Cliff Top in cruise control

Jack Milner

Cliff Top and Cruise Control have met four times and honours are shared 2-2. The talented pair will be meeting for a fifth time at Fairview on Friday in Race 7, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m on the turf track.

It is going to be difficult to separate them this time as well but Cliff Top seems to have found his best form and has won his last two races with aplomb.

It seems he has finally learned to settle and he has produced a remarkable kick and has raced away from his opposition, winning his last two races by 3.25 lengths and 5.25 lengths respectively.

These two started racing in the same race and on that occasion Gavin Smith-trained Cruise Control lived up to his name and outpaced Alan Greeff’s charge by 1.75 lengths.

However, Cliff Top quickly got his revenge, winning the Listed Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. It was Cliff Top who came up trumps again when they met in the East Cape Nursery at Fairview but Cruise Control ran a shocker, but had a respiratory issue.

Both were then gelded but while Cliff Top took a while to regain his best form, Cruise Control quickly came well and reeled off two very impressive victories, one of which he had Cliff Top behind him.

He was then taken back to Cape Town to contest the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship and after leading going through the final 400m, Cruise Control failed to kick on but was beaten just 3.60 lengths by arguably the best sprinters in the country at level weights.

Apprentice Rachel Venniker takes the ride as well as 1.5kg off his back but Richard Fourie is back aboard Cliff Top, and that should turn this race into a real thriller.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 1 Summer Odyssey, 2 Fire Glow, 3 Global Rush, 4 Idita

Race 2: 7 Medlers Tart, 1 Popping Crease, 2 Space Explorer, 4 Jack In The Box

Race 3: 6 Cape Bouquet, 5 Light Without, 4 Matsuyamo, 1 Humble Tune

Race 4: 1 Afrodite, 2 Yaya Maria, 4 Red Centre, 3 Mercurial Jet

Race 5: 2 Ferrari Ice, 6 Slings And Arrows, 3 Bold Resolve, 5 Naval Secret

Race 6: 11 Chroniclesofnania, 5 Rose Of Bayeux, 1 Ancestral Prayer, 4 Daughter Of Zeus

Race 7: 3 Cliff Top, 1 Cruise Control, 4 Stranger Danger, 6 What A Winner

Race 8: 9 Joyous Jubilee, 8 Arverni Warrior, 16 Picture The Moment, 11 Cool Runnings

BEST BET

Race 1 No 1 Summer Odyssey

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 9 Joyous Jubilee

BEST SWINGER

Race 7 1x3

BIPOT

R384

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 7

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 5: 2, 3, 6

Leg 6: 1, 4, 5, 11

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 1, 7

Leg 2: 4, 5, 6

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4

Leg 4: 2, 6

Leg 5: 1, 5, 11

Leg 6: 3

Leg 7: 8, 9, 16

PICK 6

R2560

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 2, 3, 5, 6

Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 11

Leg 5: 1, 3

Leg 6: 6, 8, 9, 11, 16

JACKPOT 1

R128

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 6

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 11

Leg 4: 1, 3

JACKPOT 2

R160

Leg 1: 2, 3, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 11

Leg 3: 1, 3

Leg 4: 6, 8, 9, 11, 16