DAQMAN’S CLASSIC TEAM: HORSES TO FOLLOW: The Fortune Cookies are back! After a winning spree with his Early Birds on the Flat, including the 20-1 Lincoln winner, Daqman’s horses to follow now grow Classic wings and provide the key (there are 21 of them) for another super sequence like last year.
THREE MONDAY BETS: Early start for DAQMAN with bets in the 2.00 at Carlisle and 2.10 Redcar topped up with a selection in the Listed race at Windsor tonight.
RETURN OF THE FORTUNE COOKIES
We need more Bravery! After the success of the Early Birds, including Bravery (WON 20-1), Deauville (WON 6-4), Faithful Promise (Won 9-1), and Convey (WON 11-2, WON 11-10), we now have to consolidate the list with those which gave us our multiple choices in the Derby and the Oaks (see Archive).
This column settled for ante-post bets on Enable (25-1 to win 100 for the Oaks) and Cliffs Of Moher (10-1 to win 50 for the Derby).
But it’s time to check out all the trials and bring you the colts and fillies which will be worth following throughout the summer of Classics, and venues like The Curragh, Royal Ascot and Goodwood in England and Ireland, starting on Saturday.
Acapulco (Aidan O’Brien) Traded as high as 24.0 before getting up in the Sole Power Sprint at The Curragh, and interesting choice between Haydock and The Curragh on Saturday.
Cliffs Of Moher (Aidan O’Brien) This is what I wrote before Chester and York: ‘Forget Churchill for the Derby. Get ready for Cliffs Of Moher by taking around 10-1 with BETDAQ for Epsom.
‘By Galileo out of a Dansili mare, Cliffs has been working best of all among the Ballydoyle inner circle of three-year-old stars, with two Classics already in the bag. You could see Cliffs Of Moher in Friday’s Dee Stakes.’
You certainly did see him in the Dee Stakes. In my opinion the best trial winner so far, his only problem in the race being his greenness engaging his gears until driven to do so by Ryan Moore. Was then going away, beating Bay Of Poets by about the same margin as did Cracksman at Epsom (see below).
Convey (Sir Michael Stoute) Dominant on AW in UK. Not so good on turf in a Sha-tin Group 1 but that was a huge step up. His 111 rating probably precludes a handicap like the Royal Hunt Cup but back in the third grade, he should continue to develop.
Cracksman (John Gosden) Won the Epsom Derby Trial in the last stride from Permian and Bay of Poets. Swerved a rematch in the Dante on deep ground but didn’t have to run to grow in prestige.
Permian won it for him, franking the Epsom form, as did Bay Of Poets, who was third in one, second in t’other.
Crystal Ocean (Sir Michael Stoute) Huge hype of a gamble on the Derby before his Dante third to Permian was described as ‘a few tenners, perhaps’ by the stable but the York run marked him down as yet another Stoute improver, sure to open you a rewarding Fortune Cookie. ‘Could be anything.’
Defoe (Roger Varian) Some 29 sons and daughters of Dalakhani have reached six-figure sums as career totals, two of them into the millions, and the sky’s the limit for Defoe, who won the London Gold Cup, a kingmaker race which produces Group winners, notably the sensational Al Kazeem.
His dam’s sire is Pivotal so it was no surprise to see him deal comfortably with the holding Newbury ground.
Elbereth (Andrew Balding) Clearly very highly regarded, made to step up from class-2 AW to Group 2 turf (had run in that class in Europe) and finished second to Ballydoyle’s Somehow.
Enable (John Gosden) As a daughter of Nathaniel, Enable seemed to me a sure-fire improver, which is exactly what she’s been doing, up 23lb since her seasonal debut, revealing her potential when third behind her more dashing stablemater, Shutter Speed.
Then she quickened away from the Cheshire Oaks field, recommending herself for the Oaks but with the worry that the second horse, Ballydoyle’s Alluringly , was unliklely to be up with Rhododendron at home.
Faithful Promise (Mark Johnston) didn’t act on the deep soft at York but had impressed on top of the ground earlier this month. Put away now for Sales races in the summer.
Jack Hobbs (John Gosden) His Early Bird win was the Sheema Classic and the Irish Derby winner of 2016 has the Epsom weekend in his sights, plus his pick of the toppers at Royal Ascot.
Limato (Henry Candy) King’s Stand Stakes or Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot will show him in much better light than when he encountered soft ground in Meydan
Marsha (Sir Mark Prescott) Added for all the top sprints after her dramatic Palace House victory. First she has a choice of prep races at Haydock and The Curragh on Saturday.
Nimr, Peace Envoy (for Richard Fahey and Aidan O’Brien, respectively). I’ve left them in from the Early Birds list. I still think there’s another good handicap in Nimr, and Peace Envoy could be the best outsider in the Irish 2,000 Guineas
Mirage Dancer (Sir Michael Stoute) Stoutie again with a major work of racing art in progress. An unhurried, staying on fourth behind Cliffs Of Moher in the Dee Stakes marked out this son of Frankel for future reference.
Michael Holding, Sir Michael’s Bajan mate (sorry, Barbadian), says Mirage Dancer is best in the yard.
For those too young, so missed the mighty West Indian cricketer’s career (known as 6ft 4in of ‘Whispering Death’), he was due to bowl on after an incident had interrupted a Test Match, so the commentator, Brian Johnston, reminded us who was bowling and who was batting (Peter Willey). Said Johnston: ‘The bowler’s Holding; the batsman’s Willey.’
Natavia (Roger Charlton) Impressive on the soft at Newbury and, as another Nathaniel, should go on from there.
Projection (Roger Charlton) Not let himself down on firm ground, so Newmarket gamble failed but Wokingham was always the target
Rhododendron (Aidan O’Brien) Fillies Mile winner and 1,000 Guineas runner-up will be hard to beat in the Oaks
Ribchester (Richard Fahey) Champion display in the Lockinge, surging clear like a horse that has improved over the winter. Loves cut in the ground or might have beaten Minding on British Champions Day last year.
Shutter Speed (John Gosden) Beat a colt (and Enable) at Newbury before a dashing demolition of the Musidora field at York. Goes for the Prix de Diane (French Oaks).
Winter (Aidan O’Brien) Should have a great summer, after shooting clear for this column in the 1,000 Guineas (Rhododendron hampered and finished too late). Likely bid for the Irish 1,000 on Sunday.
NOTHING VENTURA NOTHING GAINED
2.10 Redcar Fahey has chances of an across the card double with Shazzab (and the NAP in the 2.20) who finished fourth on her debut at Beverley.
However, the form of Luis Fernandez’s debut third at Beverley to Time Trial looks stronger. The fourth from that race, Porchy Party, improved next time out to finish second (also at Beverley) and Luis Fernandez should be able to strike in a moderate looking event. He already holds Hot Rock and Poet’s Dawn on that Beverley run.
Benadalid defied odds of 50/1 to finish third on debut at Doncaster in division one of the Brocklesby but the ground is much quicker today.
2.20 Carlisle He’s not a Fortune Cookie but Ventura Dragon did go into DAQMAN’s notebook after his debut effort at Pontefract.
He was sent off the 2/1 favourite and could only finish third to a 33/1 shot but there was plenty to like about his run.
He was basically clueless for much of the race but when the penny did drop he knuckled down really well and was staying on best of all. He will know plenty more about the game today and should be suited by the tough finishing hill at Carlisle.
The Richard Fahey stable continue to knock in the winners on a healthy enough strike-rate with 13 winners from their last 92 runners.
Milton Road has been beaten twice at Brighton (a course I rarely rate the form from anyway) and was a six length third in a Chester maiden – he is already looking exposed.
A bigger danger may come from Shay C who was no match for the odds on Havana Grey at Ayr but it was an improved effort on his Doncaster debut and he was nibbled at in the market that day too.
7.25 Windsor (Listed) Raucous finished third in a Group 3 at Ascot last season and made a pleasing reappearance when winning at Chelmsford last month.
There’s still some give in the drying ground at Windsor which suit Raucous and that man again Ryan Moore is onboard.
Chief market rival is Mr Lupton (another big chance for Richard Fahey today) who won a Newmarket handicap last time out but has plenty of good form lines in better class races including a commendable fifth place in the Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock last September.
DAQMAN’S BETS:
BET 6pts win LUIS FERNANDEZ (2.10 Redcar)
BET 8pts win (nap) VENTURA DRAGON (2.20 Carlisle)
BET 5pts win RAUCOUS (7.25 Windsor)
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