DAQMAN IN 140-1 ASCOT ONE-TWO: Daqman’s Fortune Cookies landed the one-two in the Kings Stand Stakes yesterday for a 140-1 Ladbrokes forecast, winner at 4-1 and runner-up 33-1, and he also landed a place on Pedestal (3rd 14-1). His Kings Stand result:
WON 4-1 Profitable (from BETDAQ 5.9)
2ND 33-1 Cotai Glory (from BETDAQ 40.0)
HE NOW LEADS PRICEWISE BY 200: Daqman’s 3-1 win over Pricewise yesterday takes the season’s tally to 38-16. That brings the overall score in the sixth season of the challenge to 335-132, putting Daqman more than 200 winning bets ahead of his value-seeker rival on the Racing Post.
ROYAL ASCOT FORTUNE COOKIES: Usherette (3.40), A Shin Hikari, Found (4.20)
CHEERFUL WAY TO WIN AT ROYAL ASCOT
Nothing changes! Press and public continue to seriously underestimate horses (and prompt me to split my infinitive in disbelief). Only the weather caused me to waver about Cotai Glory (inconceivable that he was 33-1) and the opening of Royal Ascot will go down as the day the English opposed a Newmarket Guineas winner with French and Irish, and ashamedly lost; were thumped, in fact.
Nothing changes! The bookies will try to get you to back Coventry winner Caravaggio for next year’s Classics before – on my reckoning – 23 more top juvenile races in England, Ireland and France have still to be run this year and 15 Classic trials next Spring.
But what of the weather; the rain; the soft ground? In fact, none of the 16 soft-ground English, French and Irish horse I listed at the start of the races yesterday was able to win; only the superfast American, Tepin!
And today is also about another potential runaway, A Shin Hikari, which means lighthearted, cheerful in Japanese.
PLAY THE MUSIC FOR A ROYAL VICTORY
2.30 Royal Ascot (Jersey Stakes)
Guineas losers become winners here (six out of 10) and, with the Newmarket 2,000 resurrected by Galileo Gold yesterday, the third colt home at HQ, Ribchester, will be all the rage here.
But he didn’t seem to like it too soft when disqualified for hanging on heavy at Maisons in the Prix Jebel, and only Strong Suit (2011) in the decade has carried 9st 6lb to victory in this (five out of the frame since)
Jim Bolger hit a purple patch at the weekend and Herald The Dawn could improve for his eighth place at Newmarket, but also gives weight away all round.
Remarkable has done well but the purists won’t want to see a Jersey winner in blinkers (only the hooded Belardo was placed in the aids yesterday). Haalick wears visors for the first time.
Thikriyaat should continue to improve after just three runs but has done just enough in his races, not making any big leaps forward, though M Stoute sometimes has more up his sleeve than a stage magician.
Currently, there’s not much between Thikriyaat and Raucous on a line through Scrutineer. And, though all three are edged out at the weights by Ibn Malik on Free Handicap form, Paul hanagan stands by Thikriyatt.
Castle Harbour (stall 9) has accepted his education well, coming from behind at York after fighting for his head but still winning on the debut in soft ground.
Light Music is unexposed, the first of three runners for The Queen today; she has two in the Sandringham.
VERDICT: Light Music (19.5 offers on BETDAQ early mouse) has a lot to find but is unexposed and William Haggas admits there’s a lot more to come. Castle Harbour (6.6) has long had this as his target for the champion stable and has progressed well.
FORM LINES LEAD TO 17.0 CHANCE BARROCHE
3.05 Royal Ascot (Queen Mary Stakes)
Wesley ward has won this twice and holds Keeneland winner Lady Aurelia in high regard, booking Frankie Dettori.
She has worked well on grass; seems to have a nice draw in 14 (winners by stall have been 12, 16 and 20 in the last three seasons)
And the stable’s Acapulco scorched home in this last year.
However, scorched grass is not what can be expected on the track after yesterday’s pounding of the soft ground, and we often see these American rockets run out of fuel.
Roly Poly (stall 5) comes from the Curragh Caravaggio race but it’s probably sensible to expect something from a high stall to hold up on Lady Aurelia and catch her ss she flags (if she flags).
Jule In the Crown (in 16) is not far off Mehmas, who was runner-up to Caravaggio yesterday, but has it to do to beat Barroche (15) on collateral form. Barroche was huge at 17.0 in the orange morning, 10.5 Kachess appealed as the saver in case the other side of the track is triumphant.
10.0 LUCIDA A CLASSIC PLACE TO USHERETTE
3.40 Royal Ascot (Duke Of Cambridge Stakes)
Ten top fillies have tried and failed to carry a penalty in this in the last seven years, and the second and third in Usherette’s Dahlia Stakes at the Newmarket Guineas meeting –Arabian Queen and Amazing Maria – have fallen shot in groupo-1 races since.
As you do when you have a Fortune Cookie ante-post, you then try to find something to beat her on the day.
Jazzi Top was keen in the Dahlia – it was her first run back – and Furia Cruzada was hampered, though there wasn’t a penny for her this morning, not even from the Pricewise lemmings.
Always Smile was narrowly beaten in the Sandringhm on this day last year. Miss Temple City was fourth in the Coronation Stakes.
Always Smile would give Convey a massive boost for the Hunt Cup after their one-two in the Hambleton at York.
I’ll have my place bet on 10.0 chance Luciuda, second in the Curragh Guineas and third here last year in the Coronation Stakes, and ‘looked after’ on her reappearance behind Devonshire.
HAVE I FOUND ANOTHER ASCOT ONE-TWO
4.20 Royal Ascot (Prince Of Wales’s Stakes)
Reasons to be cheerful! The runaway winner of the Prix d’Ispahan should give Japan its first Royal Ascot winner.
And I hope that A Shin Hikari is followed home by Found, which would give me a second Fortune Cookies one-two in two days.
LAID-BACK PORTAGE TO CARRY OFF THE CUP
5.00 Royal Ascot (Royal Hunt Cup)
Just the one winning favourite n the decade and prices at 14-1, 16-1, 20-1, 28-1 and 33-1. In fact, apart from that favourite, the ‘expected’ winners were only from John Gosden (8-1 and 9-1)
One of them was Gm Hopkins who represents the Gosden stable today but has 6lb more than the highest weighted winner since 1980.
Spark Plug had beaten Gm Hopkins in their prep last year giving 3lb before (now 11lb better off) before falling in the Hunt Cup itself.
Balty Boys fourth last year, is 22lb better.
Convey’s neck second in a Group 3 makes him officially 7lb well in but he has won only his maiden, always a bad sign.
But Sir Michael Stoute, the horse whisperer of racing, understands horses very well and gelding and cheekpieces have seen him climb the ratings 11lb.
Portage looked good on the last day at The Curragh but gets a 5lb penalty. Beat ordinary handicappers at Ascot on soft last July but the great thing about him is that he is totally relaxed in his races. The fast pace here should wake him up for a final-furlong charge.
The 2015 French Guineas third, Mr Owen, should love the going. He drops back below his winning level (Deauville Listed) after an excellent return, third in a Group 2, when the 115-rated Ervedya was second, so he’s good for his mark.
Also dropped from Group company is Bossy Guest, third in the Jersey Stakes a year ago today, and with Silvestre de Sousa steering. He’s 10lb lower now.
Godolphin have been patient with Secret Brief, who had a fine run before flopping in the 2014 Dewhurst, and failing to find his form again until winning the Lincoln in March, better off today with the third, Battle Of Marathon, who was second in a Listed to Gm Hopkins over CD here at Ascot on the last day.
Godolphin have another big chance with Carry On Deryck, a good winner in Meydan, fourth in the Britannia at this meeting last year but up 7lb. Saeed bin Suroor also fancies Basem, who goes well fresh.
Donncha has finished in the first four three times out of three in good handicaps at Ascot, without too much attention from the handicapper.
Hasanour won good handicaps in June-July at The Curragh and at Galway, though always on as soundish surface.
Spirit Raiser and Man of Harlech have been laid out for the race but four-year-olds have won six out of nine.
VERDICT: Azraff (27.0) looked very professional on the straight mile at Newbury in May, beating a good yardstick. Portage (14.5), and Mr Owen (27.0) make up my 1-2-3.
ANAMBA TO WIN SANDRINGHAM FOR IRISH
5.35 Royal Ascot (Sandringham Handicap)
Nomoralia hammered Aljuljahlah six lengths at York but was only a length up on Sharaakah in the autumn (holds Czabo) before that one was well behind Alamode at Newmarket in a Group 3
Persuasive snd Anamba look progressive. Diploma could be anything. Mix And Mingle represents Guineas form. I’ll take Anamba at 9.8 and flirt with big juice from the orange with Alamode at 44.0.
DAQMAN’S ROYAL ASCOT BETS (stake as stated)
BULL’S-EYE BET (win 50) 9pts win CASTLE HARBOUR, and 2.7pts win and place LIGHT MUSIC (2.30)
BULL’S-EYE BET (win 50) 3pts win and place BARROCHE, and 3.5pts (to win 30) KACHESS (3.05)
BET (to win 30) 3pts win and place LUCIDA, and bet Fortune Cookie USHERETTE (3.40)
BET Fortune Cookies A SHIN HIKARI (nap) and FOUND (4.20)
BULL’S-EYE BETS (to win 50) 3.7pts win and place PORTAGE, 2pts win and place on each AZRAFF and MR OWEN (5.00)
BET (to win 30): 3.4pts win ANAMBA, and (win 50) 1pt win and place ALAMODE (5.35)
£25 IN FREE BETS
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