DREAMS BEGAN A NIGHTMARE: Athlon (WON 11-8) at Windsor last night finally broke a spell of seconditis for Daqman. At least his three seconds a day on Sunday and Monday up to Athlon included some place returns:
2nd 6-5 Street of Dreams
2nd 18-1 Erupt
2nd 5-6 Only For Love
2nd 33-10 Midweek (short-head)
2nd 9-2 Classy Anne
2nd 5-1 Foxtrot Knight (head)
WON 11-8 Athlon
DAQ MULTIPLES: DAQMAN feel it’s a day for DAQ MULTIPLES combining three selections at Pontefract and one at Windsor. His picks include one for the featured Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract.
FIND THE LADY? IT COULD BE BRAVE CHOICE
She’ll become a star standing in her box. I’m talking about the underrated Brave Anna, who is not in the first 10 European two-year-olds, according to the Racing Post.
Even the filly she beat at Royal Ascot, Ralph Beckett’s Bletchley, is above her in the list, which is headed, of course, by Wesley Ward’s Lady Aurelia, the seven-lengths winner of the Queen Mary.
But Brave Anna is entered against the colts in the Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh in August, where she could meet Lady Aurelia herself.
Meanwhile, Bletchley, whom she short-headed in the Albany Stakes, is likely to head the market for Friday’s Cherry Hinton (now the Duchess Of Cambridge) Stakes at the Newmarket July Meeting. Success for Bletchley on Friday would boost Brave Anna in her box.
Is there so much – the Post says 20 points, whatever they are – between the two American-breds, Lady Aurelia and Brave Anna?
Lady Aurelia streaked home in the Queen Mary, nine-and-a-half lengths in front of Clem Fandango in third.
Clem Fandango had earlier been beaten only a neck by Grizzel in the Hilary Needler Trophy at Beverley in May before Grizzel ran 16-and-a-half lengths behind Brave Anna in the Albany.
That puts Brave Anna (and Bletchley, of course) way ahead of Lady Aurelia. Can it be so? Well, it’s early days for both.
We can’t take this collateral-form line as gospel any more than we can join the lemmings who would fall off a cliff to back Lady Aurelia.
But it’s also worth mentioning that 13 of the 15 to finish behind Brave Anna in the Albany had all won their previous race.
CHERRY TO PIP RIVALS AT PONTEFRACT
It’s refreshing to see a fillies Listed race that looks so competitive on paper and one which has attracted a decent field size of 13 too. We’re so used to seeing small field black type races but the Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract this afternoon sets punters an intriguing puzzle.
On the downside, having gone through the field, it would appear to be quantity over quality with several of these being thrown into the deep end.
That comment doesn’t apply though to Black Cherry who is a seasoned performer, if not winner, at this level.
Richard Hannon’s runner has been mixing it at Listed and Group level in her last six races and went closest to a win at Newmarket when a half length second to Solar Magic in a Listed contest.
She’s a confirmed front runner which is a style I like around Pontefract and she can bounce back from her run at Royal Ascot where she was not entirely disgraced when a five length 7th to Usherette in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes on soft ground that wouldn’t have been entirely to her liking. All her best form has come on good ground – what she should get today.
I’m quite sure that Richard Hannon has been having his eye out for a ‘soft Listed race’ for her and that’s exactly what he has found today.
LONG TRAINNAH JOURNEY FOR FRANKIE
Elsewhere on the Pontefract card Frankie Dettori has made the trip north for the ride on Trainnah for William Haggas in the maiden at 4.10pm and On Her Toes in the opener.
Both look to have solid chances and will be in my BETDAQ MULTIPLES.
Trainnah cost 200,000 guineas and has started her career well enough with a second at Nottingham and then a third place at Salisbury (beaten just a neck and a short head) behind two Sir Michael Stoute trained fillies. She was slowly away that day and should be ready for a first win today.
Godolphin run the unraced Different Journey who doesn’t look anything special on breeding and the market signs (so far) are not especially positive.
In the opener, Frankie can see On Her Toes home to a second success after an easy win at Windsor last time. It was desperate ground that day but she ran well on good to firm ground at Yarmouth on debut so seems versatile. The handicapper looks to have got things about right for this nursery based on very limited evidence but I like the potential of On Her Toes.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT 222
It’s a normal first reaction when seeing form figures of 222 to set some alarm bells ringing.
But it’s not always the case, and certainly not with Bayston Hill at Wolverhampton this afternoon who hasn’t exactly done much wrong.
His seconds have come over three different distances 5f, 6f and 7f so it’s not as if Mark Usher is doing the same thing and expecting different results.
His best run came over today’s trip at Lingfield when narrowly beaten behind a 66/1 chance. Sticking to the all-weather today should bring about a deserved first win.
Tom Dascombe’s Roaring Character is the danger on betting but was only a 40/1 fifth over course and distance on debut and will need to improve considerably to get close to what Bayston Hill has already achieved.
DAQMAN’S BETS (staked 1 to 9; a banker would be 10)
BET 8pts win ON HER TOES (2.10 Pontefract)
BET 4pts win BLACK CHERRY (3.10 Pontefract)
BET 7pts win BAYSTON HILL (3.25 Wolverhampton)
BET 9pts win (nap) TRAINNAH (4.10 Pontefract)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 6 x 2pts win doubles above four, 4 x 1pt trebles and 1pt win acca
£25 IN FREE BETS
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