15.5 ON BETDAQ: WINS AT 9-1: Daqman’s search for big value highlights the huge morning offers available on BETDAQ, as it did again yesterday, with 15.5 about a 9-1 winner to add to his big-race bonanza on Saturday.
Tuesday: Epsom Spring Meeting
WON 9-1 BELLUM JUSTUM (Blue Riband Trial) BETDAQ 15.5 taken
Saturday: Ayr Scottish Festival
WON 7-1 SHARJAH (Scottish Champion Novice)
WON 18-1 MACDERMOTT (Scottish Grand National)
GUINEAS FORM AND RATINGS: Sandown on Friday and Saturday says goodbye to the Jumps with a gold cup and mixes the best of the Flat with a Classic Trial. Daqman wants more big winners; meanwhile he fits together the jigsaws of form for the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas.
THE TOP EIGHT IN THE GUINEAS
⭕ 2,000 GUINEAS God’s Window has been taken out of the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas (May 1) to run instead in the Irish 2,000 on May 28.
God’s Window (Dubawi out of a Nathaniel mare) was third in the Futurity at Doncaster and has been seen already this year, making all at Nottingham (soft), an eight-lengths plus winner in a small-field novice event.
This leaves Eben Shaddad as John and Thady Gosden’s sole Newmarket Guineas hope, beaten by City of Troy in the Dewhurst and by Haatem in the Craven Stakes last week.
Top contenders with their ratings are:
125 CITY OF TROY (Aiden O’Brien) Beat Haatem six lengths and more in the Superlative Stakes on the July Course last July and then won the Dewhurst easily from Alyanaabi, with Eben Shaddad third, and Henry Adams and Haatem behind (again beaten six lengths, fifth).
The fourth colt home, Henry Adams, was another Guineas withdrawal yesterday after his fifth in the all-age Gladness Stakes on Sunday. Unquestionable is also out.
119 HENRY LONGFELLOW (Aiden O’Brien) Three in a row as a two-year-old, including the National Stakes at the Curragh, with Bucanero Fuerte 12 lengths and more third.
117 ROSALLION (Richard Hannon) Third in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster (soft) to Iberian and Sunway (David Menuisier), who was beaten in his Longchamp test earlier this month and is another Newmarket Guineas withdrawal in favour of the Dante/Irish Derby route.
Rosallion was last seen readily winning the Lagardere (7f good to soft) at the Arc meeting in Paris from Unquestionable, Beauvatier and Henry Adams. Beauvatier was beaten in his Prix Fontainebleau test at Longchamp 10 days ago.
115 ANCIENT WISDOM (Charlie Appleby) Nearly five-lengths third to Rosallion at Ascot in July, with Alyanaabi fourth and Sunway sixth, but then won the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket and the Futurity at Doncaster (heavy), with God’s Window third.
114 ALYANAABI (Owen Burrows) See City Of Troy and Ancient Wisdom
113 IBERIAN (Charles Hills) Runner-up to Haatem in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, was only sixth in the Dewhurst (see City Of Troy) but in between won the Champagne Stakes (see Rosallion)
112 TASK FORCE (Ralph Beckett) Son Of Frankel kept to 6f last season; won two before, slow away, runner-up to Vandeek in the Middle Park Stakes, with third 112 RIVER TIBER (Aiden O’Brien), who was also third to Vandeek in the Prix Morny at Deauville.
⭕ TOMORROW: 1,000 Guineas
MULLINS’ TITLE IN SIGHT
⭕ 3.55 Perth If it’s not mathematically certain yet, surely it will be soon – possibly even before Sandown’s end of season closer on Saturday?
As it stands:
1️⃣ £3,087,248 Willie Mullins
2️⃣ £2,907,463 Dan Skelton
3️⃣ £2,834,334 Paul Nicholls
Put it this way …. I don’t think we are going to be down to looking at goal difference !!
There’s no let up from Mullins who sends four runners to Perth on Wednesday – two of them likely to go off odds-on.
Later on the card his Figaroc bids to record his first win over fences in this two mile handicap chase.
A soft ground Clonmel winner over hurdles, Figaroc has been running fine over fences including a Listed race third at Gowran Park last month and he should appreciate this drop in grade.
However this probably wasn’t the original plan and there might be value elsewhere.
Gunsight Ridge, trained by Olly Murphy whose yard are in great form, is another class dropper who is tried in headgear for the first time. His recent third to Heltenham at Newbury in a class 2 event reads really well in the context of this race and he looks a little bit of value on the Betdaq Betting Exchange against the Mullins fav.
NICHOLLS WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ……
⭕ 4.42 Taunton Paul Nicholls can make some inroads into Dan Skelton’s tally in what could easily become a race for second spot.
Meatloaf wasn’t at his best here last time but previously had won two out of three and two out of three ain’t bad! (EDITOR: enough Meatloaf puns now please). The return to the better ground should be a positive.
Whilst this is a novice event the handicap marks confirm that there is very little between the front four on what they have achieved so far.
I’m most afraid of Recoup who is still probably the most progressive of the quartet.
ALL EYES ON HAWK
⭕ 7.00 Taunton Swift Hawk can complete a Daqman Nicholls double by landing this handicap hurdle.
He was really impressive when winning here over Christmas and can be excused a flop when an odds-on third at Stratford last time out when the heavy ground was most likely to be blamed.
He had good form on good to firm ground on the flat and should be able to resume winning ways in this company.
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.55 Perth (win 10)
BET 5.0pts win GUNSIGHT RIDGE
4.42 Taunton (win 10)
BET 5.0pts win MEATLOAF
7.00 Taunton (win 10, nap)
BET 7.1pts win SWIFT HAWK
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