TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 15 – 17 MAY

PUNTERS SPOILT FOR CHOICE WITH VALUE BETS GLOBALLY

Punting opportunities abound this weekend starting with Friday’s topliner at Fairview in which an Alan Greeff runner looks a value bet and could provide a bank for a later strike on the favourite in the feature at York.

Saturday serves up a local double-header with a possible Pick 6 banker at Turffontein and another value opportunity in a juvenile contest at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. On Sunday, a former Equus Horse of the Year launches his winter campaign at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

There are also two Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool meetings on Saturday – Races 6 to 9 at Doomben in Australia and later all races at Newbury in the UK. The huge pools provide chances to collect a big payout! Get ready!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: GREEFF HOLDS STRONG HAND IN WALMER HANDICAP

Champion trainer Alan Greeff holds a strong hand with four of the seven remaining runners in the Walmer Handicap (Race 5) over 1800m. He noted that Enchanting Choice, Accept Cookies, Strawberry Thief and Key Worker all hold competitive claims after being narrowly beaten in their latest starts. Of the quartet, Richard Fourie’s mount Strawberry Thief and Key Worker boast the strongest form over this distance. Key Worker has a significant pull at the weights and has the best draw – at an opening quote of 10-1, she represents solid eachway value.

YORK: AMILOC RETURNS AFTER BREEDERS’ CUP FOURTH

The final day of the 2026 York Racing Festival is headlined by Race 5, the Group 2 Boodles Yorkshire Cup Stakes over 2800m. Amiloc, winner of the 2025 Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, is a short-priced favourite to provide trainer Ralph Beckett and jockey Rossa Ryan with their first victory in this historic contest. He has not raced since finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf last November. “With his pedigree and his physical make-up, his best days are still ahead of him,” Beckett said.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

DOOMBEN: MCDONALD TRUSTS HIS INSTINCTS WITH NAPOLEONIC

The Doomben 10,000 meeting features three top-level Group contests including the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (Race 8) – a key lead-up to Queensland’s flagship event, June’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. Star jockey James McDonald rides Napoleonic, who was initially stranded as second reserve before gaining a start following the withdrawal of Abounding. McDonald said he selected Napoleonic on “gut feeling”. He is unbeaten in three rides on Napoleonic and believes the gelding has a genuine winning chance. TAB Win, Place, Quinella and Swinger bets for Races 6 to 9 will be commingled into the World Pool tote. The meeting gets underway at 03:38.

CHAMP DE MARS: HAVANA MOON CAN KEEP PERFECT RECORD INTACT

Trainer Rameshwar Gujadhur’s gelding Havana Moon remains unbeaten in four starts in Mauritius since arriving from South Africa in 2025. He returns from a six-month break in Race 6, the Grade 3 Aqua Springs Derby Trial over 1400m, but has shown he races well fresh and could make a winning comeback. He will be partnered for the first time by former local champion jockey Donovan Mansour, who is currently enjoying his fifth riding stint on the island. Hot favourite Cumbre Vieja and Brave Bomber have strong chances.

TURFFONTEIN: CELTIC MANOR HOLDS THE KEY TO THE PICK 6

A banker in the opening leg is always a welcome sight for Pick 6 punters and two-year-old Celtic Manor could fit the bill in Race 4 over 1600m. The good-looking daughter of Master Of My Fate attracted betting support before finishing second on debut over 1160m, and the confidence trainers Candice and Tammy Dawson have in her ability is reflected in their decision to step her straight up to a middle-distance contest against older maidens.

Most of her rivals have had several opportunities to shed their maiden tags and this time of year often sees above-average juveniles holding a distinct edge over exposed older horses. The proof, of course, will be in the pudding, but Celtic Manor appears to tick the right boxes in an otherwise tricky Pick 6.

SUGGESTED R162 (10%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 13:55):

Leg 1:  7

Leg 2:  1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 11

Leg 3:  2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 4:  3, 4, 8

Leg 5:  1, 2, 4, 8, 10

Leg 6: 1, 2, 6

HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH: FLY HIGH WITH BLACKBIRD

There are four first-timers in the topliner, Race 2 over 1000m, including André Nel-trained Let’s Celebrate (Vercingetorix) and Justin Snaith’s Reef Runner (Rafeef). Both trainers made positive comments in Computaform, describing their runners as forward types with good speed, although Nel did express some concern about whether his colt would handle a soft track.

The leading exposed runners are Greg Ennion’s Roman Beauty, well supported when runner-up on her 1000m debut, and Snaith’s other contender Navasnine, who has improved with gelding. But the biggest step forward could come from the Candice Bass-trained colt Blackbird, who finished fourth on debut behind rising star Rich Man’s World. That form received a major boost when the winner followed with a runaway success in the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes.

NEWBURY: GOSDENS EXPECT DAMYSUS TO SHINE IN LOCKINGE

John and Thady Gosden saddle Frankel’s son Damysus in the Group 1 Boyle Sports Lockinge Stakes (Race 3) over the straight 1600m. He is fresh off an impressive win in the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket last month and John Gosden reported he has improved since. “He is as an exciting colt with an enthusiastic attitude and pleases us at home.”

Zeus Olympios and 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech spearhead the opposition with French challenger Sahlan the pick of the long-priced runners.  All TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger and Trifecta bets will go into the World Pool tote. The meeting starts at 14:25.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SHA TIN: THUNDER KIT GOING THE RIGHT WAY AND LOOKS THE PART

Thunder Kit put the writing on the wall in his last start with a fast-finishing second to Geneva and that looks the formline to follow in the Hong Kong Lions Cup Handicap (Race 6) over 1200m. That was his second placing from five local starts and his best effort so far, which shows he is trending the right way. Jockey Vincent Ho retains the ride. The meeting starts at 06:45.

SELANGOR: BANKER’S GLORY COULD CASH IN THIS TIME

With five minor placings from eight starts, Banker’s Glory appears ideally placed to shed his maiden status in Malaysia at the ninth attempt in Race 10 over 1400m. The four-year-old won over 1373m in Australia and should appreciate the distance. Leading trainer Johnny Lim turns him out again within seven days, suggesting he has remained in good order. A 3kg claim for apprentice Farhan Ghalazi further enhances his prospects.

HOLLYWOODBETS SCOTTSVILLE: DAVE TO FOLLOW A FAMILIAR PATH

Former Equus Horse of the Year Dave The King successfully followed a three-run seasonal programme in KwaZulu-Natal in both 2024 and 2025 – beginning with a pipe-opener in May before progressing to the Grade 1 Gold Challenge and the Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup.

Mike and Mathew de Kock will prepare him along the same route in 2026, starting with a comeback appearance in Race 5 over 1400m, a race Dave The King has won two years running. Mike de Kock commented: “This year’s race has been changed from 1500m to 1400m and we don’t know why. But Dave The King is very well and fresh, and goes into the race appearing to be in the same good form as last year. He is older now, so we cannot say whether he will race with the same zest but based on what he is showing us at home, we are confident of another good season.”