Jack Milner
Trainers often have a lot of belief in their charges and are keen to test that trust by throwing them in at the deep end. That usually involves putting them in a strong race to see if they will sink or swim.
Cocomelon has clearly been one of those horses as trainer Sean Tarry has tested her against some of the best of her age. After winning her maiden, her next outing was in the Grade 3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein in November last year.
However, she found the company too strong but in retrospect, the first two past the post that day were Fatal Flaw, who went on to win two Grade 1 races in the ensuing six months, and Cocomelon’s stable companion World Of Alice, who followed up that run with a win in the Grade 3 Fillies Mile.
A bad draw destroyed any chance she might have had in the Fillies Mile but she did run well in the Grade 3 Mother Russia Stakes over 1400m when beaten less than a length into fourth.
The daughter of Willow Magic was clearly looking for further which she demonstrated when running second in the Listed Ormond Ferraris Oaks trial over 2000m at Turffontein and then third in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks behind smart filly Fiery Pegasus and World Of Alice.
That Handicappers clearly propped up Tarry’s belief in this filly because they penalised her 8kg for that third spot.
She has one more run before given a break from which she returned almost five months later on 20 September to contest a Graduation Plate over 1600m. She had a great run, producing the fastest last 400m over 1600m to finish a 3.65-length fifth.
On Saturday at Turffontein Cocomelon should finally get her chance to shine when she lines up in the Non-Black Type Allez France Stakes over 2200m on the Inside track.
She comes in as the joint best weighted runner in this Non-Black Type and will have the services of jockey Craig Zackey.
The main threat is likely to come from consistent United Council with Muzi Yeni in the irons.
Robbie Sage's inmate was victorious over 2400m when last partnered by Yeni, whose five outings aboard this six-year-old mare have yielded three wins and a fourth.
Even under top-weight 60kg, United Council is weighted to be competitive and supporters of the Sage-trained mare can expect a big run for their money.
Yeni has some decent rides on the day but one that does stand out of Matcha Mint in Race 5, a MR 74 Handicap over 1600m.
The daughter of Gimmethegreenlight shed her maiden tag in emphatic style over this course and distance, romping home by more than five lengths under Yeni.
The form has since been franked with two subsequent winners from that race, and trainer Paul Matchett’s filly looks progressive enough to handle the rise into handicap company. She’s one to keep onside as her three-year-old season unfolds.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 4 Stone Of Scone, 9 Top Shelf Teddy, 1 Winds Of Grace, 8 Spiranac
Race 2: 8 Gonna Catch You, 10 Korcula, 3 Winchester, 4 Royale Jacket
Race 3: 6 Green Machine, 1 Euphrates, 9 Texas Missile, 10 Nothing Compares
Race 4: 1 It's Personal, 5 Red Penny, 2 Hemisphere, 3 Super Awesome
Race 5: 6 Matcha Mint, 3 Dylan's Champ, 7 Sheets And Goggles, 4 Johnny Drama
Race 6: 2 Cocomelon, 1 United Council, 6 Lava Lamp, 3 Soldier's Eye
Race 7: 2 Chronicle King, 3 Echo Check, 9 Sukhumvit, 6 King Harald
Race 8: 4 Pennsylvania, 7 Fully Loaded, 8 Plus Four, 6 Roaming Spirit
Race 9: 10 Sahara Dawn, 1 Beamonesque, 3 Phala Millions, 5 Princess Lola
BEST BET
Race 5: 6 Matcha Mint
VALUE BET
Race 9: 10 Sahara Dawn
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 4x9
BIPOT
R162
Leg 1: 3, 8, 10
Leg 2: 1, 6, 9
Leg 3: 1, 2, 5
Leg 4: 6
Leg 5: 1, 2, 6
Leg 6: 2, 3
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1, 6, 9
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5
Leg 3: 6
Leg 4: 1, 2, 6
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 4, 7
Leg 7: 1, 3, 5, 10
PICK 6
R1260
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7
Leg 2: 6
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 4: 2, 3
Leg 5: 4, 7, 8
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10
JACKPOT 1
R30
Leg 1: 6
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 3: 2, 3
Leg 4: 4, 7, 8
JACKPOT 2
R210
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 2: 2, 3
Leg 3: 4, 7, 8
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10