GOLD NAP AND LAY BOTH LANDED FOR DAQMAN: Daqman yesterday landed his third nap of the week with Rathlin Rose (WON 9-4) in the Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown. At the same meeting he forecast the defeat of odds-on favourite Et Moi Alors (2ND 1-2). It was successful lay number eight from 11 this year.
TWICE AS MANY WINNING BETS AS PRICEWISE: Today his 20-1 ante-post Grand National bet, Blaklion, runs in the National trial at Haydock. The trial forms part of the challenge between Daqman and Pricewise today with the scores 18-9 to our man, who is 46 points in front (+36 to -10).
AT THE DOUBLE: SUPERNAPS AND ANTE-POST: Feature of the betting day is a double of supernaps at Gowran Park, both better than even money, so one win break even, two crack the bottle. There are also two ante-post bets on BETDAQ, one for the Gold Cup, one more for the Grand National.
PRESENTING DUKE’S DEFEAT
1.30 Haydock (Victor Ludorum) Top Notch was only just beaten in the Triump Hurdle after taking this in 2015. Frodon (2016) went chasing and won the autumn Cheltenham Gold Cup that year.
Only the Triumph outsider Lisp from today’s field has a big-race entry, and is a backable price.
2.00 Gowran Park (Red Mills Chase) Our Duke has 8lb and more in hand on the ratings, and is fourth best for the Cheltenham Gold Cup at 15.5 in the BETDAQ ante-post orange, with a repeat in the Irish Grand National his April target.
He was 23 lengths in front of A Toi Phil in their novice days, and the official ratings say he is still at least 10 better.
Ballycasey won a modest renewal of this Red Mills a year ago but has slumped 7lb in the ratings since Presenting Percy is the improver, his success in the Porterstown Chase at Fairyhouse taking his chase ratings just above his hurdles mark (won the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham).
NOTHING VENTURED..
2.25 Ascot The money is for the young improvers here: Another Venture (3.95 on BETDAQ) and Holly Bush Henry (4.5 as I write) in a battle of claiming riders.
Regal Encore is a glass horse who has won here but has also flopped here. He doesn’t keep his form, which is best on a sounder surface, and there hasn’t been any money for him in three years now, despite his being owned by J P McManus.
Winner of this last year off the same mark, Tenor Nivernais is also in and out but the market always speaks for him. He loves the mud and his Ascot form is 4131.
Vieux Lion Rouge has run well in two Grand Nationals but was out of form over the big fences last time out and needs to bounce back to the form of his second in today’s race two years ago.
Holly Bush Henry has James Bowen in the plate but this is a bit of a check on what direction to take – he’s currently headed for the Pertemps Hurdle Final at Cheltenham – and I prefer Another Venture, who jumps superbly and stays this trip really well
2.45 Wincanton (Kingwell Hurdle) Katchit won this on the way to his 2008 Champion Hurdle but another of Alan King’s, Yanworth, has been a huge disappointment after taking this a year ago.
Kingy tries his dual handicap winner, Elgin, but he was beaten when trying to break into Graded company on the last day.
Second to Yanworth last year, Ch’Tibello has come up against My Tent Or Yours and The New One the last twice.
The improver this time is Call me Lord, a Sandown winner so should be at home at Wincanton.
YOUR TICKET TO VEGAS..
3.10 Gowran Park (Red Mills Trial Hurdle) Won by five odds-on favourites in seven years, four trained Willie Mullins (including Un De Sceaux).
He now saddles Lagostovegas, third at the Galway Festival over hurdles, then third on the Flat in the English Cesarewitch.
Identity Thief has been chasing since he won the 2015 Fighting Fifth and his hurdles form since returning to the smaller obstacles has been modest.
So Mick Jazz looks the biggest danger but on the ratings and at the weights is giving ‘Vegas’ 7lb too much.
3.15 Haydock I’d forgotten all about my 20-1 Blaklion for the Grand National and obviously I hope he wins today and helps us to sell huge ‘overs’ or a can’t-lose lay.
Mud-loving Wild West Wind tries to redeem his Welsh National fall but the one at the weights that could make his name today is The Dutchman, getting nearly a stone.
The Dutchman swerves the Eider to have a go at the Grand National fences and today’s a day when several reputations could be soaring while those horses are still big odds for Cheltenham and Aintree.
Have a bit of 6.4 The Dutchman for today’s race and 31.0 on BETDAQ for the Grand National.
TREASURE ISLAND GOLD DIG
3.35 Ascot Chase I think many of the 200 ‘experts’ on the Racing Post are dormice. This event is billed as ‘the race of the season’. I’m struggling to make it the race of the year so far, certainly not the season. And value ‘expert’ Pricewise can’t even find a tip in it.
The Newtonian front page also tells us that Huddersfield are going for an upset against Man U. You don’t say!
Am I missing something? Maybe Dom Deluise will suddenly pop up in the centrefold and say: ‘Surprise, surprise!’
Monet’s Garden took this aged 12 and Cue Card, who has won it twice, goes for back-to-back success, also now 12.
Half his age, Frodon, won 17 lengths at Cheltenham on heavy last time, but was more than 10 behind an impressive Top Notch over today’s Ascot CD in November. His form on today’s course is 111 but there are two more hot seven-year-olds running.
Few would begrudge victory for six-in-a-row Waiting Patiently, now trained my Malcom Jefferson’s daughter, Ruth. He’s bred in Jumps royalty, by Flemensfirth out of a Beneficial mare.
Another Flemensfirth looked showed potential over today’s Ascot CD around Christmas time. We are also waiting on Coney Island’s Milan mare to produce a good one but she is related to Wichita Lineman and Rhinestone Cowboy.
I agree with Pricewise (ring the bells that still can ring) that value is hard to find but surely a single-figure quote with today’s sponsors of this trial for Coney Island in the Cheltenham Gold Cup suggests that he is overpriced here as only third favourite (4.7 on BETDAQ).
And, if you fancy his chances, it’s only fair (!) to tell you that you can get nearly twice those mean sponsor’s offers on BETDAQ: 15.5 this morning.
This ‘race of the season’ bit could just be better than baloney on a roll so, just in case Coney island wins like a superstar, we will have a bit of that fabulous 15.5.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20)
1.30 Haydock
BET 7pts win LISP
2.00 Gowran Park
SUPERNAP: BET 20pts win PRESENTING PERCY
2.25 Ascot
BET 5pts win ANOTHER VENTURE
2.45 Wincanton
BET 12pts win CALL ME LORD
3.10 Gowran Park
SUPERNAP: BET 20pts win LAGOSTOVEGAS
3.15 Haydock
BET 3.75pts win THE DUTCHMAN
3.00 Ascot
BET 6.25pts win KILDISART
3.35 Ascot
BET 5.5 CONEY ISLAND
Cheltenham Gold Cup Ante-post (win 50)
BULL’S-EYE BET: 3.5pts win CONEY ISLAND
Grand National Ante-post (win 50)
BULL’S-EYE BET: 1.6pts win THE DUTCHMAN
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
