|
 Monday 8 February
DAQMAN
DAQMAN ‘DOUBLE WHAMMY’.. TWICE! Daqman was in devastating form yesterday when he landed two double-whammys in very different races, home and away, at Southwell and Leopardstown.
HAWK–EYE SPOT ON THE FORM: With a spot-on form interpretation, he said that his odds-on lay in the Southwell claimer, Inside Track, couldn’t beat the second favourite. Result: Tiger Hawk (won 11-4) beat Inside Track nine lengths.
THEN HE WINS BIG-RACE DUEL: Daqman did the same double-whammy trick again in Leopardstown’s big race, the Hennessy Gold Cup, naming the winner Joncol (won 9-4) and laying the 5-2 runner-up, Cooldine. They were separated by a neck.
No fireworks from me today - I’m concentrating on the AW – but I have a strong bet at Market Rasen tomorrow and I’ll have a pound from my jumps punting bank on a horse at Southwell this afternoon, which my man says would beat the others at levels: in fact, Skipper Robin (4.40) is in receipt of more than a stone from most in the bumper (4.40).
2.00 Wolverhampton (Bet Multiples – Betdaq Handicap): Kheley and Almaty Express are rare at this level in that they have put back-to-back wins together. Radiator Rooney couldn’t manage it last time; Monte Major is unlikely to do so this: both have unappealing high draws.
Decider is still a bit high in the ratings but is ‘all of a heap’ now with Grudge and Radiator Rooney whom he split over CD in November. However, he was badly drawn that day, had to be ‘used up’ to get a pitch and led two out, just failing to hold on. Joe Fanning takes over now.
This is his first run back on the course, looking for a Wolver hat-trick today from the best stall in the race, one inside. Eleven times a course winner, Almaty Express must be the worry; it’s his time of year - he’s scored eight times from January to March - and he is now 16lb lower than his last win.
3.30 Wolverhampton (betdaq.co.uk.Handicap): Mel Brittain is in top form – currently four from eight in handicaps here - and, though Seldom is without an AW win, he is back on the scene of his second to Kipchak in December and second to Smalljohn a week ago. In both cases he’s better off at the weights.
But you need a price when picking one of a ratings cluster; with only a pound or two between them, tactics come into play: one false move and the cause is lost and all three, plus Ishiadancer, are front-runners.
Ishiadancer interests me: she’s had two ‘sighters’ at Wolver, both in higher class – one two grades higher than today – and not run at all badly. The handicapper may have to drop her a few more pounds but, at 8.0 on Betdaq, there was enough built-in risk, with a senior jockey replacing a girl apprentice, as if today is more serious business.
4.30 Wolverhampton (Try Betdaq For An Exchange Handicap, Div 1): A Dream Come True raced in touch for his CD win but has to come wide here (from stall 12); similarly, Saviour Sand (made all from 4) and Bestowed, both winners from low stalls, are now drawn high.
Naheell is the obvious one, back to CD and with Neil Callan taking over from an apprentice, but dual course winner Alf Tupper just had to be backed at 17.0.
He was ‘lined up’ last time out but something went wrong and the money stayed in the wallet; today is last-chance saloon, but he’s much better (joint top-rated by the Racing Post, I see) than his modest efforts plating and in a claimer. Robert Winston replaces a boy rider.
5.30 Wolverhampton (Try Betdaq For An Exchange Handicap, Div 2): Coolnaharan belies his age and defies a bad draw: he managed to win racing wide from the 10 stall here in December; he holds Make Amends but wasn’t sighted behind Grey Command three days ago.
Grey Command is the sequence horse that proves the rule about the difficulty they have of holding their form at this level and the draw doesn’t seem to bother him: he’s won from low, middle and high in consecutive CD races.
New World Order is expected to take them along from the one stall and, at 11.0, is a back-and-lay; stable in form and could last out until he’s down to a very short price.
TODAY'S BETS
BET 3pts win DECIDER and 2pts win and place ALMATY EXPRESS (2.00 Wolverhampton)
BET 1pt win and place ISHIADANCER, and 1pt win (saver) SELDOM (3.30 Wolverhampton)
BET 1pt win and 2pts place ALF TUPPER, and 2pts win NAHEELL (4.30 Wolverhampton)
BET 2pts win and place SKIPPER ROBIN (4.40 Southwell)
BET 4pts win (nap) GREY COMMAND, and 1pt win and place NEW WORLD ORDER (5.30 Wolverhampton)
|
