
1.55 Cheltenham, Winter Gold Cup (Saturday) Frodon won this for Paul Nicholls two years ago when only four. He was beaten just a couple of lengths in the big-field Autumn Gold Cup over the Cheltenham CD in the middle of last month.
Nicholls has already won this twice with the same horse, Poquelin, back to back (2009-10).
2.30 Cheltenham (Bristol Novices Hurdle) Conygree, Unowhatimeanharry, Blaklion.. We would be Supremely Lucky if this race threw up more of this high calibre!
3.05 Cheltenham (International Hurdle) With form figures in the race of 11-12, The New One, now aged 10, tries to win this for a fourth time, taken on by the one who broke his sequence: Old Guard looks the one.
KNIGHT COULD BE BET OF THE DAY
1.10 Lingfield Swiss Knight was always going to be one to keep an eye on in this discipline, with his dam 2-2 on AW.
Charlie Appleby is placing them superbly as usual with 2-4 in the last 10 days, and Swiss Knight looks good, now gelded.
Keyser Soze (323 in his last six starts) and Areen Heart (currently 3222) both prefer not to get their head in front.
Belle Meade has won a Listed but that was in Italy and she has to give weight all round in consequence, with Andrew Balding fading out of form recently (1-13). There was not a penny for her this morning, out to 36.0 on BETDAQ.
FRIGHTENED OF NOTHING BUT 7.0
2.00 Leicester Wenceslaus is a bit early for Christmas and, though he’s been in good fettle since the autumn, the form hasn’t worked out and he has to step up two grades to land the hat-trick.
Lazarus is trying to climb the grades, a hefty 13lb higher than for his win at Huntingdon. He couldn’t even take a ‘seller’ on the last day.
Jacbequick is quirky and doesn’t like to be with other horses; a bit like I feel about humans when there are politicians on TV.
Cougar Kid should be thereabouts but keeps going up in the weights for being placed without winning.
The answer to this may lie with a couple of lightly raced youngsters from capable yards, both having had recent runs.
Both stables have won with three of their last five starters, and it’s hard to choose between down-in-trip Peur De Rien (‘frightened of nothing’) at 7.0 BETDAQ offers and Falcon Sun (Dan Skelton) at 5.9.
Falcon Sun failed at Hereford (finished behind Cougar Kid), despite a wind op and first-time blinkers so I’m peur de rien
FOLLOW PHILLIP: THAT’S THE WAY
2.30 Leicester Phillip Hobbs has a 44% strike rate at Leicester, where Cotswold Way makes his first appearance in a handicap.
The horse he beat in a novices’ hurdle at Exeter, so easily that he was idling at the finish, went on to break into handicap company next time out and win.
Hillcrest Fire won here at Leicester in his very first hurdle but that was more than a year ago but it’s a worry that he’s failed to score in eight attempts since.
He’s been on the Flat, in a bumper and over hurdles, and looking quite the bridesmaid with 343332 form figures among the eight. Maybe Leicester will revive him but, as it stands, he makes a price for Cotswold Way.
Weebill may be a bigger threat, with Olly Murphy 3-3 here, and currently 6-13 still standing.
A winner over today’s trip at Ayr in the Spring and, not unexpectedly, out of his depth stepped up in trip trying a Listed at Cheltenham.
He was fractious at the start that day yet has a claimer on board this afternoon, and his yard has intimated that chasing could sort his head.
DAQMAN’S BETS
1.10 Lingfield (win 20)
BET 12pts win (nap) SWISS KNIGHT
2.00 Leicester (win 30)
BET 5pts win PEUR DE RIEN
2.30 Leicester (win 20)
BET 7.5pts win COTSWOLD WAY
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.
