Highveld-based jockey Kabelo Matsunyane has hit good form again and he looks the man to follow at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. Twenty One May in Race 8 has been scratched but he could still be on the mark with Messalina and One Smart Cookie.
Trainer Corne Spies has a great record raiding the KwaZulu-Natal region and his filly, Messalina, should go close in Race 3, an Open Maiden over 1400m. Matsunyane has ridden her four times and knows her well. She has improved of late and the last time he rode her the pair finished second to Mike de Kock-trained Grade 2 Gauteng Fillies Guineas Spumante Dolce.
That maiden form line, as expected, is turning out to be of high quality and Messalina looks hard to beat against the local raced runners. But there is a first-timer from Dean Kannemeyer’s yard, Dancing On A Cloud, who is a well-bred son of Lancaster Bomber. The trainer comment is: “nice type, include”, and must be watched.
Everybody it seems is waiting for One Smart Cookie to run on good ground again. The Tienie Prinsloo-trained filly has run on rain-affected tracks in her last three and she hasn’t run badly at all. And while she has finished well in her races it must be said that she has not looked as comfortable as she does on good ground.
Matsunyane will be hoping for fast ground as he teams up with her for the first time, but the four-year-old bay has two more factors in her favour. While most have been battling to get their horses fit due to the inclement weather, One Smart Cookie, won’t have any problems in that department as that last strong performance came six days prior to this start.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Mystic Dancer, 5 Berrington Blew, 4 Limitless Sky, 8 Quickstepgal
Race 2: 8 Greenlight Queen, 3 K M V Retrofit, 10 Lucienne, 1 Love Love Love
Race 3: 7 Messalina, 5 Dancing On A Cloud, 6 Apache Ag, 4 Tre Uno
Race 4: 7 Beach Palace, 1 Whispers Of War, 5 Future Saint, 6 Indecent Proposal
Race 5: 11 World Of Our Own, 7 Ragnar The King, 1 Festival Of Magic, 3 Parmenion
Race 6: 8 Elusive Belle, 2 Firecracker, 6 Princess Palace, 5 The Queen Bee
Race 7: 3 One Smart Cookie, 2 Wings Of Josephine, 5 Tequila Sky, 9 Blowin In The Wind
Race 8: 9 Smorgasbord, 5 Luhamba Phambili, 4 War Empress, 2 Northern Warrior
BEST BET
Race 1 No 2 Mystic Dancer
VALUE BET
Race 6 No 8 Elusive Belle
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 3x8
BIPOT
R72
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 3, 8
Leg 3: 7
Leg 4: 1, 5, 7
Leg 5: 1, 7, 11
Leg 6: 2, 5, 6, 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 3, 8
Leg 2: 7
Leg 3: 1, 5, 7
Leg 4: 7, 11
Leg 5: 2, 6, 8
Leg 6: 2, 3, 5
Leg 7: 6, 9
PICK 6
R1440
Leg 1: 7
Leg 2: 1, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 7, 11
Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 5: 2, 3, 5
Leg 6: 4, 5, 6, 9
JACKPOT 1
R360
Leg 1: 1, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 7, 11
Leg 3: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 2, 3, 5
JACKPOT 2
R360
Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 7, 11
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 2, 3, 5
Leg 4: 4, 5, 6, 9