Marchland aims for six out six in Guineas Plate

Jack Milner

Triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number 13 and like today, when that falls on a Friday, superstitious people have a sense that something bad is going to happen.

Well, even that phobia is unlikely to stand in the way of Marchland winning Race 3, the Guineas Plate over 1600m on the turf at TAB Fairview.

The Kelly Mitchley-trained filly Marchland has been superb so far and is unbeaten in five starts and at this stage she has not been under pressure to win. There are just seven runners carded and Marchland will be taken on by two fillies, one colt, and the balance of the field is made up of geldings.

The Malmoos filly won her first two starts over the 1200m straight course at Fairview on the grass, recording wide-margin successes. Stepping up to 1400m and trying the Polytrack for the first time resulted in another easy victory.

Her fourth win came in the Grade 2 Thekwini Stakes at Greyville over 1600m in July. After a break, she returned to the Polytrack last month and was backed into odds-on. She took a while to get going but she does have a remarkable turn of foot and once asked for the effort, the result was never in doubt.

Although carrying top weight of 60kg and giving plenty of weight to some of her rivals, she is still well weighted if her merit rating is anything to go by.

Jockey Muzi Yeni was aboard for all five of those wins, but he is riding in France at the moment, and Andrew Fortune will be aboard for this race.

Fortune was aboard Gimmethatworldcup for the second win of that gelding’s career back in July, over the Fairview Polytrack 1400m. The Gimmethegreenlight gelding was a well-backed and easy winner under Fortune that day.

More was expected of Gimmethatworldcup when he met Marchland last time out, but he failed to show his form that day and was well beaten. He tries the turf for the first time and will have Richard Fourie in the irons.

 

BEST BET

Race 3: 1 Marchland

VALUE BET

Race 7: 3 Guy Gibson

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 1×9

 

BIPOT

R108

Leg 1: 6, 8, 10

Leg 2: 1, 2, 8

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 1, 7

Leg 5: 1, 9

Leg 6: 2, 3, 10

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 2, 8

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 1, 9

Leg 5: 2, 3, 10

Leg 6: 3, 4, 6

Leg 7: 1, 2, 4, 5

 

PICK 6

R900

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 3, 7

Leg 3: 1, 3, 9

Leg 4: 2, 3, 5, 10

Leg 5: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8

 

JACKPOT 1

R180

Leg 1: 1, 3, 7

Leg 2: 1, 3, 9

Leg 3: 2, 3, 5, 10

Leg 4: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

 

JACKPOT 2

R300

Leg 1: 1, 3, 9

Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 10

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8