The speed is on at HWB Scottsville

Jack Milner

The four Graded sprint races over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday have always caught the eye because the fields are usually full, and in many cases, highly competitive.

They were originally all Grade 1 events but in order to comply with the international definition of how high the merit ratings have to be in order to be classified a Grade 1 race, two of them, the Golden Horse Sprint and the Allan Robertson Championship for two-year-old fillies, are now Grade 2 events.

However, as always, all four races have attracted large fields and as Race 5 to 8 on the card, they collectively make up Jackpot 1.

What has also become a regular event is that there will be a carryover kicking off that Jackpot, and this year it will have an injection of R250,000 with a likely pool of R1 million.

What’s great about it is that as opposed to a Pick 6 carryover is that it obviously is easier to find four winners than six.

It also gives bettors to get a bigger share of the payout for the same money as one would use in a Pick 6 perm, which is a massive advantage.

Nevertheless, it is still useful to find a banker and the obvious choice comes up in Race 6, the Gold Medallion for two-year-olds, where Vaughan Marshall sends out impressively unbeaten Rich Man’s World.

The son of One World came to KwaZulu-Natal as a two-time winner and could not have been more impressive when winning the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb over 1100m at this course. He kicked away from Master Magician, who is certainly no slouch, to win by 7.50 lengths.

He opened in the betting at 13-20 but even that has been snapped up and he is currently on offer at 5-10.

The opposition is led by Haute Couture, trained by Mike and Mathew de Kock, who is on offer at 5-2. This Rafeef colt went off at 9-20 on debut and as the expression goes, hacked in by 10.50 lengths from Ruby Whisper.

Unfortunately, that form line has not been tested so it leaves us in the dark, but he clearly is a serious racehorse.

While these runners do not have official merit ratings, there are unofficial ones kept by the handicappers and at this stage Rich Man’s World is rated 109 and Haute Couture is 100.

Trainer Sean Tarry usually goes home with a winner or two at this meeting and he holds a strong hand in the Allan Roberston Championship where he saddles four strong runners in Get Up, Secretary Bird, Griselda and Ocean Mistress.

Get Up and Secretary Bird look the pick of his quartet with the latter getting a narrow vote, but the De Kocks have a very strong runner in Flower Island who is unbeaten in two starts.

Also, Alan Greeff brings Ventura Boulevard, who scored a 10.75-length victory on debut.

Double Grand Slam has been priced up at 11-10 to win the SA Fillies Sprint. However, as good as she is, this Justin Snaith-trained filly has yet to be competitive over 1200m. But she is a class act and will be charging at them in the finish, it’s just a matter as to whether she can get up in time.

Runner-up last year, Asiya Phambili could not have been more impressive when a 3.70-length winner of the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes over this course and distance last time and she could get it right this time. Looks ready to win.

The toughest race is the Grade 2 Golden Horse Sprint as this is a handicap and that theoretically, gives every horse a chance.

This is another race that could go to Tarry as he has two decent entries in Cosmic Speed and Jerusalema Rain. Preference is for Cosmic Speed finished best of all when going down 0.30 lengths to Jerusalema Rain in the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes and he is proven at this course.

Of course, Jerusalema Rain caused a massive upset when keeping Buffalo Storm Cody at bay to win the Senor Santa and although she will carry 1.5kg, she cannot be ignored.

The De Kock stable once again could provide the biggest challenge with two very good three-year-olds in One Eye On Vegas and Miami Mountain.

The former has placed in a host of feature races between 1400m and 1800m and will be fitted with blinkers in his drop to 1200m this time. With just 54.5kg on his back he has the class to win a race of this nature.

Miami Mountain has won all five of his races between 1100m and 1200m, including two over this track and trip, and with just 52kg on his back, he is expected to contest the finish.

However, it does not end there, and bettors would be advised to load this race in their Jackpots because an upset is on the cards.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 9 Lenoxx, 13 Enjoy The Ride, 2 Golden Diadem, 7 All About Me

Race 2: 3 The Name Of Dladla, 9 War Emperor, 7 Etzebeth, 2 Red Hot Guy

Race 3: 1 Best Candidate, 5 Next Of Kin, 10 Master Bomber, 8 Sierra Sagrada

Race 4: 12 Better Man, 6 Frere Jacques, 7 Uzwano, 8 JP’s Palace

Race 5: 8 Secretary Bird, 4 Get Up, 5 Flower Island, 1 Querari Dancer

Race 6: 6 Rich Man’s World, 8 Haute Couture, 9 Egremont, 5 Time Is Precious, 1 The Bronx Bull

Race 7: 7 Cosmic Speed, 1 One Eye On Vegas, 8 Miami Mountain, 10 William Robertson

Race 8: 8 Asiye Phambili, 10 Double Grand Slam, 1 Mia Moo, 13 Princess Of Gaul

Race 9: 5 Green Gateway, 7 Saudi Cat, 16 Vibe SA, 15 Kaalvoet

BEST BET

Race 6: 6 Rich Man’s World

VALUE BET

Race 4: 12 Better Man

BEST SWINGER

Race 8 8×10

BIPOT

R320

Leg 1: 3, 9

Leg 2: 1, 5, 8, 10

Leg 3: 6, 7, 8, 12

Leg 4: 4, 8

Leg 5: 6

Leg 6: 1, 5, 7, 8, 10

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 1, 5, 10

Leg 2: 6, 7, 12

Leg 3: 4, 8

Leg 4: 6

Leg 5: 1, 7, 8

Leg 6: 8, 10

Leg 7: 5, 7, 16

PICK 6

R1440

Leg 1: 1, 6, 7, 8, 12

Leg 2: 4, 5, 8

Leg 3: 6

Leg 4: 1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15

Leg 5: 8, 10

Leg 6: 1, 5, 7, 8, 15, 16

JACKPOT 1

R48

Leg 1: 4, 5, 8

Leg 2: 6

Leg 3: 1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15

Leg 4: 8, 10

JACKPOT 2

R96

Leg 1: 6

Leg 2: 1, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15

Leg 3: 8, 10

Leg 4: 1, 5, 7, 8, 15, 16