Pettigrew-trained imports on a deep mission at Turffontein

Jack Milner

Bettors on the Highveld may have been starved for local racing over the weekend, but they will have a 10-race card at Turffontein on Tuesday to get their teeth into.

Racing will take place on the Standside track and it has been imbued with an international flavour by trainer Stuart Pettigrew, who will bring two Irish-bred runners to the meeting in Mission To Mars and Deepone.

Mission To Mars has a potent pedigree, being by Sea The Stars who was regarded as one of the greatest racehorses of all time. Sea The Stars is the only horse to have won the 2000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp in France in the same season.

Mission To Mars has started his career off as a five-year-old but that is a little misleading. Because he was sired in the northern hemisphere, despite having been born in March 2021, racing in the southern hemisphere he would have been deemed to have turned one on 1 August 2021, the date all racehorses turn a year older.

If he had been racing in Ireland, he would still be racing as a four-year-old until 1 January.

He made an eye-catching debut when second over 1500m on the Vaal Classic track. In fact, it appears he would have won had he drawn well as he jumped from the widest gate and found himself more than a dozen lengths off the pace before flying up only to be beaten 0.60 lengths.

He now jumps from gate No 2, and with the experience under his belt and the good draw, he should have no excuses on this occasion.

The field he meets in Race 3, a Maiden Plate over 1600m, is not strong, and although it contains juveniles with improvement to come, he gives the impression he will be too good for them. As a result, he looks to be a banker in all bets.

Deepone runs in Race 5, a high-grade Pinnacle Stakes, where 2025 Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas winner Parisian Walkway comes out as the best weighted runner based on official merit ratings.

Deepone is by Study Of Man who is the only son of Deep Impact at stud in England. His first crops have been highly successful and he has sired 16 individual stakes’ performers, including four Graded-race winners and seven Listed winners.

This entire arrived with a solid record in Ireland, having raced nine times for four wins, one second, one third and three fourth places.

His last run was in the Listed Concorde Stakes over 1500m at Tipperary which he won by nine lengths. It was run in heavy going, however.

That was in October last year so it will be interesting to see how he shapes up in his debut run in South Africa in very firm going. Philasande Mxoli takes the ride.

It could be worth keeping an eye on the betting but this entire could be a very interesting runner.

Colleague Danie Toerien had a chat with Pettigrew on Monday.

“If you don’t tip him to win, then you’re not reading form,” he said.

“He’s won a Grade 2, he’s won a listed, so he’s got the ability, but he hasn’t run for six months. He is fit, he’s well, he’s sound.”

According to Pettigrew, Deepone is also “very good looking”.

“He arrived here at a 104 (merit rating), but our handicappers made him a 119,” said Pettigrew.

“His last flat race in Engeland he was a 104. He has gone up 15 points, so the only races I can run him in are pinnacles.

“He’s been with me about four-and-a-half or five months. He’s had grass work, two grass gallops, no problem.

“The only issue is that he hasn’t run in this country. He’s coming from soft going onto hard going, but he will be going to the races in good nick.”

If he is not ready, then Tony Peter-trained Money Heist could be the runner to beat.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 3 Apparition, 1 Nightshine, 2 Queen Leila, 6 Proud Mary

Race 2: 2 Staggerwing, 1 Social Graces, 5 Minerva Fae, 4 Life’s Treasures

Race 3: 4 Mission To Mars, 1 Eratosthenes, 2 Give Me A Chance, 8 Uncle Bob

Race 4: 9 Shabeen Queen, 1 Korcula, 3 Flying World, 2 Twelfth Of Never

Race 5: 1 Deepone, 4 Money Heist, 2 Texas Red, 6 Hawkbill

Race 6: 4 The Mightiest, 2 Bloomington, 7 Naretoi, 8 Bay Empire

Race 7: 1 Art Nouveau, 5 Itsnowornever, 7 Hat Furious, 3 Play With Fire

Race 8: 5 Fostinovo, 9 Sunset Warrior, 3 Frere Jacques, 2 Ariovistus

Race 9: 2 Ubermensch, 5 Longsword, 9 Kotinos, 1 Shoreybomba

Race 10: 4 Quiet Winter, 2 Whatsdamatterwithu, 1 One Tiger, 5 Valieva

 

BEST BET

Race 3: 4 Mission To Mars

VALUE BET

Race 6: 4 The Mightiest

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 1×2

 

BIPOT

R192

Leg 1: 2

Leg 2: 4

Leg 3: 1, 3, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 6

Leg 5: 2, 4, 7, 8

Leg 6: 1, 3, 5, 7

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 4

Leg 2: 1, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4

Leg 4: 2, 4, 7

Leg 5: 1, 5, 7

Leg 6: 3, 5, 9

Leg 7: 2, 5

 

PICK 6

R2160

Leg 1: 1, 3, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 6

Leg 3: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 7

Leg 5: 3, 5, 9

Leg 6: 2, 5, 9

 

JACKPOT 1

R240

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 6

Leg 2: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8

Leg 3: 1, 3, 5, 7

Leg 4: 3, 5, 9

 

JACKPOT 2

R108

Leg 1: 2, 4, 6, 7, 8

Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 7

Leg 3: 3, 5, 9

Leg 4: 2, 5, 9