Ancient World a genuine player

Jack Milner

An interesting MR 86 Handicap over 1900m heads up the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday when they race on the Polytrack.

Candice Dawson sends out consistent Player who runs in the familiar black with the white hooped cap colours of nine-time golf major champion Gary Player. For the record, he still remains only one of five golfers to win all four majors.

He owns the five-year-old Toreador gelding along with Larry Nestadt and Ronnie Burg.

Player – the horse this time – has won five of his 14 starts and most importantly, he has won his only race on the Polytrack when he broke his maiden.

Muzi Yeni teamed up with him for the first time at Turffontein last time and they proved to be a winning combination. As a result, Dawson has engaged him once again.

However, could face some sturdy opposition from Michael Miller-trained Ancient World. This three-year-old gelding is only a two-time winner, but he also has run well on the Polytrack with a win and two places from his 10 outings.

However, what is really relevant was his last run in which he finished a 2.40-length fourth behind Flag Man over 1900m on the turf track, giving the Gareth van Zyl-trained runner 2kg.

Since that race, of course, Flag Man really caught the eye last Saturday when he pushed odds-on favourite and current Hollywoodbets Durban July favourite Green With Envy to the wire in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000.

Behind him were some of the best three-year-olds in the country so that last performance was really noteworthy and he gets the nod to come out on top this time.

Tristan Godden has ridden him in most of his starts, including both his wins, and he will be back on the son of Vercingetorix for this race.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 7 And Action, 1 Captain Jim, 3 Glamorz, 4 Mister Nibbles

Race 2: 4 JP Two Thousand, 1 Nazare, 5 Wave Warrior, 6 Imaginable

Race 3: 8 Ladies World, 2 City Lights, 9 Nautical Landing, 3 Flying Reign Storm

Race 4: 8 Incredible Indrani, 7 Moremi Gorge, 2 Force De Dieu, 5 Iron Monger

Race 5: 6 Ancient World, 5 Player, 8 Pas De Nom, 7 Cupid's Song

Race 6: 3 Theappleofmyeye, 8 Light Of Day, 2 Elegant Act, 1 Bushveld

Race 7: 3 Rugger Lover, 2 Chelsea Flower, 5 Vision To Achieve, 1 Beautiful Rania

Race 8: 8 Moya Wa Laliga, 7 John Wick, 2 Gimme A Rainbow, 1 Ndaka

BEST BET

Race 6 No 3 Theappleofmyeye

VALUE BET

Race 5 No 6 Ancient World

BEST SWINGER

Race 5 5x6

BIPOT

R72

Leg 1: 1, 3, 7

Leg 2: 1, 4

Leg 3: 2, 8, 9

Leg 4: 7, 8

Leg 5: 5, 6

Leg 6: 3

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R128

Leg 1: 1, 4

Leg 2: 2, 8

Leg 3: 7, 8

Leg 4: 5, 6

Leg 5: 3

Leg 6: 2, 3

Leg 7: 1, 2, 7, 8

PICK 6

R720

Leg 1: 2, 3, 8, 9

Leg 2: 2, 7, 8

Leg 3: 5, 6, 8

Leg 4: 3

Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 5

Leg 6: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9

JACKPOT 1

R36

Leg 1: 2, 7, 8

Leg 2: 5, 6, 8

Leg 3: 3

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5

JACKPOT 2

R60

Leg 1: 5, 6, 8

Leg 2: 3

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5

Leg 4: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9