SUPER CENTAURI IS BETTER THAN A DERBY WINNER: Daqman’s a ladies’ man. Last year he picked Enable before her sensational sequence culminating in the Arc. This season he’s hailed ace miler Alpha Centauri, placed her at the top of his ratings for colt and filly, and now has her well clear of Class of 2018, only 4lb behind what Enable achieved, and 4lb in front of the Derby winner.
RATINGS: HAIL THE ALPHA FEMALE
‘Forget the alpha males’. That’s how Daqman forecast in this column that, for the second year running, a filly would dominate. And, just as for last season, Daqman spotted the potential way in advance of his peers (if he has any).
Last year, he picked up Enable from the start of her second season: before her four Oaks wins, before her King George, before the Arc. Before her rating shot up to 128.
Now he’s had similar success following Alpha Centauri, with Sunday’s sensational Deauville win her third for his Fortune Cookies and first from the top of his ratings.
Yes, Daqman now seems doubly justified in his declaration after the Eclipse that Alpha Centauri was ahead of the colts, top of the three-year-old ratings.
His list went 121 Alpha Centauri, 120 each Masar, Roaring Lion and Without Parole. His Fortune Cookies will be reviewed before York next week, but here’s how he ranks the three-year-olds now.
124 ALPHA CENTAURI (from 121; officially 122 but may be revised) winner Irish 1,000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes, Prix Jacques le Marois.
120 MASAR (officially 121). English Derby; injured
119 ROARING LION (officially 122) winner Dante Stakes, Eclipse Stakes
117 EXPERT EYE (officially 119) winner Jersey Stakes, second Sussex Stakes
117 SEA OF CLASS (officially 117) winner Irish Oaks
117 LATROBE (officially 115) winner Irish Derby
116 FOREVER TOGETHER (officially 116) winner English Oaks
116 ROMANISED (officially 118) winner Irish 2,000 Guineas
116 SAXON WARRIOR (officially 121) winner English 2,000 Guineas
116 WITHOUT PAROLE (officially 119) winner St James’s Palace Stakes
115 KEW GARDENS (officially 114) winner Queen’s Vase, Grand Prix de Paris.
112 WELLS FARRH GO (officially 112) winner Bahrain Trophy
100 BILLESDEN BROOK (officially 99) winner English 1,000 Guineas
NAP LOOKS HOT AT FFOS LAS
2.00 Chelmsford Seductive heads the market as she attempts to make it third time lucky. The top three in the market were all beaten favourites last time out and are on the recovery mission.
Trained by William Haggas (3 winners from last 18 runners) and partnered by Ryan Moore, Seductive was a costly failure here last time when a beaten odds on favourite but looked to be crying out for the extra furlong which she gets today.
Fox Coach was beaten himself at odds-on at Newbury last time out and is another that should be suited by the step-up to seven furlongs but unlike the selection has no experience yet of the all-weather surface. However, the balance of his form at Newbury and Newmarket looks superior and at the prices on BETDAQ definitely looks the value pick and worth chancing on all-weather debut.
Gold Arrow was a beaten favourite on debut – he found Pont Vert three quarters of a length too good at Nottingham.
2.45 Ffos Las I’m always wary in supporting a two-year-old under a penalty but Hot Team continues to improve at such a rate that he could well defy it.
The Hugo Palmer trained runner had no problems in justifying odds-on favouritism at Newbury last time out and won with plenty in hand.
The obvious danger is the Richard Hannon trained Leroy Leroy who improved on a Doncaster debut fourth to finish runner-up at Sandown last time out. He could well set out and try to make all.
The two should dominate the finish unless any of the debutants prove well above average for a Ffos Las contest.
8.20 Thirsk Plenty of rain in North Yorkshire and that may well help the top weight Sunhill Lad who ran one of his better races on heavy ground.
This is a really weak finale and if the first time cheekpieces have a positive impact the grey should prove hard to beat.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked to win 20 points)
BET 6.25pts win FOX COACH (2.00 Chelmsford)
BET 12.25pts win (nap) HOT TEAM (2.45 Ffos Las)
BET 6pts win SUNHILL LAD (8.20 Thirsk)
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