Ovation Star to get her sparkle back
Jack Milner
The Mike and Mathew de Kock yard is currently in good form and they could provide bettors with a decent banker on Thursday’s eight-race card on the Turffontein Inside track where they send out Ovation Star in Race 7, a MR 97 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m.
This lightly raced three-year-old Rafeef filly has only raced three times, running out a facile six-length winner on debut 1200m on the Polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville in October last year.
Her next two starts were in feature races for three-year-olds. She first contested the Grade 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m on the Standside track at Turffontein and finished a 0.90-length 2nd behind Valentina Balducci.
She was then out of action until last month when she lined up in the Non-Black Type Betway Secretariat Stakes over the same course and distance. That was the first leg of the Highveld Winter Series for three-year-olds and she was sent off a 7-2 second favourite behind Fire Storm.
Ovation Star finished a 6.70-length sixth behind King Harald but did have an excuse in that race after coming into contact with Master Spy when going around the turn, and she also might have been in need of the run.
However, she will be a lot fitter this time and will be racing against her own sex. She is well drawn in gate No 4 and Callan Murray takes the ride.
Jockey Keagan de Melo is another in good form and he can get the afternoon off to a flying start and may well have his double wrapped up before the card reaches its halfway point.
His first chance comes in Race 1 aboard Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Periodic Table, who has done little wrong in two career starts. The son of Danon Platina has filled the runner-up position on both occasions, most recently when narrowly denied over 1000m in a work riders’ event.
That defeat was frustrating for supporters who sent him off at cramped odds, but the performance itself suggests a maiden victory is close. The step up to 1200m looks a positive move and, in a race lacking obvious depth, he should not need to improve much to make amends.
The De Melo-Janse van Vuuren combination can strike again in Race 2 with Brigitte Anne, a filly whose consistency deserves reward. The well-related daughter of Querari has hit the frame in all five starts and produced another honest effort when third over this course and distance against male opposition last time.
Dropping into a contest restricted to her own sex represents a significant easing of her task and a repeat of that latest performance should make her extremely difficult to beat.
Race 1: 5 Periodic Table, 9 Nightshine, 2 Time Honored, 6 Purple Rain
Race 2: 2 Brigitte Anne, 10 Star Magnolia, 5 Artifact, 4 Without Remorse
Race 3: 6 Clairwood Breeze, 4 Winding Power, 1 Knowmore, 2 Master Buddy
Race 4: 8 Trex On Fire, 4 Flying World, 1 Late Bloomer, 7 Devious Looks
Race 5: 11 Robert Browning, 12 Ideal Summer, 3 Open Highway, 9 Kudzu
Race 6: 3 Unsolved Riddle, 6 Quevano, 7 Ubermensch, 2 Oklahoma Smokeshow
Race 7: 4 Ovation Star, 1 Warm Reception, 5 Warning Sound, 6 Kensal Green
Race 8: 1 Wise Counsel, 8 Winds Of Grace, 7 Lady Elliot, 3 Delaware River
BEST BET
Race 7: 4 Ovation Star
VALUE BET
Race 5: 11 Robert Browning
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 5×9
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 5, 9
Leg 2: 2, 10
Leg 3: 1, 4, 6
Leg 4: 1, 4, 8
Leg 5: 3, 9, 11, 12
Leg 6: 3, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 2, 10
Leg 2: 1, 4, 6
Leg 3: 1, 4, 8
Leg 4: 3, 11, 12
Leg 5: 3, 6
Leg 6: 4
Leg 7: 1, 8
PICK 6
R2100
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 6
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8
Leg 3: 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12
Leg 4: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 5: 4
Leg 6: 1, 7, 8
JACKPOT 1
R175
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8
Leg 2: 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12
Leg 3: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 4
JACKPOT 2
R105
Leg 1: 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12
Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 4
Leg 4: 1, 7, 8