Jack Milner
While there are no feature events on the card, there is still some thrilling racing at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
Once again, the card features a number of runners who looked to be useful juveniles making their first appearances as three-year-olds and hopefully they can shed some light on their prospects in Classic races later in the season.
However, the main event of the day is Race 7, a strongly contested Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m. Candice Bass-Robinson could hold the key to this race as she sends out two extremely talented performers in African Rain and Resonate.
They are also the two best weighted runners in the line-up and could well fight it out. Both, however, will be coming off a rest. African Rain has not raced since travelling up to Joburg to contest the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m at Turffontein on 30 April.
The Soft Falling Rain gelding performed well enough, finishing a 2.85-length fifth behind Master Archie. He received a six-point penalty for that performance which more than accounts for him being the best weighted runner by at least 1.5kg.
Resonate is the runner rated 1.5kg behind African Rain and he has not run since finishing a 1.25-length second behind Surjay over 1200m at Kenilworth on 25 June. He was cut into during the running and might have needed a short break. However, he did produce the fastest 400m to finish and two winners from five runners have come out of that form line.
Both have good form at Durbanville which is key at this course, but it could be significant that first-choice jockey Aldo Domeyer has elected to ride Resonate. The four-year-old Twice Over gelding also gets 4kg from his stable companion.
Of course, all races are run around the turn at Durbanville, so the draws are often important but having said that, Resonate, who jumps from barrier No 8, did win from draw No 9 at the course. He can produce a fast finish if dropped out and also has good gate speed so it does give Domeyer a number of options.
Gareth Wright, though, has done well for the Bass-Robinson stable so one has to respect African Rain as well.
Vaughan Marshall also has two runners in Safe Return and Ambiorix and preference is for the former. The son of William Longsword has the advantage of jumping from No 1 draw and will have S’manga Khumalo in the irons.
Although he finished unplaced in his lone run at the course, that run was over 1400m and he was only caught late, to finish just 1.80 lengths behind Trip Of Fortune.
Ambiorix will be having his first start at this course, but he does have ability and cannot be written off either.
Another to consider is Dean Kannemeyer-trained Irish Morning, who will be ridden by in-form Keagan de Melo.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 12 Max The Otter, 5 Charlie Malone, 6 Remember My Name, 14 Stratospheric
Race 2: 4 Strawberry Light, 9 Head Girl, 3 Future Contract, 2 I'll Slip Away
Race 3: 6 Hear My Voice, 1 Red Kite, 3 Chiquita Banana, 4 Simply Beautiful
Race 4: 7 Future Turn, 4 Popping Crease, 9 Senhora Victoria, 10 Run Rudolph Run
Race 5: 2 Yellowporscheroad, 1 Itsrainingwilliam, 9 All About Al, 4 Kalahari Ferrari
Race 6: 6 Poltergeist, 3 Silver Falcon, 1 Street Outlaw, 8 Shifting Path
Race 7: 8 Resonate, 5 African Rain, 1 Safe Return, 7 Irish Morning
Race 8: 5 Galactic Path, 1 Piketberg Alley, 2 Tozzetti, 3 Policy Target
BEST BET
Race 4 No 7 Future Turn
VALUE BET
Race 6 No 6 Poltergeist
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 4x9
BIPOT
R108
Leg 1: 5, 6, 12
Leg 2: 4, 9
Leg 3: 1, 6
Leg 4: 7
Leg 5: 1, 2, 9
Leg 6: 1, 3, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R192
Leg 1: 4, 9
Leg 2: 1, 6
Leg 3: 7
Leg 4: 1, 2
Leg 5: 1, 3, 6
Leg 6: 5, 8
Leg 7: 1, 2, 3, 5
PICK 6
R1920
Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 6
Leg 2: 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 9
Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8
Leg 5: 1, 5, 8
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 5 7, 8, 9, 10
JACKPOT 1
R60
Leg 1: 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 9
Leg 3: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8
Leg 4: 1, 5, 8
JACKPOT 2
R480
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 9
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8
Leg 3: 1, 5, 8
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5 7, 8, 9, 10