And We Dance to close off Challenge

Jack Milner

The final leg of the Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Poly Challenge will be run at Fairview Friday and while no runner is eligible for the R250,000 bonus for winning all three events, there are some contenders for the consolation bonus of R50,000.

Hot favourite to take that prize is Prince Of Fire, who won Leg 1 and was touched off by Narcos in Leg 2. He is sitting with 16 points and that puts him well ahead of the opposition.

The final leg, however, is over 1600m, a distance over which the son of Gimmethegreenlight has run twice and failed to place in either. But that was in a different town, with a different trainer on a different surface and that could all change this time.

While Narcos won Leg 2, he cannot claim the bonus as he did not race in Leg 1.

However, it could be wise to go with Sharon Kotzen-trained mare And We Danced, who finished a 0.15-length third behind Narcos over 1400m. The five-year-old will relish the extra distance over which she has an excellent record. Six of her eight wins have been over 1600m and on this surface she has won two of her three starts over the trip and finished second in the other.

Louie Mxothwa is back in the saddle and they will jump from barrier No 6.

Perfection did not run in the first two legs but the Gavin Smith-trained gelding has a line of form which makes him a big runner.

In March over this course and distance he proved far too good for Port Louis and was in need of his last run.

Gallic Tribe was unlucky last time as he was too far out of his ground but made very good late progress to finish fourth.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 1 Amazing Colours, 7 Burn Baby Burn, 6 Swiftwinged, 8 Sunset Roar

Race 2: 6 Graduation Time, 8 Bob Lee Swagger, 1 US Open, 5 Prince Of Denmark

Race 3: 4 Launch Code, 2 Joe Harman, 8 Sunlit From Heaven, 9 Secret Summer

Race 4: 4 Golden Pacific, 5 Summer Odyssey, 1 Bonnaroo, 2 European Summer

Race 5: 10 Persistance, 4 Coastal Path, 1 Abound, 3 Sirnihaallongsword

Race 6: 4 Iqembulabesifazane, 1 Back For More, 2 My Ami Beach, 6 Triomphe

Race 7: 8 And We Danced, 3 Perfection, 1 Prince Of Fire, 6 Gallic Tribe

Race 8: 1 Get It Done, 6 State Of Mind, 4 Defining Moment, 2 Official Secret

BEST BET

Race 1 No 1 Amazing Colours

VALUE BET

Race 5 No 10 Persistance

BEST SWINGER

Race 3 2x4

BIPOT

R54

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 6, 8

Leg 3: 2, 4

Leg 4: 1, 4, 5

Leg 5: 1, 4, 10

Leg 6: 4

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 1, 6, 8

Leg 2: 2, 4

Leg 3: 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 4, 10

Leg 5: 4

Leg 6: 1, 3, 8

Leg 7: 1, 4, 6

PICK 6

R1875

Leg 1: 2, 4, 8

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

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10

Leg 4: 4

Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6

JACKPOT 1

R125

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

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10

Leg 3: 4

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

JACKPOT 2

R125

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10

Leg 2: 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6