De Kock runner to get another chance

Jack Milner

Night racing on a Friday at Hollywoodbets Greyville has always been well attended and perhaps it is ideal that the first meeting of the new racing season kicks off with a day/night event, the first to officially staged by newly formed Race Coast.

There is a 10-race card on the Polytrack for racing fans to enjoy with Race 1 kicking off at 15.10 and Race 10 closing the meeting at 20.25.

One has to go back to 10 June 2023 to find the last time Gimmeanotherchance last won a race. It was the Listed Gatecrasher over 1400m on the turf at Greyville and after his 3.20-length victory over Winter Games, most pundits believed it would not take him long to find his way back to the winners’ enclosure.

There were some excellent performances, which saw him narrowly beaten by Sandringham Summit in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe, third to Main Defender in the Graham Beck Stakes and a narrow loss to Purple Pitcher in the Grade 2 Dingaans.

But, 783 days on, Gimmeanotherchance is still seeking a third career win.

Nevertheless, the Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained five-year-old gets another chance on Friday when he lines up in Race 3, a Progress Plate over 1600m.

He has a lot going for him as he comes into this race at least 3.5kg better weighted than any of his seven opponents. His merit rating has dropped significantly which makes him highly competitive which he showed when a 0.50-length second behind Son Of Raj in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m at Turffontein.

There are only two concerns. The first is that he has yet to race on the Polytrack but somehow that was probably because there are very few feature-race opportunities that would suit him on the surface.

He also has not won over 1600m but he has gone close against stronger and Callan Murray, who rides him for the first time, should be able to negotiate that concern from a decent enough No 4 draw.

The main threat is likely to come from Paul Matchett-trained Two Miles West, who will have champion jockey Gavin Lerena in the irons.

However, he will have to give 3kg to Gimmeanotherchance and that could be a tough task.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 7 Carnarvon, 5 Emoyeni, 10 El Capitan, 9 Phuthi

Race 2: 4 Gotta Go Eddie, 6 Green Mile, 1 Fine Wine, 10 Takeyourbestshot

Race 3: 4 Gimmeanotherchance, 8 Two Miles West, 2 Rollo The Viking, 7 Imperial Power

Race 4: 9 Mohandas, 6 Rafiki, 4 Porfirio, 2 Brave Voyager

Race 5: 10 El Rey Viene, 5 Master Bomber, 8 Global Impact, 6 White Seahorse

Race 6: 2 Papa C, 6 Bombers In The Sky, 5 Blazing Light, 9 Spectacular

Race 7: 10 Voldemort, 8 Winter Waves, 9 Dapper, 6 Spring Tradition

Race 8: 9 Bourbon Warrior, 3 Mexican Pete, 6 Mr Henley, 1 Rainbow Reward

Race 9: 5 Bank Street, 2 Blush Of Dawn, 7 L'Ultimo, 1 Gorgeous Dude

Race 10: 2 She's A Machine, 6 Wissa's On Fire, 1 Isikwishikwishi, 5 Tripping Thunder

BEST BET

Race 3: 4 Gimmeanotherchance

VALUE BET

Race 5: 10 El Rey Viene

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 5x7

BIPOT                          

R288

Leg 1: 4, 6

Leg 2: 4

Leg 3: 2, 4, 6, 9           

Leg 4: 5, 6, 8, 10

Leg 5: 2, 5, 6

Leg 6: 8, 9, 10

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 4

Leg 2: 4, 6, 9

Leg 3: 5, 8, 10

Leg 4: 2, 5, 6

Leg 5: 8, 9, 10

Leg 6: 9

Leg 7: 2, 5

PICK 6

R1800

Leg 1: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9

Leg 2: 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

Leg 3: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 4: 6, 8, 9, 10

Leg 5: 9

Leg 6: 2, 5, 7

JACKPOT 1

R120

Leg 1: 5, 6, 8, 10, 11

Leg 2: 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 3: 6, 8, 9, 10

Leg 4: 9