WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 16 – 18 OCTOBER
TAB FAIRVIEW FESTIVAL AND G1 RACES GALORE ABROAD
A blockbuster weekend of high-quality racing, locally and abroad, kicks off with an eagerly anticipated duel in the topliner on the Polytrack at TAB Fairview and a likely Pick 6 banker at Hollywoodbets Greyville this Friday. The Eastern Cape’s weekend festival concludes with two exciting Listed features at TAB Fairview on Sunday.
Saturday’s local action is at Hollywoodbets Durbanville, where a former Horse Of The Year has a pipe-opener ahead of the Cape summer features.
There are two top international meetings, the first on Saturday morning at Sydney’s Royal Randwick. This is TAB Everest Day and the highlight will be a Hong Kong superstar’s bid to post his 22nd victory in succession in the 10th running of the Aus$20-million The Everest. Later on Saturday comes a star-studded card on Qatar Racing British Champions Day at Ascot, featuring five Group 1 races as the historic track stages its annual farewell to another UK flat season. The Hong Kong World Pool will be in operation at Randwick, Caulfield and Ascot.
FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS
TAB FAIRVIEW: MERCANTOUR MAY HAVE EDGE IN CHALLENGE
Mercantour and All Systems Go renew rivalry in Race 7, the third leg of the Nelson Mandela Bay Poly Challenge over 1600m, following Mercantour’s narrow win in the second leg over 1400m last month. They meet on the same terms and while All Systems Go is still improving, Mercantour has a course-and-distance win to his credit and has the better draw. “They bump heads again and this is a stiffer test, but Mercantour has won over 1600m and was the fastest finisher last time,” said trainer Alan Greeff.
HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: RELY ON IMPROVING ZAGREB
The grey Zagreb has turned the corner since he was gelded in June, recording two wins and two places from four starts, and looks a blinder in Race 3 over 1400m. He won his latest outing over this course and distance in impressive style, being eased down well before the line. His 1.50-length winning margin could have been far greater and the form was quickly franked when the runner-up won last Friday. Back in the same class and undoubtedly still ahead of the handicapper, Zagreb rates a solid bet and Pick 6 banker.
SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS
RANDWICK: WET TRACK A WORRY FOR KA YING RISING
Persistent rain in Sydney has left jockey Zac Purton more hopeful than confident as the world’s highest-ranked racehorse, Ka Ying Rising, bids to defend his crown in Race 7, the Group 1 The Everest over 1200m. Purton is concerned about his mount’s ability to handle a wet track following heavy rain in the week and more showers on Thursday. “We don’t know how he’s going to handle the track down there, but there’s not much we can do about that. It’s what we’re faced with and we’ve got to hope he can handle it. I’m not going to know until I let him go with what type of response he’s going to give me,” Purton said.
He expects Ka Ying Rising to show his customary early speed and fire across from gate No 11, potentially settling behind speedy three-year-old Blue Door. “The leader’s drawn just inside us and I can take it up myself, but Blue Door is probably going to want to lead, so we’ll see how he jumps and assess it from there,” Purton added. The meeting starts at 03:30 with TAB Win, Place, Swinger and Quinella bets on Races 6-10 commingled into the Hong Kong World Pool. Trifectas will not be available on these races.
CAULFIELD: STACKHOUSE FANCIES TREASURETHE MOMENT
Four-time Group 1 winner Treasurethe Moment has gone winless all spring, but her jockey Daniel Stackhouse says she is a serious runner in the AU$6,54-million Caulfield Cup over 2400m at the Melbourne track. “If you go over her form over 2400m, she’s a very good horse but her recent form is not up to her standard. I think she’s just screaming out for that at the moment. I would have liked it to be a little less weight, but she’s probably weighted pretty well on what she’s done,” Stackhouse said. The meeting starts at 03:15 and TAB Win, Place, Quinella, Swinger bets on the Caufield Cup (Race 9) will be commingled into the Hong Kong World Pool.
SELANGOR: NAVARRE REGENT LOOKS SET TO GO IN AGAIN
Title-chasing jockey Jimmy Wong has forged a strong partnership with leading trainer Simon Dunderdale. They combine with six runners at this meeting, including Navarre Regent who has a good chance of landing the feature over 1100m (Race 4). The promising three-year-old won his recent maiden with effortless ease and, despite a rise in weights, should prove hard to beat. The meeting starts at 06:15.
HOLLYWOODBETS DURBANVILLE: EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN’S CLASS TO TELL
Eight On Eighteen makes his seasonal return in Race 5 over 1400m on the tight track as trainer Justin Snaith begins his build-up to the major Cape Summer features. While this is short of his best, the star five-year-old is weighted to win by several lengths, and did post wins over 1200m and 1500m in his three-year-old career.
Young pretender Hah Lah Lah is better suited to this distance and is a top horse in the making, but steps up from the minor handicaps to take on the biggest gun in SA racing. Handily weighted Beware The Bomb is good enough to make this a keen contest, but one has to expect Eight On Eighteen’s class to carry him through.
SUGGESTED R240 (50%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 14:20):
Leg 1: 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
Leg 2: 1, 3, 6
Leg 3: 6, 9
Leg 4: 2, 4, 6, 7
Leg 5: 2, 5
Leg 6: 4, 10
ASCOT: FIVE GROUP 1 BLOCKBUSTERS ON CHAMPIONS DAY
The Group 1 Qatar Racing Champion Stakes over 2000m (Race 6) headlines a seven-race card featuring five top-level Group 1 contests. Francis Graffard-trained star Calandagan is favourite to repeat last year’s triumph over Ombudsman, but both will need to bounce back after suffering defeats in their previous starts. Calandagan was beaten by Kalpana in the King George at Ascot, while Ombudsman was below par when beaten at 5-6 in the Juddmonte International. John Gosden blamed the ground for his four-time Group 1 winner’s defeat at York and an unusually dry autumn has resulted in Ombudsman and Calandagan taking their chances on Champions Day. It should be a great race again. TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger and Trifecta bets on Races 2-7 will be commingled into the World Pool.
Brief notes on the other Group 1 races at Ascot:
Race 2: Qatar Racing British Champions Long Distance Cup, 3200m
George Scott and Oisin Murphy team up in search of glory with resurgent Prix du Cadran hero Caballo De Mar. He is firmly back to the peak of his powers, having outbattled Scandinavia to defend his Paris Longchamp crown two weeks ago.
Race 3: Qatar Racing British Champions Sprint Stakes, 1200m
Almeraq returns to the scene of his greatest triumph, having come out on top in a narrow finish to the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The William Haggas-trained colt was defeated in the Group 1 July Cup Stakes at Newmarket in July, but roared back to his brilliant best when romping 4.50 lengths clear in the Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock on 5 September. “He’s in really good shape, so I’d be very hopeful that he’ll go well,” said Haggas.
Race 4: Qatar Racing British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, 2400m
Star mare Kalpana bids for an unprecedented hat-trick on Champions Day in what is likely to be her final run. Balding said: “I thought she ran a solid race in the Arc. She finished fifth with four extremely good horses in front of her and a few good ones behind her. That was probably an upgrade on last year’s performance. She’s absolutely fine. She appears to have come out of France really well.”
Race 5: Qatar Racing Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, 1600m
One of Aiden O’Brien’s best runners on the day is Gstaad, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November and the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas in May. He is a leading contender here, alongside Group 2 Joel Stakes winner Talk Of New York and French raider, Rayif.
SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS:
CHAMP DE MARS: MEETING SWITCHED TO SUNDAY
This race meeting was originally scheduled for Saturday and fields were not available at the time of writing. The meeting will start at 10:15.
TAB FAIRVIEW: FOURIE CHOOSES ANOTHERDANCEFORME
Champion filly Anotherdanceforme looks set to add another feature success to her CV in Race 7, the Listed TAB Casino Algoa Cup over 2000m. Her stablemates Kleinzee, a seven-time winner in a row over shorter, eight-time winner Enchanting Choice and distance specialist Wild Fig also have claims. Richard Fourie, however, has chosen Alan Greeff’s classy 12-time winner above them all and they could claim the lion’s share of the stake. The main danger may come from lightly raced Cape raider Prairie Dawn, who receives 7.5kg from Anotherdanceforme and is expected to be staying on at the business end. Kelly Mitchley’s unbeaten filly Marchland will take a power of beating in the supporting feature Race 6, the Listed Konica Minolta SA Stakes over 1600m.