THE DAY DAQMAN CAPTURED HIS LION AT 20-1: Daqman, big-race king of the tipsters, who last year spotted Enable before she won four Oaks, the King George and the Arc, is on the brink of another jackpot find with Roaring Lion at 20-1 for the Derby, now down to as low as 5-1 in a place with bookies and 7.0 on BETDAQ. Full story below.

LOOK OUT TOMORROW FOR THE FINAL TRIALS: Today Daqman bids for four winners in an hour cross the cards at Ayr an Yarmouth. Tomorrow the final-fling Derby and Oaks trials at Goodwood.


HE’S DERBY CRUISER, ADMITS TRAINER

Give them time to get their money on! It really was a tough decision for connections of Roaring Lion to go for the Derby.

After all, the Lion only won the Dante by almost five lengths! And only 10 Dante winners have done the Derby double.

One place the money was already down was this column. I declared for Roaring Lion immediately after the 2,000 Guineas, taking 20-1, and, when trainer John Gosden was still keeping punters on tenterhooks, even after that runaway Dante win, I said in Monday’s column:

You’re still the punters godsend, sir John, and we do appreciate that you can’t just rush into things, willy nilly. Or do we now detect your growing sense that this colt was always creeping up to Golden Horn standard when you admitted yesterday:

‘I’ve always longed to run him at middle distances. You need a high cruising speed and turn of foot in a Derby. This horse has it.’

The 20-1 I took for this column was with Ladbrokes, it was so early in the betting, but I pointed out at the weekend that there was still plenty of 17.5 in the BETDAQ ante-post orange.

Now it’s the 8.4 in the green you’re looking at: to lay off or stick with your ante-post gamble? Glad we didn’t wait for yesterday’s decision?


FANSHAWE HAS THE STAR STARTER

4.25 Yarmouth James Fanshawe is on cloud nine after The Tin Man’s return to form on Monday and 5.2 BETDAQ offer Noble Star has never been out of the first three after a break.

The favourite, Kaeso, ran well in a big field at Ascot and has potential but he is being tried over an extra furlong for a third time (00 in first two attempts) with his stable out of form (1-20)

4.35 Ayr Titi Makfi, strong at 2.5 in the BETDAQ orange as I write, suffers from the handicapper’s attentions after four in a row inside a month last June, so she has to try for her second Listed, and may have too much speed for these.

Company Asset’s form – mainly in France – which lifted her to 100 rating was all on soft-heavy, while Wingingit’s stable has saddled 21 losers on the trot.

5.05 Ayr Gworn improved dramatically for his first run of the season last year to win this handicap. After a similar gap since his reappearance, Gworn (5.9 offers on BETDAQ this mor ning) is back here to attempt his fifth CD win.

5.25 Yarmouth An early-mouse plunge on Slow To Hand (2.22 in the BETDAQ orange as I write) has pushed out the others to ridiculous offers.

Slow To Hand was certainly coming to hand on the last day, with his stable in form booking Jamie Spencer for another CD win on fast ground.

But rival CD specialist, 9.2 offer Moi Aussi, is now a better price for a place than Slow To Hand for the win, with three chances of a return instead of one.

Moi Aussi had back-to-back wins on top of the ground a year ago, with this race the second leg. The grey mare again won the first leg a week go.

DAQMAN’S BETS (each to win 20, unless stated)
BET 5pts win NOBLE STAR (4.25 Yarmouth)
BET 12pts win (nap) TITI MAKFI (4.35 Ayr)
BET 4pts win GWORN (5.05 Ayr)
BET 2.5pts win and (win 10) 5pts place MOI AUSSI (5.25 Yarmouth)
DAQ MULTIPLES: 2 x 2pt win doubles TITI MAKFI (4.35 Ayr) and both SLOW TO HAND and MOI AUSSI (5.25 Yarmouth


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