IT’S A MEETING FOR TIGERS AND KINGS: Tiger Roll, Blaklion, Balthazar King. What do they have in common? All were Daqman bets at the Cheltenham Festival; all won at the two-day Cheltenham meeting starting today. Which are this season’s stars prepping for championship status in March on this sunny day at Jumping’s HQ?
VALUE DUEL SEES DAQMAN LEADING 7-4: Daqman holds a 7-4 lead over Pricewise in the 11th season of their value challenge but he needs a good winner! He currently shows a deficit (profit +0.64) against Pricewise (+7.33) but both are in the black. They clash today in the 3.05 and 3.40 races. Headlines:
IT’S ON A PLATE AT THE WEIGHTS
IBIS DU RHEU TO STAY ON TOP
NOT FUISSE ABOUT THE GROUND
THIS IS A BLACK OP FOR TULIP
ROCK SOLID FOR STAMINA TEST
COMEDY OR A BOLGER DRAMA?
A WORTHY WINNER OF THE LAST
IT’S ON A PLATE AT THE WEIGHTS
12.10 Cheltenham The novice races at the start of the meeting have cut up badly; rarely do trainers want to risk their novices at this tough venue early on in their careers.
The reverse is the case with Elixir De Nitz. Colin Tizzard has raced him ONLY at Cheltenham. His success here in the Supreme trial from hat-trick winner Itchy Feet counts 10lb against him today.
It’s the first hurdle race for both I K Brunel and Monsieur d’Arque but Jarveys Plate ran well on his debut and is bred for stamina, so I’ll have a pound (I said that yesterday about a 14-1 winner and forget to put the pound in the list at the end; hope you were on!)
IBIS DU RHEU TO STAY ON TOP
12.45 Cheltenham Paul Nicholls, who trained the winner of this four times in six seasons up to 2013, reckons Ibis Du Rheu a National horse so this winner here a month ago could follow up over today’s longer trip (BETDAQ 5.7).
He has to beat The World’s End, who is 8lb better off for the three lengths between them that day, but Ibis is a hard horse to get fit so could improve massively on that performance.
Their meeting again here over further suggests that both may be aimed at the NH Chase (4m) at the festival rather than the RSA.
Lil Rockerfeller is back to form with a four-timer (three from three over fences). He’s never been a great Cheltenham fan – 320420 before scoring on the last day – and made several mistakes even when breaking his duck here.
NOT FUISSE ABOUT THE GROUND
1.20 Cheltenham The grey Al Dancer has earned a tilt at this with back-to-back wins on the soft and, if you’re contemplating beautiful thoughts about Smaoineamh Alainn winning again, his victory in this race last year was also on the soft.
Reckoned a top chaser of the future, Not That Fuisse has won three times on ‘good’ but seemed to struggle when introduced to Cheltenham on the last day.
Magic Dancer has scored twice here but his revised rating seems to have him pegged. The handicapper also seems to be in charge of Champagne City.
Highest Sun was hanging at Ascot and may prefer going left-handed today but four-year-olds are not normally ready to win a race like this (score 1-10 in the decade).
THIS IS A BLACK OP FOR TULIP
1.55 Cheltenham Not much between Midnight Target and The Bay Birch on their Springtime one-two here in a novice Listed.
Inch Lala (penalised like Silent Steps) and Synopsis have won only on deep ground, and Miss Night Owl is trying a longer trip in the hope that it solves her jumping problems.
A 7.6 offer on BETDAQ this morning, Black Tulip may also do better over further for the same reason. They came for Skewiff overnight but I can’t see it myself.
ROCK SOLID FOR STAMINA TEST
2.30 Cheltenham Mon Mome (Grand National) and The Package (Kim Muir) won major stamina tests after taking this 3m 2f chase.
The race would be a good stepping stone to Aintree for Rock The Kasbah (see my horses-to-follow lists), and he looks good value at 6.2 in the BETDAQ orange as I write.
He had Singlefarmpayment, So Fine and Cogry behind when winning a similar marathon here at the last meeting.
Success earlier in the day for Ibis Du Rheu would boost Theatre Territory – there was a length between them here on the last day – but his bridesmaid form of 2232332 is offputting.
Kerrow would have finished in front of Rolling Dylan at Bangor on the last day but fell at the last.
Coo Star Sivola seems to want plenty of give in the ground and El Bandit, a prolific hurdler, still has it to prove over fences.
COMEDY OR A BOLGER DRAMA?
3.05 Cheltenham French raider Amazing Comedy didn’t last the trip when tackling the Festival cross-country behind Cause Of Causes and Bless The Wings, but he has a huge weight pull today and, if he’s going to win a Glenfarclas, it would have to be this one.
Val Noir De Kerser, nearly 20 lengths behind him at Compiegne on the last day, is a front runner so even less of a chance he’ll get this trip.
Fact of The Matter is usually a tearaway, too, but so nearly turned over Enda Bolger’s Josies Orders when held up here over the CD in November (Bless The Wings outpaced on ground like today’s).
Bolger has the improving My Hometown (9.0 on BETDAQ) getting an even bigger concession than Amazing Comedy (4.7), so I’ll leave this to the pair of them.
A WORTHY WINNER OF THE LAST
3.40 Cheltenham ‘At Fishers Cross was just five when he won this 3m hurdle (2012) on the way to winning the Albert Bartlett. That age group has few representatives but Worthy Farm would be a good one on Friday’.
That was my preview earlier in the week and I see no reason to change my mind, though I’ve followed the rise and rise of Aaron Lad.
It’s probably time to be a deserter, now he’s up a stone since he landed me a 13-2 nap in the Spring. Great Trango’s been hit 13lb for finishing second! All the more reason for taking BETDAQ 5.0 Worthy Farm.
DAQMAN BETS
12.10 Cheltenham (win 10)
BET 4.5pts win JARVEYS PLATE
12.45 Cheltenham (win 20)
BET 4pts win (nap) IBIS DU RHEU
1.20 Cheltenham (win 20)
BET 3pts win NOT THAT FUISSE
1.55 Cheltenham (win 20)
BET 3pts win BLACK TULIP
2.30 Cheltenham (win 50)
BULL’S-EYE BET 9.5pts win ROCK THE KASBAH
3.05 Cheltenham (win 30)
BET 8pts win AMAZING COMEDY
BET 3.75pts win MY HOMETOWN
3.40 Cheltenham (win 20)
BET 5pts win WORTHY FARM
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