15 WINNING BANKERS OUT OF 20: It was buying money in the end – a better morning price on BETDAQ and in running – but Daqman landed his banker yet again yesterday. El Namoose (WON 1-5) was winner number 15 out of 20 for a 75% strike rate.
THAT MAKES A HAT-TRICK OF NAPS: El Namoose was landing a hat-trick of naps, following Shutthefrontdoor (WON 2-1) and Zaidpour (WON 8-13), another banker. He had winners of three races out of four yesterday, the two others, Volnay De Thaix (WON 13-8) and Ned Stark (WON 2-1).
FAB FRIDAY FOR FESTIVAL WINNERS: Daqman goes for four naps in a row this afternoon. But first he gives you a heads up on the Friday races this week which have produced Cheltenham Festival winners over the years.
CHECK OUT THE CHELTENHAM KINGMAKER
Cheltenham Festival four months early. If you must have ante-post bets on the 2015 festival, here are two rules: follow the winners of this weekend’s racing on the course and then grab the value on BETDAQ.
For huge prices, you could check out the BETDAQ markets now, anticipating the Cheltenham results on Friday and Saturday. Here’s where to look on Friday:
2.25 Friday (Steel Plate and Sections Novices’ Chase) Last year’s winner, Taquin De Seul, went on to take the JLT at the festival; and the 2012 winner, Dynaste, has since been second in the Jewson and winner of the Ryanair.
But Denman (2006) and Imperial Commander (2007) were the stars of this kingmaker race. Denman went on to win RSA and then Gold Cup; Imperial Commander, the Ryanair followed by the Gold Cup.
3.00 Friday (Neptune Novices Hurdle) Black Jack Ketchum (2005) and Massini’s Maguire (2006) both went on to win at the big Cheltenham meeting in March.
3.35 Friday (Glenfarclas Cross-Country) Spotthedifference (2004) and Balthazar KJing (2013) – so near and yet so far – both went on to take the cross-country championship in March.
So-near Balthazar King? This column had 39.0 on BETDAQ for the Grand National (2nd 14-1). What’s that I was saying about ante-post bets!
ACROSS THE BAY ON ROAD TO AINTREE
2.00 Bangor today (Anne Duchess Of Westminster Memorial Trophy) Don McCain had entered two Grand National prospects for this: Across The Bay (for this season) and Operating (‘one day’).
Ironically, the eponymous owner of the race title would not allow her great (the greatest ever?) steeplechaser, Arkle, to run in the National.
Across The Bay stands his ground of the McCain entries this morning: he won when fresh for the start of the 2012-13 season but that was deep in the mud that he loves.
Despite this preference, he has already run two fine races in the Aintree marathon on better ground: in 2013, he was with the leaders for a long way until hampered before tiring with the effort of recouping lost ground.
In April, on the last day, he was the ‘unlucky horse of the race’ (quote unquote Racing Post form) when clear at the water, carried so wide that it may well have cost him the National.
Bob Ford has won all his races left-handed and is a horse in form, though he has to step up two grades here, 2lb higher than for his comeback success.
Dursey Sound is another left-hand-only horse who has already scored in a class 2, but he has been raised a couple of pounds in defeat and is 10lb higher than for his last win.
Herdsman won on this card for Sue Smith a year ago but, now with Brian Ellison, is up in grade with 17lb more on his back. Offputting. What’s Happening’s stable is in form but it’s hard to catch him right.
Venetia Williams’ Howard’s Legacy won when fresh in 2012 and looks threatening at the bottom of the handicap in a race she’s won twice in four years (three runners).
I also fancy Knock A Hand, a bit of thinker so probably best caught fresh after a holiday. His stable had a winner yesterday and his form under Richard Johnson is 10211, still standing.
HURDLES PREP FOR HENNESSY RUNNER
EXETER Via Sundown (1.10), who has had eight months off with a serious injury, is back in good work, ‘a big, strong horse with ambitious owners,’ says Gary Moore in his Post stable tour. Watching brief in this hurdle in the mud.
Another Venetia Williams making his seasonal debut (she’s won with half a dozen on their comeback lately) is prolific scorer Jupiter Rex (1.40), tasty 7.4 this morning in the BETDAQ orange.
Best of the opposition may be Too Generous, 8.4 early mouse, who has form on soft-heavy of 11142 but on good 1003.
Virtuel d’Oudon (2.10) is described as ‘a little superstar’ by David Pipe but can he make the quick transition from hurdles to fences, straight into a handicap, starting his novice-chase career off the 127 he earned over the sticks?
Desert Joe has been in good form at home but it’s debatable whether he can cope with the hilly Exeter track and fences in his first chase after more than two years’ off and there’s no money for him this morning.
Ballyculla and Minellahalfcentury are both by Westerner, who made such a big impression as an NH stallion last season. Paul Nicholls admits that ‘Minella’ is taking a while getting fit, but is one to watch after a wind op during the summer. Both love soft-heavy.
Ballyculla’s yard has been flying. He has course form, was second in a class-2 hurdle at Cheltenham and his dam is a Saddlers Hall, so that his whole make-up suggests jumping fences and staying.
The giant Points winner, Tara Point, (4.10), by the stamina-laden sure, Kayf Tara, is very highly regarded by Paul Nicholls and looks a banker.
Did Nicholls’ Dormello Mo (2.40) flatten out at Chepstow because, in keeping with several others in the yard, he needed the run, or was there something more sinister behind his weak finish?
The application of a tongue-tie today suggests that he has problems, and Ditcheat lemmings will have to hope the nylon-stocking does the trick.
Ptit Zig (3.10) has not been jumping well at home and the near-minumum trip like this, with fastish fencing, would normally be a bit much for such a recruit.
But, with only four runners, the pace of the race is up for question and they are all, as the racehead says, beginners. But that’s another reason why taking odds on Ptit Zig is not for me.
Kings Lad was third at Newbury in his only start of the year so far to yesterday’s Hungtingdon winner, Volnay De Thaix, and a lot more is expected in the coming months.
He’s my opening gambit at 9.0. I can see Ptit Zig making mistakes and creating better offers than his derisory price this morning, so I’ll be looking for saver or to switch allegiance later on.
DAQMAN’S BETS (all bets staked to win 20 points, except the banker)
BET 3pts win JUPITER REX ands 2.7pts win TOO GENEROUS (1.40 Exeter)
BET 5pts win KNOCK A HAND and 3pts win HOWARD’S LEGACY (2.00 Bangor)
BET 6pts win BALLYCULLA (2.10 Exeter)
BET 2.5pts win KINGS LAND (3.10 Exeter)
BANKER: BET 20pts win (nap) TARA POINT (4.10 Exeter)
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