THREE NAPS OUT OF FOUR: 10 FROM 15: Daqman’s naps are still on fire! He made it three out of the last four, and 10 out of 15, with Fire Flyer yesterday, giving him a 41% strike rate this year (15-36), with an overall profit of 15 points. Two 🔺Fortune Cookies and a bull’s-eye bet have also won in the last four days.
WON 5-6 FIRE FLYER (nap) Tuesday
WON 11-8 THE DOYEN CHIEF (🔺FORTUNE COOKIE) Tuesday
WON 6-1 HEART WOOD (bull’s-eye bet BETDAQ 11.5 to win 50) Sunday
WON 6-4 FACT OR FILE (🔺FORTUNE COOKIE) Sunday
WON 10-11 LIARI (nap, at 2.98 on BETDAQ) Sunday
WON 100-30 AFADIL (nap from BETDAQ 5.7) Saturday
See Sunday for rest of the naps record since January 20
IRISH BREAK GRAND NATIONAL RECORD: Today Daqman traces the rise and rise of Irish horses in the Grand National from Vincent O’Brien to Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins, as a record Irish contingent is revealed for 2024.
WATCH THIS SPACE: See How They Won, preps planned, ante-post bets
IT ALL BEGAN WITH 100-1 WIN
It’s the second richest country in the world. Its owners and trainers are ready to take over Cheltenham in March (again). And it has nearly two-thirds of the Grand National cake on the table.
The aim of the 61 Irish contenders for Aintree from a total of 94, announced yesterday, is to keep the winners mounting from these moments of history that began more than 75 years ago.
1947 It had been snowing knee deep over England and few horses were fit as the 100-1 ‘no hoper’ Caughoo, a horse with a Cavan name and connections, who was being prepared on Fingal beach. He won at Aintree in dense fog.
1953, 54, 55 Soon to be legendary trainer of six Derby winners, the Tipperary wizard Vincent O’Brien starts out over jumps with perhaps the greatest hat-trick of any great race: Early Mist, Royal Tan, Quare Times won consecutive Nationals.
1975 Just one isolated Irish hit but a great one. Dual Gold Cup winner L’Escargot belied his name of ‘snail’ at age 12, ridden for Dan Moore by Tommy Carberry. The runner-up was Red Rum, who won three times in his own right.
1999 to 2007 The trickle of winners became the roar of an unstoppable river of great Grand National names from Ireland: Bobbyjo, Papillon, Monty’s Pass, Hedghunter, Numbersixvalverde, Silver Birch.
2016, 2018 to 2022 Another avalanche. Mouse Morris (Rule The World) puts Gigginstown on the Aintree map, and they win two more Nationals with the phenomenon, Tiger Roll.
Minella Times, the first winner ridden by a woman (Rachael Blackmore for Henry De Bromhead) and Noble Yeats (Emmet Mullins) are the most recent Irish stars in 2021 and 2022.
Willie Mullins (Hedgehunter) has 13 hopefuls in the record 61 Irish entries (65% of the total) for the 4pm marathon on Saturday, April 13.
Gordon Elliott (Silver Birch and Tiger Roll twice) has 26, topping his 22 for the 2019 National.
BETDAQ SPORTSBOOK 15 Corach Rambler, Mahler Mission; 17 Capodanno, Panda Boy, Vanillier; 21 Ain’t That A Shame, Kittys Light, Meetingofthewaters, Monbeg Genius, Noble Yeats; 26 Hewick, I Am Maximus, Nassalam; 34 Conflated, Delta Work, Desertmore House, Glengouly, Latenightpass, Minella Indo, Mr Incredible.; 41 Chemical Energy and Galvin.
BONTTAY’S RECOVERY MISSION
⭕ 3.20 Ludlow Bonttay was sent off favourite in a much hotter class 2 event at Cheltenham last time out and at only slightly shorter odds is surely a solid bet at this lower level.
She could easily have won at Cheltenham but for unseating at the second last – a rare jumping error from the mare who can continue to build on the promise she showed with wins at Kelso and Hereford.
The handicapper hasn’t punished her which – despite the unseat – he could easily have done and she is kept on a mark of 123.
Main danger will be Masked Dance who coasted home by 25 lengths at Doncaster last time out. The favourite pulled up in the race but it would be churlish to crab the form too much as she won exceptionally well but has been clobbered with an 11lb rise to go alongside the step up in class.
SEEN THE LIGHT
⭕ 7.00 Kempton Northern raider Symbol Of Light can plunder the feature class 2 handicap of the night.
The Julię Camacho trained runner is still relatively lightly raced and his steady improvement in handicaps can be rewarded here.
He ran well over course and distance in November when third to Choisya and followed that up with a solid effort at Newcastle on New Year’s Day when taking silver medal behind Dear My Friend who has won since as indeed has the third that day Fantastic Fox.
The key selling point for him today though is the upward trajectory he is apparently on versus horses who seem to have peaked and are in the grip of the handicapper.
They would include both Greatgadian who went up 5lb for winning at Newcastle (only a class 4) but has met defeats subsequently at Lingfield, Newcastle and Southwell but the handicapper is steadfastly keeping the Roger Varian trained runner on the same mark.
Also Aratus (Clive Cox 2 winners from last 5 runners) is another continuing to run well but as often is the case for a horse that wins four-in-a-row, as he did earlier in his career, he keeps the handicapper on the side of caution.
MAGIC TRICK IN FINALE
⭕ 8.30 Kempton Capstan heads up the Betdaq Betting Exchange market after his win at Lingfield last time out when he was well backed and the trainer could offer no explanation for the apparent improvement in form.
It did come in a weak event and the subsequent hike of 6lb would put me off in a race that looks a lot hotter.
Trainer Simon Earle has scored with his only runner so far this month and has a good chance here with Nivelle’s Magic who is really consistent at this level.
The mare has won three of her last four starts and looks overpriced given she has run well after a break before.
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.20 Ludlow (win 10, nap)
BET 7.9pts win BONTTAY
7.00 Kempton (win 10)
BET 5.2pts win SYMBOL OF LIGHT
8.30 Kempton (win 10)
BET 2pts win NIVELLES MAGIC
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