DAQMAN on Wednesday

Wednesday 28 October DAQMAN  DAQMAN’S GROUNDS FOR COMPLAINT: Controversial as ever, Daqman demands a new deal for punters on the draw and going descriptions. ‘CES’ WHO? He also finds fault with the feature-race favourite at Musselburgh and has one to beat it at a big price. It’s one of his special ‘double whammy’ bets. We need to make racing as user friendly as possible, and knowing your way round a racetrack when you are sitting in front of your PC is just as important as if you had your anorak on, paddock-side, at Colwick Park today. For the uninitiated – and that’s what this comment is all about – that’s Nottingham. Now try telling me the effect of the draw today when the Racing Post’s feeble green-and-yellow map of the track fails to mark in the stands; when the stalls position is described on the card as ‘Inner’; but the ‘Nottingham Topdraw’ has percentage results listed only for stalls positions ‘low’ and ‘high’. Let’s skip to the two-miler (2.35) where ‘spotlight’ tells us that Outland is ‘versatile regarding ground’: fair enough, it would seem, since he’s won on soft and run second on firm, but connections clearly have an ongoing problem (pun intended). I say ‘clearly’ but all they tell us in the Racing Post card is: ‘will run only if there is sufficient rain, states trainer.’ Isn’t it time that punters were told when walking the track and assessing a doubtful runner will take place? Shouldn’t the card say: ‘trainer will walk the track at 12 o’clock’? We are sometimes given such information for a big race; what’s so special about Outland that we are left guessing? Yes, I know we can’t be sure when (if?) rain will arrive but there must be some limit on the time that trainers are allowed to make decisions that will affect the betting market. Kokkokila has the same ‘if rain’ note on the racecard, yet she, too, has performed well on varying terrain (won on both good to firm and good to soft) and, in any case, is traveling up from Sussex, has Jimmy Fortune booked and the weather forecast is ‘clear’ so it was a fair guess before the horse set out. For the punter, ‘clear’ it ain’t; and why just these two horses? I’m sure most trainers would have worry-bead ground preferences for most animals (‘I’d like the grass a bit shorter on the rail where I’m drawn and a bit longer down the middle for the rest.’) All the ‘ifs’ would have some point to them, if (I especially intended that ‘if’) punters were given some more precise ideas by the racecourses as to the nature of the ground and what happens to the going during the morning; a series of ‘stick’ measurements might help if published on the ‘Post’ or ‘Life’ websites. I’ve discussed two horses where there is at least some suggestion of what trainers are looking for in that ‘if rain’ annotation, but the next race is just extracting the Michael: Final Verse and Focail Eile ‘will run only if the ground is suitable.’ Suitable for what? Frying an egg on it or mud-wrestling? I think we should at least be given a clue (we’ve seen already how the form-book results by going description give us little or no help). Stalls 11 to 14 have this season finished first or second in every sprint handicap at Musselburgh with 12 or more runners; sometimes both. So I‘m a bit baffled when the Racing Post ‘spotlight’ tells us that Igoyougo (in 12) ‘could have been better drawn’ (no explanation) yet their nap in the race is Hawkeyethenoo in the neighbouring stall (11). Again much depends on the ground: Igoyougo, Hawkeyethenoo and Avertuoso prefer it ‘on top’, while Prince Namid and Sandwith could do with some rain. Or could they? We’re not likely to be told, are we. Racing is not rocket science, as perceived wisdom and modern vernacular has it.  But, if I were new to the scene and trying to get to grips with the sport, I would be well put off racing’s own vernacular and jargon, and lack of adequate explanation. Her fourth in the Cesarewitch has pushed Dayia to the front of the Betdaq market for the two-miler (3.05) at Musselburgh but the mare will find this a different contest from the slog up the Newmarket straight. There’s a lot counting against her on a switchback track that will suit front-runner Callisto Moon; whatever gets past him will win and he is an obvious bet and lay at a huge 7.4 this morning, since his odds are likely to cramp if he gets a flyer and will shorten still further if he seems to be reeling in that winning post. Dayia has never won on turf (form figures 4304), has so far been best on AW – but resuming her hurdles career will probably serve her best – and her Flat earnings before the Cesarewitch were little more than £1,000. In her favour is that she is lightly raced and comparatively fresh – just two runs since the Spring – but ‘plugged on’ and ‘one pace’ for her last two turf starts don’t augur well for this course; unless it rains, then her entry here could be as precipitate (pun intended) as Jeff Pearce says (‘Race jumped out when I looked at calendar’). Not far behind Dayia in the ‘Ces’ was Gordonsville but that tends to increase my confidence in stablemate Buckie Boy, having his first run for Jim Goldie: give me a three-year-old with a fresh view of racing at this time of year! And give me one that’s 12.0 in an eight-runner race! Down the pan behind Dayia and Co at Newmarket was Royal Rationale (3.25), who looks a class above his field despite top weight in the handicap hurdle at Haydock. Daldini worries me. Sue Smith is not in top gear yet but had a winner last week and this one has a featherweight on ground that used to suit. Ferdy Murphy is also just now starting to get going and he, too, has one well weighted in Cybora (2.55), while another bottomweight, Thai Vango (4.00), is already in top form and may have most to fear from Sir Bathwick, if the switch from Brendan Powell to David Pipe has freshened him up. What I won’t be doing today is backing Jered (3.20 Punchestown) at a skinny price after watching Pandorama scrape him at 5-2 on yesterday. Both should make their make in steeplechasing this year but novices tend to leave their biggest mark on your wallet if you don’t allow them time to gain experience.
TODAY'S BETS
BET 3pts win CYBORA (2.55 Haydock) LAY to win 10pts DAYIA, plus 2pts win and place BUCKIE BOY (3.05 Musselburgh) BET 2pts win and place ROYAL RATIONALE, and 1pt win and place DALDINI (3.25 Haydock) BET 4pts win THAI VANGO and 1pt win (saver) SIR BATHWICK (4.00 Haydock) We are now recording the daily profit and loss of DAQMAN to help readers gauge the current form of the service. We will provide the profit / loss on the previous day to a £1 level stake on each selection (eg: a 5 point bet = a £5 stake). In the interests of consistency the profit / loss will be recorded at SP prices, however BETDAQ users can reasonably expect to beat SP in the majority of races. Tuesday's Return was: LOSS 9.5 points
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