Empress to rule in KZN

Jack Milner

Highveld-based trainer Fanie Bronkhorst has enjoyed much success this year when transporting runners to Durban to race on the Polytrack at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

This year he has sent 18 runners to the course and has come away with six winners and six places. Percentagewise that translates to a 33.33% win rate and a 66.67% win/place rate.

Bronkhorst clearly has a keen eye as to which of his runners are likely to perform on the surface and is expected to strike again at the KwaZulu-Natal course on Wednesday.

He takes four runners to Greyville and although Silver Clock was originally a reserve runner, a scratching in Race 7 has allowed the Time Thief filly to take her place in the final line-up.

However, the best of Bronkhorst’s quartet looks to be Empress Game who lines up in Race 4, a Maiden Handicap over 1200m.

The four-year-old Pathfork filly has only raced three times and has placed on all three occasions. On debut she finished a 0.50-length second behind Qhawe Lami, who ran out a facile winner of the Non-Black Type Farm Sale Stakes at Turffontein yesterday.

Empress Game followed that up with a one-length third behind Jasiri and then a 3.25-length fourth behind Wing Within Me.

She started a strong odds-on favourite in her last two starts so they were considered to be disappointing efforts. However, on all three occasions the filly was reported to have been making a respiratory noise in running.

Empress Game has since changed stables to join Bronkhorst who is now a joint owner of the filly. The breathing might be the key reason for bringing her to KZN and if that issue has been sorted out this filly looks a stand-out bet.

She is perfectly drawn at No 3 and will have Calvin Habib in the irons.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 6 Princess Azariah, 8 Doctor's Orders, 9 Mount Etna, 2 Nonoti

Race 2: 2 Mexican Pete, 3 Sovereign State, 1 Canford Ice, 4 Purpleninjaturtle

Race 3: 7 Regina Bellissima, 3 When Evening Comes, 6 Secret Winx, 4 Dressedtothenines

Race 4: 3 Empress Game, 9 Victor Rail, 6 Potent Captain, 4 Cotton Ron

Race 5: 5 Preemptive Strike, 2 Son Of Silk, 7 Gimme A Rainbow, 1 Final Destiny

Race 6: 1 Voldemort, 6 Parmenion, 3 Count Marsh, 4 Ralph The Rascal

Race 7: 3 Fort J'Adore, 1 Leopard Lady, 10 Poursomesugaronme, 7 Blush Of Dawn

Race 8: 5 Mountainsofthemoon, 10 Jollification, 6 Shell Seeker, 11 Mystic Angel

BEST BET

Race 4 No 3 Empress Game

VALUE BET

Race 3 No 7 Regina Bellissima

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 2x3

BIPOT

R128

Leg 1: 6

Leg 2: 2, 3

Leg 3: 3, 4, 6, 7

Leg 4: 3

Leg 5: 1, 2, 5, 7

Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 6

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 2, 3

Leg 2: 3, 6, 7

Leg 3: 3

Leg 4: 2, 5, 7

Leg 5: 1, 3, 6

Leg 6: 1, 3, 10

Leg 7: 5, 10

PICK 6

R1600

Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7

Leg 2: 3

Leg 3: 1, 2, 5, 7

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 6

Leg 5: 1, 3, 7, 10, 11

Leg 6: 5, 6, 10, 11

JACKPOT 1

R80

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 7

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 6

Leg 4: 1, 3, 7, 10, 11

JACKPOT 2

R320

Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 7

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 6

Leg 3: 1, 3, 7, 10, 11

Leg 4: 5, 6, 10, 11