An apple this day is a winner

Jack Milner

Often the art of winning is down to a trainer finding the right race for their runners and Gareth van Zyl appears to have done just that for Theappleofmyeye.

The daughter of Var only began racing in April and will turn four on 1 August but her three runs so far look quite encouraging.

All three have been at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and she has improved with each effort, and there was a lot to like about her last effort when finishing a 2.90-length second behind Bitcoin Baby, giving her and the other youngster behind her 4kg.

It was a run that showed her to be much better than her previous form and perhaps she has just needed time to come to hand.

She will try the Polytrack on Monday in Race 4 at Hollywoodbets Greyville, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m.

But looking at the level of her opposition, Van Zyl appears to have found the ideal race for his charge.

Theappleofmyeye is rated to finish well ahead of the exposed individuals and the two relatively unexposed juveniles have shown little in multiple starts so she should be tough to beat.

Ant Mgudlwa has ridden the filly in her last two starts and he is back in the irons once again.

They jump from barrier No 4.

Trip To Nebraska looks the best of the rest but while she does have some form on the Polytrack, she is highly exposed. She does have Keagan de Melo up but he will need to overcome No 10 draw.

In Race 1, a Maiden Plate over 1000m, Plinian tries the Polytrack after turning in a promising performance on the turf on debut.

The Polytrack holds no fears for trainer Garth Puller and although taking on other unexposed youngsters, Plinian looks good enough.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 4 Plinian, 5 Si Veloce, 3 Seattle Ripper, 6 Champonelle

Race 2: 5 Fairy Tripp, 4 Piece By Piece, 2 Stealth Attack, 11 An Air Of Pride

Race 3: 1 Petteia, 7 Explosive Speed, 10 Zabadak, 11 Jury's Out

Race 4: 5 Theappleofmyeye, 10 Trip To Nebraska, 8 Ntombenhle, 7 Sacred Lily

Race 5: 8 Shaken Not Stirred, 12 Saturn Moon, 7 Conchita, 9 Ingakara

Race 6: 4 Sing For Winter, 7 Manic Monday, 1 Gardenia, 2 Reckless Love

Race 7: 3 Efficient Trader, 10 Senor Garcia, 4 Hippocrates, 11 Twosidestoastory

Race 8: 2 Whorly Whorly, 8 Nelson Bay, 11 Unsolved Riddle, 12 William Rufus

BEST BET

Race 4 No 5 Theappleofmyeye

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 2 Whorly Whorly

BEST SWINGER

Race 3 1x7

BIPOT

R288

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5

Leg 2: 2, 4, 5

Leg 3: 1, 7

Leg 4: 5

Leg 5: 7, 8, 9, 12

Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 7

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R243

Leg 1: 2, 4, 5

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 5

Leg 4: 7, 8, 12

Leg 5: 1, 4, 7

Leg 6: 3, 4, 10

Leg 7: 2, 8, 11

PICK 6

R900

Leg 1: 1, 7

Leg 2: 5

Leg 3: 1, 7, 8, 9, 12

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9

Leg 5: 3, 4, 10

Leg 6: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

JACKPOT 1

R75

Leg 1: 5

Leg 2: 1, 7, 8, 9, 12

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9

Leg 4: 3, 4, 10

JACKPOT 2

R450

Leg 1: 1, 7, 8, 9, 12

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9

Leg 3: 3, 4, 10

Leg 4: 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12