Jack Milner
After the protests that brought an early end to last Saturday’s meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville, the three feature races have been added to today’s card to put together an 11-race card.
While the original programme for Wednesday’s meeting has been scheduled to be run on the Polytrack, the three Grade 2 features – the Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes, World Sports Betting Fillies Guineas and World Sports Betting Guineas – will be run on the turf track as Races 5, 6, and 7 respectively.
There are now three Jackpots (Races 1-4, 5-8 and 8-11) and two BiPots (Races 2-6 and 6-11).
The first of the features is the Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m and this will go ahead without Main Defender, the subject of the ruckus on Saturday, and Texas Red, who was scratched last Friday.
The absence of Tony Peter’s charge is a blow to favourite punters as he was viewed by many as the best banker on the card.
It does make the race far more competitive and bettors would be advised to load this race for the Exotics.
Justin Snaith-trained Royal Aussie is now a narrow favourite ahead of Cousin Casey, trained by Sean Tarry. The four-year-old son of Royal Mo does look the runner to beat. Royal Aussie is well weighted, has a good record over 1400m, is drawn No 1 and has Richard Fourie in the irons.
He has raced six times over 1400m for three wins and two thirds but the question to be answered is: Is he good enough?
His wins have come against weaker company and he could just be caught in a race where the average merit rating is 114. He also comes back from a 74-day break.
Cousin Casey is another who has three wins over 1400m and two of them have come at this course. His last run at Turffontein needs to be ignored as he was pulled out of the race and found to be coughing.
S’manga Khumalo takes the ride.
However, a third runner who loves this distance is Mike de Kock-trained Humdinger. She is a strong front runner and could prove hard to peg back with JP van der Merwe on her back.
Sandringham Summit is unbeaten in two starts at this course, winning the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes and the Golden Horseshoe as a two-year-old last season. The son of Gimmethegreenlight comes off wins in the Grade 2 TAB Gauteng Guineas and the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes and a second place behind Purple Pitcher in the Grade 1 SA Classic, is perfectly drawn at No 2 and is unquestionably the runner they all have to beat in the WSB Guineas.
He has built up a good rapport with jockey Gavin Lerena who is in as good a form as his mount, so many bettors will look to him as a banker in the exotics.
However, he will face Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas winner Snow Pilot and Cape Derby champion Green With Envy, who are no slouches.
Green With Envy looks the biggest danger. He was desperately unlucky in the Cape Guineas, won the Grade 3 Politician Stakes with top weight and cruised home in the Cape Derby. He is incredibly highly rated by jockey Craig Zackey and although the Daily News 2000 and the Hollywoodbets Durban July are probably his targets, he should run well in the Guineas.
The manner in which Double Grand Slam won the Grade 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes over 1400m at Greyville last time makes her impossible to oppose in the Fillies Guineas. In addition, she came off an equally impressive victory in the Grade 3 SplashOut Prix Du Cap over 1400m in the Cape, so that run was no fluke.
Fourie takes the ride, and she does look to be the proverbial “good thing”.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 9 Kola Tonic, 8 United Nation, 5 Lava Burst, 6 New Frontier
Race 2: 1 Pilot Flame, 2 Nautical Landing, 8 Mother India, 3 Avernian Goddess
Race 3: 4 James Fitzjames, 5 Rainwater, 3 Mister Nibbles, 9 Breath Of Magic
Race 4: 6 Oh So Squishy, 7 Summer Song, 4 Thesupernovastar, 10 Ideal Gift
Race 5: 1 Royal Aussie, 7 Humdinger, 8 Gimmeanotherchance, 2 Cousin Casey
Race 6: 5 Double Grand Slam, 2 White Pearl, 4 Rascova, 1 Let's Go Now
Race 7: 2 Sandringham Summit, 3 Green With Envy, 4 Snow Pilot, 6 Mid Winter Wind
Race 8: 7 Benni In The Area, 3 Phaka Imali, 8 Stevie Gee, 5 Preemptive Strike
Race 9: 1 Common Grounds, 6 Time Together, 9 Rosh Kedesh, 8 Turbo Power
Race 10: 3 Arividicio, 9 Winter Waves, 8 Giambattista, 4 Midnight Caller
Race 11: 3 Epic View, 5 Littleblackvelvet, 6 Rani Of Jhansi, 1 Fort J'Adore
BEST BET
Race 6 No 5 Double Grand Slam
VALUE BET
Race 11 No 3 Epic View
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 8x9
BIPOT 1
(Races 2-7)
R120
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 3, 4, 5
Leg 3: 4, 6, 7, 10, 11
Leg 4: 1, 2, 7, 8
Leg 5: 5
Leg 6: 2, 3
BIPOT 2
(Races 6-11)
R288
Leg 1: 5
Leg 2: 2, 3
Leg 3: 3, 7, 8
Leg 4: 1, 6, 8, 9
Leg 5: 3, 4, 8, 9
Leg 6: 3, 5, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 3, 4, 5
Leg 2: 4, 6, 7, 10
Leg 3: 1, 7, 8
Leg 4: 5
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 3, 7, 8
Leg 7: 1, 6, 9
PICK 6
R1500
Leg 1: 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 5
Leg 4: 2, 3
Leg 5: 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 6: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9
JACKPOT 1
R48
Leg 1: 8, 9
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 9
Leg 4: 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11
JACKPOT 2
R50
Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8
Leg 2: 5
Leg 3: 2, 3
Leg 4: 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
JACKPOT 3
R300
Leg 1: 3, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 2: 1, 4, 6, 8, 9
Leg 3: 3, 4, 8, 9
Leg 4: 3, 5, 6