Jack Milner
While remaining competitive and getting involved in some tight finishes, Gavin Lerena had a relatively quiet weekend.
Richard Fourie, on the other hand, had a wonderful weekend with three winners on Friday, three on Saturday and three on Sunday.
That has seen him go 10 wins clear at the top of the log on 224 winners with Lerena on 214 and Craig Zackey on 211.
However, we race at Turffontein on Tuesday and that puts us back in “Lerena Land”, and as normal he has a decent book of rides.
Undoubtedly, top of the pile on the nine-race card has to be progressive three-year-old Buffalo Storm Cody, who has raised his game in two starts as a gelding, winning both subsequent outings after the surgery in impressive fashion.
The Tony Peter-trained son of Buffalo Bill Cody blew away the opposition on his reappearance following a four-month absence and streaked clear to win by a widening 8.25 lengths before following up under a six-point penalty in the 1100m Non-Black Type Mythical Flight Stakes in mid-April under Lerena, who steered Buffalo Storm Cody to both victories.
The pair resume their partnership in Race 8 over 1160m on the Standside track at Turffontein and, despite a hefty eight-point penalty, the hat-trick seems well within the compass of the promising Buffalo Storm Cody.
Peter's charge beat Mount Pinatubo in the Mythical Flight Stakes and that rival subsequently franked the form by winning a MR 106 Handicap, beating Quantum Theory (second), Troppo Veloce (third), Dreamland (fourth) and Sheldon (sixth). All four of those runners line up against Buffalo Storm Cody but they are unlikely to get the better of the improving sophomore who is probably better than rated.
The one concern is that last time the stipes report note that Buffalo Storm Cody “changed legs at the 150m and thereafter commenced to hang in”. When he raced on the Inside track in his penultimate start he did not do that and maybe he prefers to race around the turn.
It will be interesting to see what he does this time.
Peter could also claim Race 9, a MR 90 Handicap over 1160m, where he sends out two runners, Hong Kong and Blizzard Snow.
Blizzard Snow, a daughter of Erupt, won over the same course and distance just last month, and has been penalised 1.5kg for the win.
Hong Kong finished fourth in that race, beaten 1.90 lengths, and will be 2kg better off on this occasion. That will put Peter’s pair very close together but two other factors point to Hong Kong being the preferred runner. The first is that Lerena has stuck with the three-year-old daughter of Ideal World and that second is that she pulled up with a mouth injury last time which probably took away from her performance.
Malesela Katjedi will take the ride on Blizzard Snow.
While that race closes the meeting, Lerena could also get bettors off to a fine start when he rides United Council in Race 1, a Pinnacle Stakes over 2400m.
Robbie Sage’s charge comes into the event as the second highest rated runners and three of his four wins have been over 2400m, and all of them at this course.
Nebraas came back to form in the Listed Gold Bowl over 3200m at Turffontein when finishing second behind shock winner Taxhaven.
United Council ended up in fourth, beaten 6.75 length, but he is 2kg better off and probably found 3200m too far last time.
On the other hand Nebraas, even at his peak, only managed one win in three starts over 2400m, and that was in June 2022. He is clearly better the further they go but he does have some class and cannot be underestimated.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 6 United Council, 1 Nebraas, 2 Silent War, 7 Explosive Bond
Race 2: 11 Queen Of Pearls, 3 Chericherilady, 5 Kahalawai, 10 One Summer
Race 3: 8 Palace Attack, 3 Chapbook, 2 Carnarvon, 11 Tiger's Captain
Race 4: 2 Golden Warrior, 4 Master Spy, 8 Rejuvenate, 6 Sergeant Soqrat
Race 5: 2 Chieftain's Shield, 1 Phil The Fluter, 9 Fire Starter, 5 Curtiss Condor
Race 6: 8 Ethical, 6 Lava Lamp, 7 Bold Action, 1 Intro
Race 7: 11 Count Huhtikuu, 6 Jordan, 10 Beynac, 1 Bacchus
Race 8: 2 Buffalo Storm Cody, 3 Dantonfromsandton, 6 Quantum Theory, 9 Yamadori
Race 9: 5 Hong Kong, 6 Blizzard Snow, 2 Kindred Heart, 9 Exceedingly Glam
BEST BET
Race 8: 2 Buffalo Storm Cody
VALUE BET
Race 1: 6 United Council
BEST SWINGER
Race 4 2x4
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 3, 5, 10, 11
Leg 2: 2, 3, 8
Leg 3: 2, 4
Leg 4: 1, 2, 9
Leg 5: 6, 8
Leg 6: 6, 11
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 2, 3, 8
Leg 2: 2, 4
Leg 3: 1, 2, 9
Leg 4: 6, 8
Leg 5: 6, 11
Leg 6: 2
Leg 7: 2, 5, 6
PICK 6
R1125
Leg 1: 2, 4, 8
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 8, 9
Leg 3: 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 1, 6, 7, 10, 11
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 2, 5, 6, 9, 12
JACKPOT 1
R75
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 8, 9
Leg 2: 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 1, 6, 7, 10, 11
Leg 4: 2
JACKPOT 2
R75
Leg 1: 6, 7, 8
Leg 2: 1, 6, 7, 10, 11
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 2, 5, 6, 9, 12