Wednesday 11 November
DAQMAN
FIVE WINS IN TWO DAYS: Daqman had two more winning bets yesterday following three on Monday but the big-odds return escaped him again when, after Opus Dei (2nd 12-1), Brackenmoss (2nd 12-1) met the same fate.
BETDAQ RACES TODAY: Look out today for his analysis of Betdaq-sponsored races at Southwell, and the welter of good novice events could provide one of his gems at Bangor.
Women in racing were – and still are – a tough breed, with the male dominated sport refusing even to allow them to train until 1966. But around that time the greatest steeplechaser we have known made the chauvinists of the Jockey Club, as well as the other horses, look slow and unfit for purpose.
Not since Dorothy Paget and Golden Miller in the Thirties had a woman and her horse so dominated the jumping game as did Anne Duchess Of Westminster and Arkle.
Arkle might have emulated Golden Miller, and won both Gold Cup and Grand National, but the duchess would never consent to his running in the big one at Aintree though, on all known form, it was his for the taking.
Yet 20 years later a few well-chosen words in her ear from jockey Hywel Davies persuaded her to allow her Last Suspect to run and win the National (the Tote paying more than 100-1).
Whatever her jockey suitor said, she left him in no doubt of his position. ‘It’s your neck on the line,’ she told him.
Today the memorial race to one of the turf’s great ladies reminds us that we are still waiting for a Sea The Stars of the jumps.
L’Escargot, who won both Gold Cup and National in different years, came nearest but he never had the following of a Red Rum or the charisma of a Desert Orchid. Maybe Denman has both.
Denman was only the third Hennessy winner since Arkle to carry more than 11st 10lb but none compares with Arkle’s two years running off 12st 7lb.
Denman got back on the gold trail yesterday with a bit of gentle panhandling a circuit around Exeter, with this season’s Hennessy just a fortnight on Saturday.
Meanwhile, I am looking for nuggets and gems and having to weigh two prospects in the balance today; the answer, as I was saying yesterday, has to be the young horse and, indeed, all three winners of the Anne Duchess Of Westminster Memorial Chase (2.10 Bangor) have been aged six and seven.
On that score, on his record first time out, and at a difference of 18lb, I choose Just Smudge over mud-lover Skippers Brig, and find that Venetia Williams’ runner might well be a smudge on the handicap.
A lot depends on how he races after his wind operation but, as well as getting lumps of weight from the favourite, his solid position in the handicap is proved by a turnaround of 12lb with Nicto De Beauchene (usually needs early runs).
Stolen Moments and That’s Rhythm are said to be short of concert pitch, and others would have to find an awful lot to get involved.
The opener has potential gems but we’ll have to see how they run and take one out of the race: best reports concern tough-as-teak Comhla Ri Coig (1.10) but Massasoit could bounce back after his breathing op, and Burton Port has pleased Nicky Henderson in his schooling.
’Comhla’ could front-run here and would be a bet and lay at 4.2 as I write but, since he didn’t win races until December-January last season, I’ll sit this one out.
Free World (1.40) is a gem, if the vibes from Ditcheat are to be believed; goes well fresh and both Doctor David (refused to get in line penultimate start) and quirky Moon Over Miami can’t be trusted.
A hurdles sparkler could come out of the maiden (2.40), where Donald McCain hopes he’s on the way to a local four-timer today, one of them the Barry Hills purchase Master Fong, 75 rated on the Flat ahead of the ex-Hannon Wilbury Star (70) and Peter Grimes (64). At this discipline, Betdaq backers prefer Wilbury Star; so do I.
Of all the youngsters on show at Bangor, the one I’m looking forward to is Sahrati (3.10); another spoiler for the intended McCain sequence, set to receive a stone from Thumbs Up.
Bumper winner Lightening Rod may want further and the entire Art Deco,has to be a faith-in-Charlie-Egerton guess: though he could bring his class (French Derby fourth) to this different table, there’s not much fat on the 4.2 as I write.
Sahrati each way at 5.3 appeals after sound performances on the gallops and in his schooling. The place bet should just about cover the win stakes, as insurance.
Next Move? A double on Daq Multiples. But first a look at the Betdaq-sponsored races at Southwell this afternoon:
1.00 Southwell (Betdaqextra.com Maiden): This should be won from the front of the market, since only four trainers in the pack are having winners right now, and only Clear Ice and Dimaire have shown any sort of form.
1.30 Southwell (Betdaq Poker Claiming Stakes): Back-and-lay boys are mustering for Malt Or Mash, a front-runner with (officially) 20lb in hand of his field yet a huge 4.3 on Betdaq as I write.
He’s offered big because this Listed winner of old can no longer be trusted but second-top-rated Lost Solder Three is eight now and has won only once in more than four years; and six of the others are from stables out of form.
Delete the two rags at the bottom and you’re left with only Boundless Prospect, aged 10 (though at least he’s drawn 11).
2.00 Southwell (Betdaq.co.uk Nursery): They backed Pont De Nuit into favouritism at Nottingham last time and he’s been forced in again on Betdaq this morning, ousting Cape Kimberley who I thought deserved to be head of affairs after running up to a hat-trick scorer over CD.
I hope some of you took advantage of the flip-flopping favourites to get best offers about both. Myself, I was too slow away from the cornflakes.
By elevenses, the tastiest morsel left for me was 5.5 Admiral Cochrane each way - he was place trading at double your money - from a stable which is two out of three with its two-year-olds on this course. Good jockey booking, too.
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