TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 8 – 10 MAY

TOP TALENT ON DISPLAY AT THREE LOCAL MEETINGS

There are several highlights on a colourful racing weekend, which gets underway with a Listed staying feature at Fairview where a local star filly looks close to a certainty. A leading Highveld raider will be out to make a major statement in Saturday’s feature at Hollywoodbets Greyville, while several exciting two-year-olds will chase valuable prizes in two of the three feature races at Turffontein on Sunday. Top up your account and get involved!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: POLYTRACK NO ISSUE FOR CHAMP SAYS GREEFF

This meeting has been transferred from turf to the Polytrack and the distance of Race 7, the World Sports Betting East Cape Derby, has been reduced from 2400m to 2200m. That adjustment should give supporters of champion filly Anotherdanceforme added confidence because she won her most recent outing over 2000m in convincing fashion and is unlikely to have any difficulty seeing out the extra 200m. Anotherdanceforme’s mark of 110 leaves her many lengths clear of her rivals on paper, and trainer Alan Greeff has expressed no concern regarding the change of surface. “She has worked on the Poly and I see no reason why she shouldn’t run well,” he said.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SHA TIN: FOLLOW THE ‘MAGIC MAN’ ON BULB GENERAL

Bulb General is second-up off an injury layoff in Race 11 over 1200m, the afternoon’s feature race. His comeback run was full of promise, closing off as well as anything in the race to finish third to top-class Young Champion. He is well placed at the weights, should strip fitter and gets his chance to bounce back to winning form under “Magic Man” Joao Moreira, who has ridden 10 winners from just 64 rides in his short spell back in Hong Kong. Moreira won the jockeys’ title four times from 2014 to 2021. The first race is off at 06:30.

CHESTER: DERBY HERO LAMBOURN RETURNS TO ACTION

Two-time Group 1 classic winner Lambourn enjoyed an outstanding 2025 campaign, highlighted by victories in the Group 3 Chester Vase at this meeting before going on to capture both the Epsom Derby and the Irish Derby. He returns to action in Race 3, the Group 2 Deepbridge Huxley Stakes over 1900m, and is reportedly in excellent order ahead of his seasonal reappearance.

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: TRUST TO ADVERTISE JULY CLAIMS

Candice and Tammy Dawson will saddle exciting three-year-old Trust in the day’s topliner, the Grade 3 World Sports Betting 1900 (Race 7). Trust, along with six other Hollywoodbets Durban July hopefuls, will be bidding to strengthen his claims for a place in the final field. He has just 54kg on his back and the son of Heavenly Blue is weighted to make a bold impression.

He does face the challenge of an awkward draw, but this lightly raced colt has a smart turn of foot that could help him overcome that disadvantage. On overall form and the manner in which he has progressed through the ranks, Trust looks set to take plenty of beating in a race being bypassed by several other strong July contenders.

SUGGESTED R288 (20%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 13:40):

Leg 1: 2, 3, 5, 6

Leg 2: 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Leg 3: 4, 6, 7

Leg 4: 10

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 6

LINGFIELD: BALDING HOPES COPACABANA WILL DANCE CLEAR

Andrew Balding has engaged Ryan Moore to ride new recruit Copacabana Sands in Race 4, the Group 3 William Hill Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes over 1400m. Previously trained by Michael O’Callaghan, Copacabana Sands is a Listed winner in Ireland and considered to be a good prospect this season for Balding, who hasn’t won this contest. “Copacabana will dance to victory,” wrote the sponsor in its preview of the race.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: BANKER’S TWO SIX IS BACK ON HOME TURF

Banker’s Two Six has a chance of bouncing back to winning form in Race 9, the Chairmans Trophy over 1600m. He covered plenty of ground in the Grade 1 Perak Derby over 2000m on March 22 but still ran on well to finish fourth, beaten just over a length. With a local record of four wins from eight starts, the Johnny Lim trained performer looks well placed back on home turf. The meeting starts at 06:00.

TURFFONTEIN: HEATH HOUSE CAN STAY ON PATH TO BIG TIME

There are three quality features on a competitive 10-race card – two R400,000 4Racing SA Sales Cup races for two-year-old BSA graduates (Races 5 and 6 over 1160m) and the R175,000 Betway Secretariat Stakes for three-year-olds (Race 7).

In the Sales Cup for fillies, Sean Tarry’s Griselda makes plenty of appeal. She finished second to Good Day Sunshine in the Grade 2 TAB SA Nursery and ahead of third-placed Get Up, who subsequently franked the form with victory in the Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes.

Tarry has entered filly Viking Lass in the Sales Cup for colts, suggesting she has plenty of ability. But Viking Lass may struggle to match strides with unbeaten Heath House, who has won his three career starts by a combined margin of 17.75 lengths and could be destined for bigger things.

Tarry saddles Master Spy, Golden Operator and Fire Storm in the Secretariat Stakes with Craig Zackey’s mount Golden Operator appearing the pick of the trio. He has shown notable improvement since being fitted with blinkers, including a fluent recent Vaal victory over rival King Harald (1.5kg worse off).