Celestial City for Kings Cup crown

Jack Milner

The Listed Kings Cup over 1600m heads up the card at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday and it could give Celestial City the opportunity to start following in the footsteps of some of his illustrious siblings.

A full brother to Grade 1 winning Hawwaam and a half-brother to other Grade 1 winners Rainbow Bridge and Golden Ducat, Celestial City cost R7 million as a yearling and for an awfully long time it appeared as though he would not race at all due to a few troubling issues.

Eventually he moved to Sean Tarry’s yard and with patience and perseverance the son of Silvano eventually lined up in a Maiden Plate over 1600m on the Inside track at Turffontein, making his debut as a four-year-old.

Tarry admitted he did not know what to expect but Celestial City rose to the occasion and made a winning debut.

He has since gone on to win four more races and has placed a further five times in his 11 starts.

He still has a long way to go in order to replicate the 10 wins of Hawwaam and the quality of those victories, but he has to start somewhere, and the Kings Cup looks the perfect vehicle for him.

He loves this distance and based on his success on the Turffontein Inside track, he should be ideally suited to racing at Greyville. He also has the benefit of jumping from No 1 draw and will be ridden by regular rider Kabelo Matsunyane.

The main danger looks to be Imilenzeyokududuma who, while having strong credentials over the distance and in high-class company, is carrying 60kg, giving Celestial City 5.5kg which could be biting off more than he can chew.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 2 The Ghost, 6 Magical View, 11 Woza Nawe, 8 Icy Lancaster

Race 2: 4 Grand Occasion, 7 Ethereal View, 8 Extraction, 9 I Won't Give Up

Race 3: 3 Emerald Green, 4 Head Girl, 5 Cupid's Way, 5 Sweet Julia

Race 4: 4 Gorgeous Dude, 10 Run To Rio, 13 Captain Marsala, 9 Spelling Bee

Race 5: 2 Jazz Cafe, 6 Questo E Quello, 8 Rafeef's Choice, 10 Miss Gibson

Race 6: 1 Gladatorian, 3 Coin Spinner, 8 Swing Upon A Star, 7 Ensuing

Race 7: 1 Celestial City, 2 Narina Trogon, 3 Imilenzeyokududuma, 4 Laguna Verde

Race 8: 9 Iron Will, 1 Manic Monday, 10 Pascali, 5 Action Stations

Race 9: 4 Khanyisa Indlela, 5 San Marzano, 9 Tin Cup, 2 Tobacconist

BEST BET

Race 6: 1 Gladatorian

VALUE BET

Race 5: 2 Jazz Cafe

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 2x6

BIPOT

R288

Leg 1: 4, 7

Leg 2: 3, 4, 5

Leg 3: 4, 9, 10, 13

Leg 4: 2, 6, 8, 10

Leg 5: 1

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 3, 4

Leg 2: 4, 10, 13

Leg 3: 2, 6, 8

Leg 4: 1

Leg 5: 1, 2, 3

Leg 6: 1, 9

Leg 7: 4, 5, 9

PICK 6

R1500

Leg 1: 4, 8, 9, 10, 13

Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 8, 10

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 5: 1, 9, 10

Leg 6: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9

JACKPOT 1

R60

Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 8, 10

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 4: 1, 9, 10

JACKPOT 2

R60

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 1, 9, 10

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9