ACE-BY-ACE VERDICT ON THE CHAMPIONS It’s an action replay as Daqman reprises the thrills of Champions Day at Ascot yesterday and gives his verdict, race by race, ace by ace.
TODAY: A HIDDEN HORSE AND A SUPERNAP For today’s bets he casts his net for smaller fish – but they include a ‘hidden horse’ and a supernap – in England France and Ireland.
FRANKLY, A MAGNIFICENT RIDE
LONG DISTANCE: I crabbed Stradivarius for beating the ‘same old same old’, and yesterday he landed the championship from an eight-year-old (!), but that meant he’d won five consecutive marathons and is the first Gold Cup winner unbeaten in his season for 50 years.
The race will be remembered for verve and nerve, and I’m talking about the jockey. It was carpe diem on the turn in, with Frankie Dettori sneaking the narrowest gap on the rails and holding his ground. But, as they say, you can’t come without the horse.
Stradivarius: Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Lonsdale Cup, Long Distance Cup.
SANDS CELEBRATES 1,000 WINS
SPRINT: Another remarkable ride as Paul Hanagan teaches them how to win from the front, and Sands of Mali celebrates 1,000 winners achieved this week by trainer Richard Fahey as he beats the enigmatic Harry Angel, who this time (and probably for the last time) tried his heart out.
As the 28-1 SP suggests, trapping Fahey’s winners is not as easy as it looks, but the Nigeria-born Yorkshire Irishman quips: ‘You should have had one or two; after all, I’ve given you 1,000 chances’.
Sands of Mali Pipped half a length in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot on firm; wins the Champions Sprint at Ascot on soft.
One to watch for 2019: I’d say Sands Of Mali at Ascot, wouldn’t you! He’ll still be only four years old next season.
THE YEAR OF MAGICAL FILLIES
FILLIES AND MARES: In a golden age for fillies, none was beta than Alpha Centauri. Then along came Sea of Class, only for an extension of the reign of Enable at her expense in the Arc but lining up a rematch next year, we hope.
A sea of class, indeed, but there were still one or two more: Lah Ti Dar had never had her big chance, they said, after Listed-only successes were followed by an unorthodox swipe at the St Leger, second to Kew Gardens.
Magical But this time the Ballydoyle blanket of six runners smothered the opposition, Magical scoring off a five-lengths 10th to Enable in the Arc.
For 2019? With Sea of Class and Enable still around, I’d be sending Magical and Co to the paddocks!
LION TAKES MILE IN HIS STRIDE
MILE: I’ve never known a horse improve as much in a season as Roaring Lion, said John Gosden. That was before yesterday’s Champions Mile, so he was clearly confident of his 10-furlong champion dropping back in trip.
Yet another seeming super filly of 2018, Laurens had never met the colts before, but perhaps the strain of game victories in her two autumn Group-1 wins was too much.
The Lion took some driving by Oisin Murphy to exert in ground he hated but got on top, nursed by another fine ride from the future champion, to confirm their mutual status as the great pretenders of 2018.
Roaring Lion Dante winner, Derby third, then successively Eclipse, International, Irish Champion and Champion Mile winner cost only $160,000 as a yearling.
Roaring Lion may now go to the Breeders Cup but, I think more likely, will retired to stud. He’s had a long season.
Murphy becomes leading jockey for the 2018 Flat on prizemoney won (£6,133,383), a million up on each of Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori.
One to watch for 2019 Four wins out of five at one stage, rising from an 87 handicapper in 2017 to the 2018 Diomed winner off 107, Century Dream had his conditions for the first time since the Spring and was oh so close (neck and half a length) from glory.
GOSDEN IN 2019? I CAN’T WAIT
MIDDLE DISTANCE: John Gosden made it three out of four from his army of stars, as Cracksman retired with a sensational routing of the Champion Stakes field in another exhibition ride by Dettori, flat footing the field on the turn in and breaking the door down like dynamite under the £737,000 prize.
He was so back to his best that Roaring Lion (£655,000) would have been glad to avoid his stablemate yesterday. In the form of his life, a triumphant farewell.
Cracksman Epsom Derby Trial, Great Voltigeur, Prix Niel, Prix Ganay, Coronation Cup, Champion Stakes (twice). Best yet son of Frankel.
One to watch for 2019 John Gosden! Saturday’s magnificient trio took his earnings for the season to £8,241,041.
CONDITIONS SUIT ANNA NERIUM
3.25 Chantilly Hard to recall now, but it was Richard Hannon who started this Classic season, when he won the Newmarket 1,000 Guineas with Billesdon Brook (who?)
She’s never won again but Hannon has mustered another huge winners haul for East Everleigh of 162 in 2018 worth more than £3m in prizemoney.
Today he targets a bag of European prizes in Italy, with Leroy Leroy (2.20), Raymond Tusk (3.00) and Oh This Is Us (3.45) at San Siro, plus Anna Nerium (3.25) in a Listed at Chantilly, where the going is good to soft.
Anna Nerium, winner of the Free Handicap at Newmarket in the Spring and the Group-3 Supreme Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in August, has had a month off.
She goes best after a break, and is ‘a stone better on the soft,’ says today’s rider, Tom Marquand.
3.45 Naas Making Light already has plenty of black type after two Group 3 and two Listed successes.
But she is the only four-year-old here against an unlucky 13 from the great filly crop of 2018. Best of them could be 10.0 BETDAQ offer Snowflakes, a sister to Winter, developing late after injury.
5.20 Naas Yet another Listed for fillies and mares on a track which favours low numbers. Dynabee (gate 2) is a hidden horse.
She made a late start in August, she was so green. It was a good one, Listed third at Gowran Park, but she was unable to step up to Group 3 afterwards and then, on the last day, got bogged down in heavy ground at Galway. I took 5.9 on BETDAQ.
NAP Verdana Blue, pitched into Graded hurdles last season, has the mare’s allowance and a win on the Flat last month to suggest that she has the class, the conditions and the fitness to score at Kempton (4.10).
DAQMAN’S BETS
3.25 Chantilly (SP)
BET 6pts win ANNA NERIUM
3.45 Naas (win 30 and win 10)
BET 3pts win and place SNOWFLAKES
BET 5.5pts win MAKING LIGHT
4.10 Kempton (SP)
SUPERNAP: 20pts win VERDANA BLUE
5.20 Naas (win 30)
BET 6pts win DYNABEE
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