HALLELUJAH FOR A SMALL PROFIT! No luck in two big Irish races yesterday but Daqman’s skilful staking plan shaded a profit of two points on the day – so that’s 81.20 up in two days – thanks to the late burst of Hallelujah (WON 2-1) in the sprint at Kempton, when he foiled the French raider, Happy Valentine, in a 1-2 for Daqman.
THE NATIONAL WINNER THIS WEEK? In his usual Monday preview, Daqman looks at a Thursday big race in Ireland which has produced back-to-back Grand National winners this century. His nap today is at Exeter, but it took three inspections to get the show on the road. Bangor has been abandoned.
IT’S ALL GOING GOOD: Daqman goes into the week, looking to add to his 10 consecutive lays and four bankers in a row. Here’s how his feature bets stand:
Bull’s-Eye Bets: Profit 57.50
Lays results: 1111111111
Bankers: 1111
Challenge: Daqman 13, Pricewise 8
THYESTES GETS TOUGHER FOR DJAKADAM
There’s Aintree in the air. I always get a whiff of the spruce as time comes around for the Thyestes Chase, one of the most famous Grand National trials of old, returned to form this century with the back-to-back wins for Ireland of Hedgehunter and Numbersixvalverde.
It’s one of the quirks of racing that this major stamina test at Gowran Park on Thursday should be named after a 1930 Newmarket two-year-old. The last English winner of the race was in 1997 (Come on, Bradders!)
There’s not a single Thyestes raider on Thursday but Irish stables that have scored in the decade are back, notably Willie Mullins (four winners this century) with Djakadam and Tony Martin with Leinster National winner Gallant Oscar.
‘Oscar’ has been keeping his mark down for the start of the road to Aintree with three runs over hurdles, since unseating in the Irish Grand National. Four of Martin’s five Thyestes runners this century have made the first five.
With Foxrock taking in the Leopardstown Chase yesterday, and winning it like a very good horse, the new top weight on Thursday will be Djakadam, and this is a really tough test for the six-year-old, who couldn’t handle the Newbury Hennessy in November.
Foxrock’s defection still leaves Mouse Morris’s Coyningham Cup runner-up Rogue Angel, and Michael Hourigan’s The Job Is Right (Irish Grand National fifth and PP Chase fourth) 2lb out of the handicap but their connections will be pleased with that.
England’s main feature this week is the Great Yorkshire on Saturday but then we’re straight back to Leopardstown for the Irish Arkle and Champion Hurdle on Sunday (seventh clash of Hurricane Fly and Jezki).
And we still have the Irish Hennessy meeting to come at Leopardstown in early February. With this plethora of trials and championship events at Leopardstown, no wonder the Irish know what they’re doing when they travel over to Prestbury Park.
Meanwhile some of the home contingent will be pinning its hopes on Saturday’s trials day at Cheltenham (Triumph Hurdle trial, Argento Chase).
YOU CAN PIT HER AGAINST BETDAQ LAYERS
2.50 Exeter Some class-4 contests, in which the form should be fairly reliable, particularly in this mares’ hurdle.
Queen Of The Stage, bought expressly by the owner for daughter Lizzie Kelly to ride, was an instant success for her over further here last month.
But Pitter Patter ran today’s top-weight to a head at Ludlow over the minimum trip, giving her 7lb, and deserves to be favourite, yet was 6.2 in the BETDAQ orange early mouse.
The pundits are saying that Queen Of The Stage has come on more since but I think Pitter Patter can be forgiven her subsequent failure to leap the wide gap between a class-4 maiden and a Listed. Front-runners Kozmina Bay and Lady Garvagh should make it a true test today.
ARTIST TO WIN BATTLE OF WOLVER BONDS
2.40 Wolverhampton The Ladbrokes Handicap has been divided, with the Neil Mulholland stable getting the luck of the split, with one left in each division.
Lions Charge (2.40), twice placed on the Dundalk Polytrack, has switched to Mulholland from the David Nagle yard in Tipperary and – as with Arc Warrior at Bangor – a change of scenery often brings about improvement.
Warden Bond’s CD success on this Tapeta 17 days ago cost him only a 4lb rise and he’s still 6lb lower than for another CD win here in 2013. He’s put back-to-back wins together before.
But my idea of the winner is not Warden Bond but Bond Artist, from the stable that won the race last year and is in good form. Bond Artist is best caught fresh, winning early last year after a winter break: 10.5 on BETDAQ this morning.
3.40 Wolverhampton I’m taking a punt with Percys Princess (10.5 on BETDAQ this morning) in the class-3 fillies’ handicap, as a front-runner dropped back in trip for a stable in form.
Andrew Balding, trainer of 1m 4f filly Elbereth, has lost his edge and has had only one success this year. Ed Walker hasn’t had any, and Persona Grata, who failed to climb out of class 5 into class 4 last time, now tries to make it in class 3.
DAQMAN’S BETS (stakes 1 to 9 for strength; 10 points win is a banker)
BET 2.75pts win BOND ARTIST and 1pt win (stakes saver) WARDEN BOND (2.40 Wolverhampton)
BET 5pts win PITTER PATTER (nap) and 1.75pts win (stakes saver) QUEEN OF THE STAGE (2.50 Exeter)
BET 2pts win PERCYS PRINCESS (3.40 Wolverhampton)
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