Wild Fig to notch up another Fairview victory

A sense of normality appears to have settled in Gqeberha as Friday’s racing at Fairview will take  place on the turf as carded. Trainers will be delighted as months of Polytrack racing did not suit many of their horses.

Fortunately, there are some runners who are equally comfortable on both surfaces, and one of those is Alan Greeff-trained Wild Fig. The son of Fire Away has been improving all year, has three solid wins in his last four starts and looks the obvious choice to win Race 3, a Middle Stakes over 2000m.

The four-year-old gelding was consistent without winning at the beginning of the year and always seemed to find one too good. The penny finally dropped in June when jockey Richard Fourie managed to ger the best out of him.

A hat-trick of victories over this distance on the Polytrack followed, which resulted in his merit rating shooting up from 70 to its current 92. But he indicated he was not done last time when runner-up to the very much in-form Kelly Mitchley-trained Bad Medicine, this time on the turf.

Wild Fig had that rival’s measure for most of the way up the straight, only to be run out of it.

Fourie is likely to keep a bit more in reserve this time around.

His main danger this likely to come from another Mitchley-trained runner in Makhachev, who is weighted to turn around his last 1.30-length defeat by Wild Fig on 2kg better terms. However, that was on the Polytrack where the six-year-old Red Ray gelding has had most of his success.

Pyro Edition in Race 8, a MR 68 Handicap over 1600m, was carded to run last Friday on the turf. After rainfall, they switched to the Polytrack and he gave that race a miss. Clearly, they think he is better on the grass, and he is in good form.

Jockey Chad Little does duty on him and he could get it right this time.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 8 Eternal Spirit, 7 Princess Chante, 9 Cambiaso, 1 Storm Ballet

Race 2: 1 Love From Afar, 10 Caravantovaccares, 7 Champagne Blaze, 3 Window To My Soul

Race 3: 2 Wild Fig, 1 Makhachev, 3 Above The Horizon, 4 Laguna Verde

Race 4: 4 Joker Man, 5 Silvonian, 2 Black Egret, 1 Don’t Cry For Me

Race 5: 3 Blame It On Me, 6 Rules Of Conduct, 9 El Capitan, 5 Rooster Bradshaw

Race 6: 7 Red Birch, 2 Blazing Flame, 3 Daffodil Delight, 5 Marketa

Race 7: 2 Astronomical Boy, 11 First Officer, 8 Cian The Conqueror, 4 French Flame

Race 8: 2 Pyro Edition, 4 Sixtyzero, 1 Asinantanga, 3 Hospices De Beaune

 

BEST BET

Race 3: 2 Wild Fig

VALUE BET

Race 5: 3 Blame It On Me

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 4×5

 

BIPOT

R216

Leg 1: 7, 8, 9

Leg 2: 1, 7, 10

Leg 3: 2

Leg 4: 4, 5

Leg 5: 3, 6, 9

Leg 6: 2, 3, 5, 7

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 10

Leg 2: 2

Leg 3: 4, 5

Leg 4: 3, 6, 9

Leg 5: 2, 3, 7

Leg 6: 2, 8, 11

Leg 7: 2, 4

 

PICK 6

R1000

Leg 1: 2

Leg 2: 4, 5

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 6, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 8, 11

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4

 

JACKPOT 1

R250

Leg 1: 4, 5

Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 6, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 8, 11

 

JACKPOT 2

R500

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 8, 11

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4