Hah Lah Lah faces acid test at Scottsville
Jack Milner
While there are no feature races, for a midweek meeting Wednesday’s nine-race card at Hollywoodbets Scottsville is really decent.
While most punters will be hankering towards Sunday’s card at Hollywoodbets Greyville where we have all 10 carded races are feature events, this card provides an adequate curtain raiser.
One of the more interesting events comes up in Race 8, a Class Handicap over 1200m, where we see useful Hah Lah Lah comes out for his fifth career start having won three of the previous four races.
The three-year-old son of Hawwaam is trained by Dean Kannemeyer and made his debut in August last year over this course and distance. He found plenty of betting support to eventually go off as the 13-10 favourite. The result was never in doubt as he ran away from the opposition to beat Son Of Rafeef by 2.50 lengths.
We then never heard a peep out of him, and when he did make his comeback on the Polytrack over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 9 May, it was as a gelding. Interestingly, he opened in the betting at 7-2 but there was hardly a sixpence for him and he eventually drifted to go off at 10-1 when the starter sent them for home.
His price did not match his performance though because despite pulling from the off, he kept rolling to beat JP’s Palace by 0.60 lengths.
His next start was over the same course and distance but this time it all went wrong. Jockey Craig Zackey tried to settle his mount but Hah Lah Lah was having none of it. He also reported that the bit slipped through this gelding’s mouth in the running.
Nevertheless, Hah Lah Lah still produced the fastest final 400m to finish fifth, finishing three lengths behind winner Vapour Trail.
The decision was then taken to revert to 1200m in his last start and was back at Scottsville. This time he did find betting support and went off at 17-10 after an opening call of 28-10. While he only went on to win by one length from Best Of All who was his market rival and, in fact, although also going off at 17-10 was the eventual tote favourite.
Hah Lah Lah looked to have won easier than the margin may indicate and just how much he did have in hand will be relevant as he will come up against the runner-up and third-placed runners who are weighted to turn it around this time – on paper at least.
Gareth van Zyl-trained Best Of All had Keagan de Melo up last time and will now be ridden by a 4kg-claimer in Petra Porffy, who has only had five rides and has yet to ride a winner. However, her last three rides brought on a 4th, 3rd and 2nd place respectively and a numerologist will be howling that according the number progression, the next run has to be a win.
However, that is pure theory and whether her 4kg claim is better than having De Melo up will be fully tested. She will be 7kg better off while Military Command, who was a 2.40-length third, will be 5.5kg better off thanks to Mickaëlle Michel’s 1.5kg claim.
As a result, Zackey will have his work cut out, but his mount is unbeaten over the track and trip and still has improvement to come.
It should be an intriguing affair.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 10 Egolee, 9 Mulholland Drive, 4 Celtic Moon, 6 One Flight
Race 2: 3 Surreal Song, 9 Predator’s Crown, 2 Liz Hurley, 4 Sierra Foxtrot
Race 3: 2 Prized Possession, 3 Deonarie, 1 Satisfied, 5 Rocco’s Peace
Race 4: 6 Beyond All Doubt, 1 Trombolines, 2 Next Of Kin, 3 Nordic Chief
Race 5: 8 Takethegreenlight, 9 Peaceful Duchess, 5 Black Platina, 1 Wilde Oscar
Race 6: 5 Showgirl, 7 Xenophon, 1 Azzurri, 2 Jet Legacy
Race 7: 1 Esteemed, 6 The Last Duke, 2 Infinity Edge, 8 Good For You
Race 8: 8 Hah Lah Lah, 6 Best Of All, 9 Military Command, 5 Masterofthedesert
Race 9: 13 De Gulden, 14 Rags To Riches, 4 Cassandra, 6 Amafort
BEST BET
Race 5: 8 Takethegreenlight
VALUE BET
Race 2: 3 Surreal Song
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 9×10
BIPOT
R48
Leg 1: 2, 3, 9
Leg 2: 2, 3
Leg 3: 1, 6
Leg 4: 8
Leg 5: 5, 7
Leg 6: 1, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R64
Leg 1: 2, 3
Leg 2: 1, 6
Leg 3: 8
Leg 4: 5, 7
Leg 5: 1, 6
Leg 6: 6, 8
Leg 7: 13, 14
PICK 6
R576
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 6
Leg 2: 8
Leg 3: 1, 5, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 6, 8
Leg 5: 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 6: 4, 13, 14
JACKPOT 1
R48
Leg 1: 8
Leg 2: 1, 5, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 6, 8
Leg 4: 5, 6, 8, 9
JACKPOT 2
R144
Leg 1: 1, 5, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 8
Leg 3: 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 4: 4, 13, 14