Fitness could work for Mercantour

Jack Milner

There are many reasons why one would tip a horse to win a race but this one could be the strangest of all.

I am going with Mercantour to win Race 5 at Turffontein on Saturday, the Betway Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m on the Inside track, not because he is the best horse in the race but mainly because he is probably the fittest.

The first entries for the R6-million Betway Summer Cup were announced on Wednesday and 11 of the 13 runners in Saturday’s event have been entered to run in the Grade 1 race over 2000m on Saturday 30 November.

There are some top horses included in this Pinnacle Stakes, and some of them are going to be real contenders for the Summer Cup. The problem is many of them have been out of action for a few months and their fitness at this stage has to be questionable, especially with the Summer Cup still eight weeks away.

One has to give them a chance to shake off the cobwebs, so with that in mind, Mercantour could be the right runner. The five-year-old Var gelding has already had two runs this season and last time out, over 1450m on the Inside track, he finished a two-length second behind Unzen who went off as the 13-20 favourite.

There was another 5.75 lengths back to third-placed Zinovi while Puerto Manzano, who is running in this event, finished 8.65 lengths behind Mercantour and is just 3kg better off.

Stuart Pettigrew’s charge is nicely drawn at No 4, has a decent record on this course and carries just 52kg. Jarryd Penny takes the ride.

Best weighted are fillies Frances Ethel, Beating Wings and Silver Sanctuary, who are all nominated for the Summer Cup.

Silver Sanctuary had the measure of the other two in last season's Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville during KwaZulu-Natal's Champion Season.

The Mike de Kock-trained filly deservedly broke through at the highest level that day having filled the runners-up berth in both Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas and Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic during a fruitful three-year-old campaign.

She is 2kg worse off with Beating Wings on the revised weight terms but benefits from the services of Muzi Yeni in the saddle.

There are others who have to come into the reckoning as they are high-class individuals. Other than Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks winner Frances Ethel, trainer Brett Crawford also has 2023 HWB Durban July winner Winchester Mansion in the line-up and he will have Piere Strydom in the irons.

De Kock also has Aragosta and Safe Passage in the field, but they are likely to find this 1600m a touch sharp.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 10 Spirito Selvaggio, 6 Choisaanada, 12 Warning Sound, 11 Great Notion

Race 2: 3 Sneak Preview, 4 Damova, 5 Snow Moon, 1 Royal Mazarin

Race 3: 4 Mountain High, 3 Wearingofthegreen, 5 Jilted, 7 Ono No Komachi

Race 4 4 Tamarisk Tree, 7 Thunee Playa, 3 Imperial Master, 1 Sugar Blast

Race 5: 12 Mercantour, 6 Silver Sanctuary, 5 Frances Ethel, 9 Beating Wings

Race 6: 10 Fatal Flaw, 3 Gimmeanotherchance, 2 Tail Of The Comet, 4 Guy Gibson

Race 7: 4 Forgiveness, 6 Avoontoast, 5 I Am Regal, 1 United Council

Race 8: 2 Hat's Queen, 3 Ideal Future, 1 Boom Boom, 7 One Religion

BEST BET

Race 1 No 10 Spirito Selvaggio

VALUE BET

Race 5 No 12 Mercantour

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 3x4

BIPOT

R120

Leg 1: 10

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 5

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5

Leg 4: 4

Leg 5: 5, 6, 8, 9, 12

Leg 6: 3, 10

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5

Leg 2: 3, 4, 5

Leg 3: 4

Leg 4: 5, 6, 9, 12

Leg 5: 10

Leg 6: 4, 5, 6

Leg 7: 1, 2, 3

PICK 6

R1440

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 4

Leg 3: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12

Leg 4: 2, 3, 10

Leg 5: 1, 4, 5, 6

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

JACKPOT 1

R72

Leg 1: 4

Leg 2: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12

Leg 3: 2, 3, 10

Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 6

JACKPOT 2

R360

Leg 1: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12

Leg 2: 2, 3, 10

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6

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