Move to the Polytrack will benefit Cruise Control

Jack Milner

Once again some rain has fallen over Gqeberha and Friday’s meeting has been transferred from the turf to the Polytrack.

Of course, punters need to check for scratchings as a result of the change of surface as some horses are more affected than others.

It also works the other way as the move to the Polytrack enhance the chances of some runners, and one of those will be Dean Smith-trained Cruise Control who lines up in Race 7, the Betway Cradock Place Stakes over 1200m.

The seven-year-old gelding won the first leg of the Nelson Mandela Bay Polytrack Challenge over 1200m a few weeks back but was a noticeable absentee from the second leg last Friday.

Smith clearly felt the 1400m of that second leg would have stretched the Querari gelding, but it is worth noting Cruise Control has been impressive on the Polytrack.

Interestingly, it is not stable jockey Craig Zackey aboard the gelding this time, with Callan Murray getting his first ride on him.

That is because Zackey is engaged by Khaya Stables and would be committed to ride Astronomical Boy. However, the irony is that as a result of the surface change,

Astronomical Boy has been withdrawn and that should make Cruise Control very hard to beat.

The main threat now is likely to come from Kelly Mitchley-trained Anushka’s World. This gelding has won five of 31 starts, but his last two wins were this year and over this course and distance.

Trainer Alan Greeff’s runners must always be considered at this track, and Fairy Knight gets to represent him under Richard Fourie.

He has not been at his best of late but was still not far behind in those performances and is well suited to this track and trip.

Another runner on the card who will benefit from the move to poly is Kleinzee who will be defending an unbeaten run of six starts for the yard in Race 5.

All those wins for Greeff have been on the Polytrack so she looks another standout performer.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 5 Palme D’Or, 2 Alesian Beau, 7 American Gem, 4 Norse Warrior

Race 2: 4 My Sunshine, 9 Coco Beach, 1 Burning Desire, 2 Lady Of Fate

Race 3: 1 Time Honored, 10 Takeachanceonme, 11 Trickle Charge, 6 Hot Blooded

Race 4: 2 Pretty Awesome, 9 Tokyo Princess, 3 Bosnay, 6 Priceless Treasure

Race 5: 1 Kleinzee, 3 Streisand, 2 Oncidium, 4 Wishes And Dreams

Race 6: 7 Too Late My Mate, 1 Joker Man, 3 Above The Horizon, 9 Policy Of Truth

Race 7: 1 Cruise Control, 4 Fairy Knight, 3 Anuschka’s World, 2 My Best Shot

Race 8: 1 Wild Fig, 2 World Of Royalty, 4 Terminator, 6 Hollandia Bakkerij

 

BEST BET

Race 4: 2 Pretty Awesome

VALUE BET

Race 3: 1 Time Honored

BEST SWINGER

Race 8 1×2

 

BIPOT

R54

Leg 1: 2, 5, 7

Leg 2: 1, 4, 9

Leg 3: 1, 10, 11

Leg 4: 2

Leg 5: 1

Leg 6: 1,7

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R36

Leg 1: 1, 4, 9

Leg 2: 1, 10, 11

Leg 3: 2

Leg 4: 1

Leg 5: 1, 7

Leg 6: 1

Leg 7: 1, 2

 

PICK 6

R1200

Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 10, 11

Leg 2: 2

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9

Leg 5: 1, 3, 4

Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 6

 

JACKPOT 1

R45

Leg 1: 2

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4

 

JACKPOT 2

R180

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 7, 9

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 6