Electrifying finale to season

Hong Kong World Pools will apply from Races 2 to 10 and all Win, Place, Swinger and Quinella bets will be commingled with the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

For those who are in the dark about the Quinella, punters have to find the first two runners past the post in any order.

There are carryovers to the BiPot, Pick 6, and the Quartet on the Gold Cup. R5 million will kick off the Pick 6 which is likely to produce a pool of R15 million. The Quartet in Race 7 (Gold Cup) has been boosted by R1 million and is expected to reach R4 million, while the BiPot starts off with R50,000 with a likely pool of R500,000.

While now reduced to a Grade 3 race, the Marshalls World Of Sport Gold Cup over 3200m remains the country’s premier race for stayers. It is always a difficult race to assess because there are not many races over this distance during the season and one is not always sure if some of the runners will see it out.        

The horse coming to form at the right time is Sean Tarry-trained Nebraas. The son of Vercingetorix was gelded in February and that seems to have helped him turn the corner. He won a MR 96 Handicap by 5.25 lengths at the Vaal in June and then really staked his claim with an emphatic victory in the Grade 3 Gold Vase over 3000m at Greyville on 3 July.

He will carry just 52.5kg and will have Lyle Hewitson, who will officially close the meeting as the new champion jockey, in the irons.

Another runner with a light weight to consider is Don’t Look Back. He started his career in Durban before being sold to owner/trainer St John Gray in December last year. Since then he has won six races, two of them over this distance. He will be ridden by last year’s winning jockey S’manga Khumalo and has 54.5kg to carry. 

Out Of Your League won last year’s Grade 1 SA Derby over 2450m at Turffontein and had Got The Greenlight behind him. It has taken a while for trainer Fabian Habib to get his charge back to his best but he has won his last two races and looks sure to see out the trip.

One always has to respect runners from the Justin Snaith yard and he saddles Silver Host and Doublemint. Both have to be respected but it is Silver Host, with stable jockey Richard Fourie, who stands out.

Topweight African Adventure is a proven stayer but has to give weight all round. However, trainer Joe Soma will have him perfectly tuned for this race and he needs to be included in all bets, especially with jockey Muzi Yeni in the saddle.

Race 9 is the Grade 1 HKJC World Pool Champions Cup over 1800m and sees a rematch between Got The Greenlight and Do It Again. Neither had the best of lucky in the Vodacom Durban July but Got The Greenlight did finish 1.05 lengths in front of Justin Snaith’s charge.  

Do It Again is now 2.5kg better off but Got The Greenlight did produce the fastest last 400m and this time he is well drawn at No 4. That will allow Yeni to place Joe Soma’s runner closer to the leading horses and he should confirm the form.

If the two fluff their lines, then Catch Twentytwo and Jet Dark look the horses likely to pick up the pieces.

Rio Querari will be hard to stop in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m, despite not having run since winning the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint at Turffontein in May.

Snaith knows how to bring horses back well from a layoff and, in fact, the Computaform Sprint victory came after a two-month rest.

This four-year gelding has a lot going for him. He will jump from barrier No 3. Jockey Grant van Niekerk has ridden him in his last six starts for a record of four wins and two seconds.

MK’s Pride is an improving three-year-old who ran a close-up third in both the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint and the Grade 2 Post Merchants. He is also perfectly drawn at No 2 and will have a top jockey up in S’manga Khumalo, who will be riding him for the first time.

“This will be his fourth trip to KwaZulu-Natal this season and each time he’s getting better,” said trainer Paul Peter yesterday.

“S’manga was very happy with the work he put up. I think S’manga will suit him because he needs a hard ride.”

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 7 Guru’s Pride, 5 Pinkerton, 11 Native Tongue, 10 Cat Daddy

Race 2: 5 Spydas Corner, 2 Good Rhythm, 11 No Laying Up, 1 Pray For Rain

Race 3: 12 Sashay Away, 5 Paityns Pride, 1 Twice The Trip, 6 Remember When

Race 4: 7 Gallic Chief, 8 Isivunguvungu, 12 It’s About Time, 4 Bon Vivant

Race 5: 7 Rain In Holland, 1 Supreme Quest, 9 Bold Act, 4 Kailene

Race 6: 1 Quantum King, 10 Waterberry Lane, 6 Gaudis Masterpiece, 8 Anytime Champ

Race 7: 14 Nebraas, 3 Don’T Look Back, 12 Out Of Your League, 13 Silver Host

Race 8: 3 Rio Querari, 2 Mk’s Pride, 1 Chimichuri Run, 11 Kasimir

Race 9: 4 Got The Greenlight, 9 Do It Again, 5 Catch Twentytwo, 3 Seeking The Stars

Race 10: 2 She’s A Keeper, 5 Scented Mistress, 8 Chat Ching, 10 Heart Stwings

BEST BET

Race 9 No 4 Got The Greenlight

VALUE BET

Race 3 No 12 Sashay Away

BEST SWINGER

Race 9 4×9

BIPOT

R324

Leg 1: 2, 5

Leg 2: 5, 12

Leg 3: 7, 8, 12

Leg 4: 1, 7, 9

Leg 5: 1, 6, 10

Leg 6: 3, 12, 14

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 5, 12

Leg 2: 7, 8, 12

Leg 3: 1, 7, 9

Leg 4: 1, 6, 10

Leg 5: 3, 12, 14

Leg 6: 2, 3

Leg 7: 4

PICK 6

R2160

Leg 1: 2, 4, 7, 8, 12

Leg 2: 1, 7, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

Leg 4: 1, 3, 9, 12, 13, 14

Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 11

Leg 6: 4

JACKPOT 1

R432

Leg 1: 1, 7, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

Leg 3: 1, 3, 9, 12, 13, 14

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 11

JACKPOT 2

R120

Leg 1: 1, 3, 9, 12, 13, 14

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 11

Leg 3: 4

Leg 4: 2, 5, 8, 9, 10