Wednesday 10 March DAQMAN? GOING FOR GOLD AT CHELTENHAM: As the going changes, Daqman is firming up his Cheltenham bets with an eye to value from fancied horses that will be favoured by the ground. DAY OF ‘DUCK-EGGS’ THAT COULD BE BROKEN: He also finds several dark horses running today; those with little or no form – a row of ‘duck-eggs’ – but unexposed and likely to do better. Again, the odds are good
Wednesday 10 March IRELAND’S EYE This weekend we will cast our eye over some of the value races at the Cheltenham Festival on the DAQ especially the more competitive handicaps and the more open contests. Though we are unlikely to see to many stars in action today there are three fairly decent and interesting meetings at Catterick and Fontwell while there are some large fields in Ireland where Naas provides the jumping action. All weather enthusiasts are catered for at Lingfield in the afternoon and later in the day by Wolverhampton.
Tuesday 9 March DAQMAN? DAQMAN’S ‘NATIONAL’ DOUBLE BID AT EXETER: Daqman, who named the Leinster National winner at Naas on Sunday – Ballytrim (won 8-1) – goes for another marathon win at 12.0 this morning in the Devon National. PLUS AN OUTSIDER AT SOUTHWELL: He also fancies an outsider at Southwell, a 14.5 offer on Betdaq with a special jockey booking. That Nigel Twiston-Davies and Carl Llewellyn would be a formidable partnership was always on the cards; that they would be formidable at Aintree is like being dealt an ace and a king in pontoon and asking: should I have a bet? The Cheltenham trainer has saddled two National winners in the last 12 years, the last one ridden by Llewellyn who, himself, has won it twice, and Razor Royale’s Racing Post Chase success posted a warning for the April renewal from a a race which produced Rhyme ‘N Reason and Rough Quest to score at Aintree in 1988 and 1996. Another Racing Post portend might have proved profitable at Aintree but the 2007 scorer, Simon, a good second at Bechers second time round, was in-running favourite when parting company with Andrew Thornton at the 25th (Valentines). Razor Royale has an ideal rating for Aintree, set to carry 10st 7lb as the weights stand now. His sire, Oscar, has got quality and consistency in his sons, Big Zeb and Black Jack Ketchum, who landed eight wins in a row; his dam is by Strong Gale, which marks him down for serious stamina.
Tuesday 9 March IRELAND’S EYE There was no prizes for nominating yesterdays winning nap Black Jack Blues (4/7 morn-1/4) at Ffos Las – a record low SP for this column but a winner is a winner neverthless. In addition our saver Souter Point (11/10) did finish runner up in the opening contest at Stratford while Flexi Time (13/2-4/1) just finished out of the frame in a handicap hurdle at the Welsh track whilst our two choices in the bumper at that track Oursininlaw (8/1) and Sir Bere (7/4) both filled the frame. Newcastle and Exeter provide the action in the jumping sphere today while Southwell on the all weather make up Tuesdays racing action. Our main fancies at the Northern fixture at Newcastle where a once raced Blueprint gelding can land the bumper while a bottom weight can put a couple of modest efforts behind to land an open handicap chase for Kate Walton. The Devon National over 3m 6 1/2f is the feature on the Exeter card today at 3-30 and in a race where favourites don’t boast a decent record in recent years we will attempt to ‘buck the trend’ by siding with one of the market leaders here.
Monday 8 March DAQMAN? 8-1 NATIONAL HIT FOR DAQMAN: The Leinster National at Naas was yet another triumph for Daqman and for Betdaq value yesterday when he named Ballytrim (won 8-1) at bigger offers available in the morning. WEEK OF WINNERS: The Irish success capped a week of winners, including two double whammys (a lay and winning bet in the same race) and naps at 11-2, 5-2 and 15-8. He made a profit in the seven days of 35 points. SEVEN OUT OF EIGHT LAYS UP: Daqman’s lay of the day yesterday was Lerida (3rd 10-3), bringing his recent sequence to 10 out of 12, with seven of the last eight up for a current 88% strike rate. Jump on the wagon late in the day and the band could be all played out and, in any case, when trainer or horse hits a winning streak, you’ll have to bet odds on. Not today you won’t. Philip Hobbs has scored a sensational 15 straight prizemoney wins from first (six), second (five), third (two) and fourth (two) places – no losers – but his only runner today, on a track where his strike rate is around one in four, was 7.0 on Betdaq this morning.
Monday 8 March IRELAND’S EYE With two competitive jumping cards at Stratford and Ffos Las today it wont be a doddle for punters but we do have high hopes of success with a long priced ex German runner in the opening contest at Stratford while drying ground can see an Allison Thorpe trained runner land a competitive handicap hurdle at the Welsh track. Sunday was a day to forget as we failed to hit the score sheet for the first time in ages. Admittedly we were arguably unfortunate to collect with What A Buzz (7/2-3/1) who looked likely to collect till toppling two from home on his chase debut at Sedgefield while You Never Said (4/1) did finish in the frame in the opener at Huntingdon. However we did register a winner in our supplemental service when Double Expresso (8/11-4/6) obliged and our second best Dancing Tornado (12/1) landed a competitive handicap hurdle at Naas. With plenty of question marks against the leaders in the betting in the 2m 1/2f maiden hurdle at Stratford at 2-00 today it can pay to side with one of the longer priced runners in the line up. The vote falls on the Harris trained ex German flat racer The Lemonpie who pulled too hard for his own good on his hurdle debut for his current yard in a decent Newbury contest over three weeks ago. In the hope that he settles better here odds of 36.0 on the DAQ represents decent odds and the former three time flat winner (up to 12f) can spring a surprise here at the expense of likely warm favourite Souter Point – an 85 rated flat winning 4yo (all weather) who ran reasonably well in taking fourth in a fair Sandown contest on his hurdling bow 17 days ago. Tony McCoy is leading rider at Ffos Las by some way since the Welsh track opened its gates last year and the champion rider can add to that tally by landing the 2m novice hurdle at 2-20 with the Rebecca Curtis trained Black Jack Blues
Sunday 7 March IRELAND’S EYE Naas is the headline meeting today and the Kildare jumps card is backed up by two interesting English fixtures at Huntingdon and Sedgefield. A former promising staying chaser is taken to ‘hit the bulls eye’ after more than 3 years in a handicap chase at Naas while a debutant chaser can take the opener on the Sedgefield card for an in form yard. Bygones Of Brid (3/1) and First Lieutenant (9/10-4/5) made it two from four yesterday for the column Benartic (15-7/4) and saver Dusty Doolan (11/2) proved second best in their respective races at Kempton and Gowran.
Sunday 7 March DAQMAN? BAD DAY AT THE OFFICE: Daqman’s bets – mainly a sprinkling each way – suggested a difficult Saturday and so it was. But his sequences show a consistency in his main bets, naps and lays. HERE’S HOW THEY’VE RUN: His naps strike rate is currently three out of five (seven from eleven), with their recent placings, latest results last, as follows: 11101011313. His recent lays (W-win money and L-lose) have been WWWLWWWLWWWWWWWLWWWWWWWWLW. Horses with the speed to win a chase at 20 furlongs have had the thumbs down in the Grand National ever since the myth that they could win it was started 40 years ago by a horse called Gay Trip. And trainer Paul Nicholls has had only two placed without winning from 43 Aintree runners. Yet his Big Fella Thanks is now National favourite with only about a month to go
Saturday 6 March IRELAND’S EYE It’s a busy day on the jumps scene today with 3 fine meetings in England and Scotland while Gowran gives Irish racing supporters a fine opportunity to grab some of the pre-Cheltenham expenses. With Doncaster and Newbury winding up their two days cards and Kelso on the borders we are spoilt for choice today on the DAQ but our main hopes will rest on the Irish front where a well regarded sort looks a sound bet in a bumper while in the UK a Nicky Henderson staying type is taken to make it a double over hurdles at Kempton. Gentle George (5/2-9/4) and saver Salut Flo (13/2-11/2) gave us two winners on the board yesterday and Molostiep (10/1) – a saver proved next best to the former in the closing hunter chase at Newbury. In addition we landed our sole lay when the free going Flemmingsbond (9/2) departed when seemingly held late in the opening contest at Doncaster whilst our saver The Big Orse (6-9/2) was just touched off in a novice hurdle at Newbury. Nicky Henderson has suffered a couple of Cheltenham setbacks in recent days but the ace trainer can land the 2m 5f novice hurdle at Kempton today at 2-15 with the 6yo Benarctic. Though the Beneficial gelding had to work hard to land short priced odds in a Southwell bumper he seemed to appreciate the step up in distance when landing a Ludlow 2m 5f maiden hurdle over three weeks ago in battling fashion.
Saturday 6 March DAQMAN? WHAT A WEEK! 53 POINTS PROFIT: Daqman landed both his nap and his lay yesterday for the second time in four days to go 53 points up on the week 11-2 WINNING NAP: His best bet, Salut Flo (won 11-2), was his third winning odds-against nap from four in the week, following Lucky Redback (won 5-2) and Awesome George (won 15-8). The other one was third. FIVE LAYS UP OUT OF FIVE: My Moment (tailed off, 2-1 fav) was his fifth consecutive winning lay, his eighth from the last nine for an 89% strike rate.
