AINTREE: GRAND CLIMAX: The Aintree meeting will decide the British trainers title over Jumps and Daqman checks out the first-day BETDAQ betting, with an eye to the big three: Nicholls, Mullins and Skelton.
CONFLATED SWITCHED? The Grand National top-weight has been declared for the Melling Chase on Friday, so may leave the way open for Kittys Light to make the cut.
1,000 GUINEAS BOOST: Godolphin’s Dance Sequence got a big boost from the French trials yesterday, one of them won by stablemate Romantic Style.
APPLEBY PUTS ON THE STYLE
LET’S DANCE! All eyes are on Charlie Appleby’s Newmarket 1,000 Guineas hope, Dance Sequence, after the stable toppled the French favourite in yesterday’s Prix Imprudence.
In a slow-run race on heavy ground, William Buick sent Appleby’s Romantic Style into the lead and held the 9-10 French favourite, Ramatuelle, half a length.
It looked like a race of sprinters, with Ramatuelle too fresh, fighting restraint, but they are likely to meet again in the French 1,000 with neither looking Newmarket material.
SKELTON’S NATIONAL TITLE..
THE £500k-to-the-winner Grand National could decide the British trainers’ title between Dan Skelton (just £30k in front) and Paul Nicholls but a win for Willie Mullins would make the race three-way.
All would then depend on other winners over the three days, with entries – including duplications – as follows: Dan Skelton 46, Willie Mullins 40, Paul Nicholls 24.
Betting on the opening day tomorrow was available this morning on BETDAQ, with one outright favourite each to Mullins and Skelton.
1.45 Aintree, tomorrow 1.98 Grey Dawning (Skelton), 4.3 Ginnys Destiny (Nicholls), 4.5 Il Etait Temps (Mullins).
2.20 Aintree, tomorrow 4.1 Kargese (Mullins), 5 Kalif Du Berlais (Nicholls).
2.55 Aintree, tomorrow 9 Bravemansgame (Nicholls)
3.30 Aintree, tomorrow 2.8 Impaire Et Passe (Mullins), 10 Langer Dan (Skelton).
4.05 Aintree, tomorrow 6 Annamix (Mullins), 9 Bennys King (Skelton)
4.40 Aintree, tomorrow 7 Unexpected Party (Skelton), 7 Saint Roi (Mullins), 8 Heltenham (Skelton), 11 Sans Bruit (Nicholls).
5.15 Aintree, tomorrow 3.45 Baby Kate (Mullins), 8 Jubilee Alpha (Nicholls), 13 Listen To Your Heart (Skelton), n/o Honky Tonk Highway (Skelton)
.. HE IS MR HOPE STREET
⭕ 2.30 Market Rasen The Lincolnshire track is Skelton’s third best for winners and, with time running out in the championship chase, he has four runners here pre-Aintree, including in a bumper.
Jet Plane (3.00) has never been able to put two wins together; in fact, never two races together. The two wins you see in 2023 were 146 days apart.
Smurfette (3.30) comes to drying ground in her first handicap, with no strong recommendation for her 100 mark and no form whatsoever on ground that isn’t soft-heavy.
So I’ll try Mr Hope Street (Betdaq Betting Exchange 6.0) in this 2.30 handicap hurdle, suddenly stepped up by around half a mile and dropped down a grade; his relatives did well at this trip plus.
⭕ 3.10 Wolverhampton Michael Bell has a very poor strike-rate here and it was no surprise to students of the stats that Beveragino made it to 0-6 in her run of defeats on this course the last day.
She was third, beaten comfortably by Arcturian, though the gelding was giving her 12lb over 7f.
Not for the first time at this trip, Beveragino tried to make all and was run down in the final furlong.
Her dropping down to 6f today could appeal to form punters – I hope so – and create better offers for No Half Measures (2.28 on BETDAQ as I write).
She is with the same stable as Beveragino’s latest conqueror, Arcturian, and is progressing well.
Runner-up here at the beginning of March and kept on well to break her maiden at Lingfield three weeks ago under George Rooke, who keeps the mount.
CHEEKY 10.0 FOR TORCHLIGHT
⭕ 3.52 Lingfield Richard Hughes, trainer of No Half Measures, will be hoping Sandy Paradise can add to her 7f strike at Kempton in June.
But she has struggled with the few pounds extra in eight races since, though managing five places, and narrowly beaten swapping blinkers for cheekpieces the last day.
Counsel has scored only in class 5; Dembe is without a win in two years; and Legal Reform gives weight all round, despite lack of success at today’s level.
I had a flash of inspiration for Torchlight, 10.0 offered on BETDAQ, under Billy Loughnane.
Torchlight ran well at Lingfield in a higher grade (class 2), first time tongue-tied after moving from Team Gosden to George Boughey. Cheekpieces added today.
DAQMAN’S BETS
2.30 Market Rasen (win 20)
BET 4pts win MR HOPE STREET
3.10 Wolverhampton (win 13, nap)
BET 10pts win NO HALF MEASURES
3.52 Lingfield (win 10)
BET 1pt win and place TORCHLIGHT
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