TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 05 – 07 JUNE
TOP ACTION TO HEAT UP A WINTER WEEKEND
Two HKJC World Pool races and a R500,000 TAB Pick 6 carryover head up Saturday’s racing at Hollywoodbets Greyville, where several Hollywoodbets Durban July hopefuls will be in action with a few more carded at Turffontein on Sunday. Internationally it’s the Epsom Derby Festival in the UK featuring two famous classics and former SA runner One Stripe is due to contest a Grade 1 race at Saratoga in New York in the early hours of Sunday morning.
FRIDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
FAIRVIEW: SPLICETHEMAINBRACE TO SAIL HOME ON POLYTRACK
Racing has once again been moved to the Polytrack at Fairview and that could work out well for Spicethemainbrace in Race 6, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m. The four-year-old daughter of Master Of My Fate will again be ridden by Richard Fourie and was narrowly beaten by Enchanting Choice two runs back. There’s a 2.5kg swing in her favour now and that should make all the difference. “She’s won 11 races and hardly put a foot wrong. I think she’s very competitive once again,” said Greeff. “Enchanting Choice has beaten her and I think she will be the biggest danger once again.”
EPSOM: O’BRIEN CHASES 12TH OAKS SUCCESS WITH AMELIA
Amelia Earhart should justify her favourite tag and give Aidan O’Brien a 12th Betfred Oaks success at Epsom. It took the Camelot filly five attempts to shed her maiden tag in October at Leopardstown, but she did so in emphatic style with a seven-length victory. An impressive two-length Cheshire Oaks triumph on the Roodee last month has catapulted Amelia Earhart into contention for the classic, especially with the softer conditions not thought to be an issue.
Her win at Chester proved stamina is not a problem and with Ryan Moore aboard ahead of two stablemates, O’Brien could land his eighth victory in the last 12 renewals.
All TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger and Trifecta bets on all races will go into the Hong Kong World Pool tote.
SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS
SELANGOR: RIZZLER LOOKS A SIZZLER AT SELANGOR
Promising performer Rizzler can atone for his last-start defeat and return to winning form in an 1100m Class 3 contest at Kuala Lumpur. Rizzler arrived in Malaysia with two wins from eight starts in Australia and made an immediate impact for his new connections, scoring over 1020m in a Class 4 contest on 10 May. He did not disgrace himself when rising in grade last start, finishing third, and the four-year-old should take plenty of catching.
HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: QUESTIONING CAN GIVE RIGHT ANSWER IN CHALLENGE
There are 12 runners for the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge over 1600m (Race 7). All TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella and Swinger bets on both the Gold Challenge and Race 8 will be commingled into the World Pool tote.
It’s a competitive race in which Questioning can earn his first Grade 1 victory. Trained by Vaughan Marshall, this five-year-old comes off three successive wins, two of them Grade 2s, and a short-head defeat in the Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate before that. From No 1 draw he’s the one they all have to beat, especially with Fourie in the irons.
The carryover Pick 6 is set to generate a total pool of some R3 million and below is a leg-by-leg guide to the bet:
Leg 1 (15:25): Race 4 – 1400m OTT CLASS 4
Consistent 1 ROYAL SWORD is consistent, proven at this level and ideally drawn. 2 WICCAN WARRIOR has dropped to a competitive mark and could be anything on the surface, as could 8 HAT’S MAMBO off a career-low mark. 5 MISTER NIBBLES is another dropping in class with the credentials to fight out the finish.
Leg 2 (16:00): Race 5 – 1400m AMUSNET DEVON AIR STAKES (Listed)
1 FERRARI FLAIR and 3 KAVADY weren’t disgraced in the Grade 2 Allan Robertson after slow starts. Both are open to improvement over this longer trip and could be worth including. 7 PERFECT SKY and 8 ROYAL TIARA confirmed the promise of 1000m debuts with 1160m last-start wins and the step up to this distance should be to their liking. 2 GUILD THE LILLY, 4 ALICE B TOKLAS, 6 DE GULDEN and 9 CHERRYBLOSSOMPINK are others to consider.
Leg 3 (16:35): Race 6 – 1400m RIDGEMONT GATECRASHER STAKES (Listed)
9 WORLD SERIES sets the standard on his early juvenile Cape form and his last-start second in a lucrative 1200m sales race. He was subsequently gelded and will relish the extra 200m. 8 ERIK DUBOIS is closely matched on recent form and is also open to improvement over this longer trip. Debut winners 6 BACHATA, 10 FIRE CHIEF and 4 KAZENOYONI are best kept onside, as is hat-trick seeking 7 GREEN ENERGY. Returning last-start winner 5 STEAMY WINDOWS is dangerous to discount.
Leg 4 (17:20): Race 7 – 1600m HOLLYWOODBETS GOLD CHALLENGE (Grade 1)
1 QUESTIONING got the better of 8 GLADATORIAN, 2 LEGAL COUNSEL, 5 THE REAL PRINCE and 6 JET FORCE in the Grade 2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m and could do so again, especially with this being his main mission whereas those rivals are preparing for the July. Defending champion 3 DAVE THE KING, proven top-level performers 7 SEE IT AGAIN and 9 EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN, and three-year-old 11 TIN PAN ALLEY add gloss to a stellar line-up.
Leg 5 (18:00): Race 8 – 1400m HKJC WORLD POOL STAKES (Grade 2)
1 CARE FORGOT and 3 RACHEL WALL are thriving and should remain competitive off career-high marks. 5 SYMPHONY IN WHITE caught the eye in a Grade 1 sprint last time and could have more to offer over this distance. Course-and-distance suited 7 QUICKSTEPGAL will be hard to peg back if allowed to dictate. 8 MOCHA BLEND is capable but preparing for the July, while 13 MON PETIT CHERIE has it all to do from the widest stall.
Leg 6 (18:40): Race 9 – 1800m BETGAMES CUP TRIAL (Grade 3)
2 ZEITZ has an affinity for KwaZulu-Natal and won on his provincial reappearance at this level. He wasn’t beaten far from the widest draw in this race last year and, even off a 10-point higher mark, seems a good prospect from an inside draw. 1 I SALUTE YOU, 4 JP’S PALACE, 9 HOLDING THUMBS and 10 REGULATION have the ability to play leading roles. 11 LA PULGA must be respected on his KZN debut and will secure himself a spot in the July field if winning from the widest draw. But a bigger threat to ZEITZ will likely come from course-and-distance winner 6 FIELD MARSHAL.
SUGGESTED R307,20 (=10%) PICK 6 PERM
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 8
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9
Leg 3: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10
Leg 4: 1, 5, 7, 8
Leg 5: 5, 7
Leg 6: 2, 6
EPSOM: STABLEMATES THE THREAT TO O’BRIEN’S DERBY FAVOURITE
The Group 1 Betfred Derby over 2400m at Epsom is one of the great races of the world and in recent years has been dominated by Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien. He will saddle four of the 14 runners this year with Ryan Moore’s mount Benvenuto Cellini favourite at 9-4.
Recent evidence tells us the greatest dangers to Ballydoyle-trained favourites often reside in other boxes at the yard so beware Pierre Bonnard. Described by his trainer as “a lovely big horse and still a big baby” last season, it might just be that he has taken longer to come to hand than some of his stablemates. This race has clearly been his target for some time and the rain at Epsom this week will have been welcome. He reunites with Christophe Soumillon, who rode him to success at Saint-Cloud and was second in last year’s Derby on Lazy Griff.
As with the Oaks meeting all TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger and Trifecta bets on all races will go into the Hong Kong World Pool tote.
SARATOGA: BIG HOPES FOR LERENA AND ONE STRIPE
One Stripe will line up in the Grade 1 Resorts World Casino Manhattan Stakes over 1911m on the turf track at Saratoga, New York in the early hours of Sunday morning. Owned by Hollywood Racing, One Stripe is trained by Graham Motion and will be ridden by Gavin Lerena. The son of One World is currently quoted at 6-1. The race will be run a 00:11 on Sunday morning and will be shown live on Racing 240.
SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS
SHA TIN: CRAWFORD SEEKS PUBLIC ATTENTION AT SHA TIN
With his successful first campaign in Hong Kong drawing to a close, Brett Crawford has high hopes Public Attention can add to his when he spearheads the trainer’s six-strong team at Sha Tin on Sunday. Set for his second start for the stable in the Class Two Hong Kong Jockey Club Scholarships Handicap over 1200m, Public Attention has strong claims off the back of an encouraging third to Patch Of Stars, who has since won the Group 3 Sha Tin Vase. “I thought his first run for us was a good run. He’s been doing well subsequently, his work’s been really good and I’ve been happy with him,” Crawford said.
TURFFONTEIN: JUBILEE IS FINAL CHANCE FOR JULY HOPEFULS
The Grade 3 TAB Jubilee Stakes over 1800m on the Standside track at Turffontein is the last chance for runners looking to earn a place in the final field for the July.
Olivia’s Way is in 19th spot on the log and will be looking for a big performance to cement her place at Greyville, but could find one too good for her in another filly, Sean Tarry-trained World Of Alice. She has regained her best form in her two recent runs.
The Egoli Mile is the second leg of the Highveld Challenge, the first leg having gone to Joe Soma-trained Errol Flynn, who stands out as the runner to beat.