MORE CHELTENHAM TRIALS WITH BIG ODDS ANTE-POST ON BETDAQ: Daqman spots BETDAQ offers of 25.0, 19.5 and 14.0, as he goes in search of early positions on the Cheltenham festival. He revealed earlier this week that he has 17 horses-to-follow lined up in trials before the new year.

TOMORROW: Look out tomorrow for the start of the two-day Cheltenham International meeting, when more festival entries go on parade.


WHY EPATANTE’S HERE TO STAY

Be one jump ahead. If you have horses to follow (like my prospective Fortune Cookies, Tuesday column), think about getting ante-post positions before they run again.

Success in the next few weeks could see their Cheltenham Festival odds shrink. So, if you think you’ve picked a good’un, ‘get on’ to a few points in anticipation of a trial or prep-race success.

You’d hate it if other punters had ‘your horse’ at a big price and you had to take much smaller odds nearer the time.

I’m debating Epatante in my mind: is she good enough for the Champion Hurdle, for which she has been 19.5 in the BETDAQ ante-post lists? She’ll be at Ascot on Saturday week to state her case.

I’m inclined at this stage to prefer the Mares Hurdle for her, although that’s over further. She has 2m 4f winners over hurdles and fences among her close relatives. Again BETDAQ has seen value at 14.0.

Sam Spinner is a big price at 25.0 offers with BETDAQ for the RSA Chase but, if I was on the right track in my Wednesday article about his Grand National prospects, we’re better off taking a shorter price.

That price would be the 16-1 with Corals about the National Hunt Chase, a stayers’ contest at the Cheltenham Festival, which has produced Cause Of Causes (Grand National runner-up 2017), Tiger Roll (Grand National winner 2018 and 2019) and Rathvinden (third at Aintree in Tiger Roll’s second success this year).


REVE MIGHT TAME WILD MAX

1.00 Taunton Nicky Henderson is leading trainer at both Taunton and Warwick. He sends five to Warwick today but just the one to Taunton.

France De Reve, a winner in France, flopped when even-money favourite on her English debut at Uttoxeter.

Such are the allowances and claims that she gets 13lb from the likely odds-on favourite, Wild Max. She was 5.5 in the BETDAQ orange this morning; Max was 1.41 when I checked.

Max, who came from Germany, was also favourite on his English debut and won here at Taunton for Paul Nicholls, though had to be hard ridden in a nothing race.


ROBBIE COULD PARK THE BUS

2.35 Taunton Back-to-back winner here at Taunton in the Spring, and sixth in the novices’ final at Sandown, Birds Of Prey has had a run back and is fitted with cheekpieces, ready to swoop on this field.

Jaytrack Parkhomes has been running well, improving every race, and now has Robbie Power doing the steering for the first time, nicely placed in the handicap.

Story of Friends is back to the trip of his maiden win at Warwick, and has had wind ops. Like Birds of Prey, he is festooned with aids, also having tongue-tie and cheekpieces, and I preferred Jaytrack at the weights and at 7.0 on BETDAQ.

Checking out the ‘orange’ as I file this report, I found 7.7 Birds Of Prey, more marvellous value. I’ll charge each one to the account at 7.0.


CARRYING A TORCH FOR FLAME

2.50 Newcastle Glinger Flame has to debut over fences against some with solid chasing experience already.

But the roan, three in a row over hurdles, is so highly regarded by Nicky Richards that, in theory, we may look back at his 5.1 on BETDAQ this morning as a gimme.

3.10 Taunton A four-year-old beat the older horses in this last year and Katpoli (BETDAQ 3.4) gets in with his penalty 3lb lower than his future rating.

DAQMAN BETS

1.00 Taunton (win 20)
BET 4.4pts win FRANCE DE REVE

2.35 Taunton (win 20 each)
BET 3.3pts win BIRD OF PREY
BET 3.3pts win JAYTRACK PARKHOMES

2.50 Newcastle (win 20)
BET 5pts win (nap) GLINGER FLAME

3.10 Taunton (win 10)
BET 4pts win KATPOLI



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