DAQMAN on Friday

After seven winning bets in six days, Daqman fancies a 20-1 trade today.

Sandown today features a triple raid from the Durham-based team of trainer Howard Johnson and owner Graham (Inglis Drever) Wylie.

What we got yesterday on a trial-race card of top owners was a triple-horse melee (the third-last at Wincanton is becoming as notorious as the one at Cheltenham).

What we got last year from today’s Future-Stars Chase was the completion of a five-timer by Star de Mohaison.

Hard Act To Follow has only one blip in such a sequence but Wylie-Johnson are surely only having a look-see after his 422 days’ absence, and another leading owner, Trevor (Hedgehunter) Hemmings, will be worried about Glasker Mill’s jumping, even though he won at Cheltenham last time out.

I’m looking to a second Northern raider in this, Ungaro (2.30), who is four out of six on right-handed tracks and is reunited with his Feltham Chase winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald. I will take that to mean that he is ready to run a big race. There is no confidence behind Turko after dismal work at home and Fair Question is in and out.

Graham Wylie spent near on £300,000 for Kealshore Boy but, again, he will be more concerned that he gets round in one piece after a heavy fall on his debut at Carlisle; unusually, Tony McCoy rides for Venetia Williams, having got off Hills Of Aran in favour of Lightning Strike (1.55).

At Exeter, note that Liam Heard, who (like Paddy Merrigan) is still a conditional despite winning senior races for Paul Nicholls, rides a handicap debutant, Jomelamin (12.30): hope there’s still some 20-1 left for you on the Daq; he’s no lemon.

I fancy Alan King has left Zilcash in the Class-2 hurdle to keep the weight down for Risk Runner (1.00), who continues to progress. Word has it that Gabier will do better.

Mud-lover Zimbabwe (2.10) scored on the corresponding card for claimer Jay Harris last year and this has been the target after three prep runs.

Amazing Valour is weighted to turn around his defeat by Finzi at Fontwell but Finzi stays for a day, is most consistent and has never fallen. The riders’ allowances on Finzi and Zimbabwe could be the decisive factor in this stamina-sapper.

Similarly, weight-carrying simply does not happen in the novices’ chase (3.20): no horse has carried more than 10st 11lb to victory and the favourite, Rowley Hill, off a stone more, didn’t take to fences when tried two seasons ago.

His rating is two stone lower than over hurdles, and he’s probably not your price for a lay. Dodging those pluses and minuses, I will have a bit each way on River Indus; consistent and from a yard which does well with stayers, he’s gone fair enough on testing ground before.


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BET 1pt win and 1pt place JOMELAMIN (12.30 Exeter)

BET 5pts win RISK RUNNER (1.00 Exeter)

BET 5pts win LIGHTNING STRIKE (1.55 Sandown)

BET 3pts win FINZI and 1pt win ZIMBABWE (2.10 Exeter)

BET 4pts win UNGARO (2.30 Sandown)

BET 1pt win and 2pts place RIVER INDUS (3.20 Exeter)