Jack Milner: Two interesting Pinnacle Stakes races over 1600m head up the Turffontein card on Saturday where racing takes place on the Standside track.
Race 6 is for fillies and mares and this looks a very tight contest. None of the runners has an influential weight advantage based on merit ratings and it could be a very close call.
On paper Wylie Wench and Kayla’s Champ have a 1kg edge over Victoria Paige, Rio’s Winter and Rouge Allure. The final runner in this sixth-horse field is Cordillera and she is just 0.5kg inferior to them and that is countered by a 1.5kg apprentice allowance which, in essence, levels the playing field.
Although she disappointed when she ran in the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m at Greyville last month, Wylie Wench deserves a second chance as she is far better than the form of that race suggests. She has not shaped in two races over this course and distance and does appear to be better on the Inside track, but those two bad runs came during a period in which the Mike and Adam Azzie-trained runner appeared to go off the boil.
On the other hand, Victoria Paige does love this track and came back from a seven-month layoff late last month to run a very acceptable 1.30-length third behind Vaseem in a Progress Plate over 1200m at the Vaal.
That was not only over a distance short of her best, but she was also running against the colts. Sean Tarry’s charge should come on nicely from that and as long as she does not show any ill-effects of a second run after a layoff, she will go close.
Lyle Hewitson takes the ride.
For the exotics, it would probably be wise to include all six runners in your calculations as luck in running could end up deciding the winner.
A filly could come out on top in Race 7, because Wisteria Walk comes into this event as the best handicapped runner by at least 3kg. She did run a really decent race in the Tibouchina Stakes at Greyville over 1400m when a 1.50-length second behind Caya Coco.
While all her wins have been over slightly shorter, this Lucky Houdalakis-trained filly has a record of four places from five starts over the distance, some of them in incredibly close finishes. Denis Schwarz picks up the ride for the first time.
Nevertheless, the outcome could well depend on whether Green Haze manages to get out the starting stalls on reasonably level terms. Unfortunately, this is something he has not been able to do for some time so we cannot bank on that happening this time.
Last time he flew up late to finish third in a similar race over 1800m but sadly, he is not reliable. But, with his 4kg apprentice claim, neither can he be left out of any bets.
In Green Haze’s last run, it was Orpheus who so nearly pulled it off and was just run out of it late by African Adventure. Coming back in distance might not really suit him as he has not won over 1600m, although he has placed many times and did win over shorter earlier in his career.
Raymond Danielson takes the ride.
Race 1: 2 Follow Me, 5 Terra Time, 1 Eternity Ring, 7 Clafoutis
Race 2: 1 Rain In Holland, 9 Pewter Sky, 6 Flinders Range, 3 Laird Of Breedon
Race 3: 5 Never No Way, 6 Phaka Imali, 4 Gimme A Dream, 7 Poetic License