Jack Milner
After a week of almost non-stop rain and overcast conditions, Joburg residents were delighted to awaken on Thursday to clear blue skies and sunshine.
Yes, the temperatures have dropped but that will not have any impact on Saturday’s race meeting on the Standside track at Turffontein.
The wet weather left the tracks waterlogged and there has not been racing since the Vaal Classic meeting on 3 April and that only lasted for two races before the meeting had to be called off due to a unsafe track.
As a result, we are playing catchup and many of the horses that were scheduled to race at those three cancelled meetings and are now scheduled to race tomorrow.
Punters need to be a little cautious because while there has been no racing, the rain also precluded the trainers from working their charges and lack of fitness has to be a concern.
One runner who missed out on a run is Tony Peter-trained Buffalo Storm Cody. This highly regarded three-year-old could not have been more impressive on his return from a rest, during which he was gelded, as he spreadeagled his opposition to win by more than eight lengths over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside track.
This son of Buffalo Bill Cody received a six-point penalty for that performance but one must remember that as it was a Graduation Plate, the handicappers are restricted as to the penalty they can hand out.
The reality is that Buffalo Storm Cody ran far above that rating which means he should have a massive advantage over his runners that does not reflect in his merit rating.
He was carded to contest a Middle Stakes last time but he has been upgraded this time and will be running in the Non-Black Type Mythical Flight Sprint (Race 7) over 1100m.
Gavin Lerena took the ride on him last time and he will be back in the irons for this race. Buffalo Storm Cody looks hard to oppose in this line-up and stands out as a banker in all bets.
Peter could also be on the mark in Race 6, a MR 106 Handicap over 1000m, where he sends out filly One Fell Swoop.
The four-year-old daughter of Lancaster Bomber last contested the Non-Black Type Bauhinia Handicap for fillies and mares over this course and distance where she was beaten just 0.40 lengths by Night Vigil.
A run earlier she was beaten just 0.60 lengths by Mercantour over 1160m so she has form against the males.
It is worth noting though that Lerena, who has ridden One Fell Swoop in her lats two races, will now be aboard last-start scorer Chyavana, while Kabelo Matsunyane will ride the filly.
Lerena boasts a record of three wins and three places in six associations with the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained winner of the Listed Golden Loom Handicap 23 weeks ago.
This six-year-old Flower Alley gelding has only once been beaten in three starts over the course and distance. Furthermore, Chyavana also has a good record when racing fresh after an absence so his followers can expect a big run for their money.
Lerena can also be on the mark with in-form daughter of Silvano, Doitwithdiamonds, who contests Race 8, a MR 99 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m. This four-year-old filly has thrived since relocating to the Highveld and confirmed as much by backing up her 1800m victory on the Inside track in February by finishing a close-up second in her last start over 2000m off a career-high mark.
She copped a further two-point penalty for that performance but needs only produce a similar display to resume winning ways.
Tomorrow’s race meeting is the Hennenman Memorial Race Day which commemorates the darkest day in South African racing history when a group of jockeys, trainers and air crew died after the plane they were on returning from a race meeting in Bloemfontein crashed.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 1 Littlemisssplendid, 5 Jingleberry, 3 Gulf Of America, 2 Back From War
Race 2: 1 Aristotle, 2 Gimmeanotherchance, 3 Royal Force, 4 Grand Crescendo
Race 3: 1 Art Nouveau, 2 Artic Silver, 5 World Tour, 7 City Lights
Race 4: 3 Huehuetenango, 2 Ombudsman, 6 Carnelo, 8 Gamer
Race 5: 6 Zuzan, 5 Silent War, 1 Thunee Playa, 2 Radicchio
Race 6: 7 One Fell Swoop, 6 Chyavana, 5 Magic Tattoo, 8 Yamadori
Race 7: 2 Buffalo Storm Cody, 1 Mount Pinatubo, 5 Salenio Peninsula, 4 The Specialist
Race 8: 3 Doitwithdiamonds, 2 Miss Scaletta, 4 Rani Of Kittur, 1 Mary's Greenlight
Race 9: 4 Key Worker, 9 Free In Seattle, 10 Lapis Lazuli, 7 Azaleas For All
BEST BET
Race 7 No 2 Buffalo Storm Cody
VALUE BET
Race 9 No 4 Key Worker
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 1x2
BIPOT
R96
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 2
Leg 3: 2, 3, 6
Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 6
Leg 5: 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 6: 2
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1, 2
Leg 2: 2, 3
Leg 3: 1, 5, 6
Leg 4: 5, 6, 7
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 2, 3
Leg 7: 4, 9, 10
PICK 6
R1800
Leg 1: 2, 3, 6, 8
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 2
Leg 5: 2, 3, 4
Leg 6: 2, 4, 7, 9, 10
JACKPOT 1
R90
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4
JACKPOT 2
R75
Leg 1: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4
Leg 4: 2, 4, 7, 9, 10