Jack Milner
With the volume of rain and all the racing at Turffontein recently, the decision was taken to give the course a break ahead of the upcoming season which includes the SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara and move Saturday’s meeting to the main course at the Vaal.
It is a decent enough card and is headlined by the Listed Betway Swallow Stakes for three-year-old fillies.
There are some talented up-and-coming fillies in the field but one of the runners does stand out in this race and that is Sean Tarry-trained One Fine Winter.
She was one of the standout juveniles of her generation last term, a dual Grade 1-placed filly who got her reward with a Grade 3 victory, and she wasted no time advertising her wellbeing on her seasonal return.
That comeback win against male rivals over 1160m was the sort of performance that usually spells trouble for her contemporaries. She travelled with purpose, quickened when asked, and hit the line like a filly with more to come.
Crucially, she meets her own sex here on favourable weight terms, and with Calvin Habib keeping the ride, she looks every inch the one they’ll all have to beat. Expect further improvement second up and expect her to start near the top of most betting boards for good reason.
From a punting perspective, the Swallow Stakes could be the cornerstone of a profitable afternoon if played correctly, particularly for TAB Pick 3 and Pick 6 players prepared to lean into Tarry’s depth.
Race 8 over 1000m brings Xenophon into focus. He is a model of consistency who has been knocking loudly on the door. The well-bred son of Vercingetorix has finished second in his last two starts, including a particularly solid effort over this track and trip, and his overall profile is rock-solid: eight runs, and none of them out of the first three.
This is the sort of horse punters love to catch on the right day, and conditions suggest Saturday could be it. Gavin Lerena, who partnered Xenophon to a close-up second on their only previous association, climbs back aboard - a subtle but significant positive. He’s a genuine each-way play at likely fair odds and looks overdue a third career win.
Tarry then completes what could be a stable hat-trick in Race 9, where Maverick Queen makes plenty of appeal in the 1200m event. The Captain Of All filly showed plenty of grit when finishing second last time out against male opposition, carrying a seven-point penalty for a prior win.
The handicapper has nudged her up another two points, but the key here is context: she drops back into same-sex company and remains very competitively treated.
With Callan Murray taking over the reins, Maverick Queen looks poised to strike again. She’s consistent, adaptable, and typically runs to her figures – a combination that usually pays dividends at this level.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Catfish, 1 Buffalo King Cody, 3 Count Of Capri, 5 Sherlock Holmes
Race 2: 1 Zalatoris, 3 The Last Duke, 2 Chapbook, 7 Believe In Fate
Race 3: 3 Bristol Hercules, 1 Taegan's Champ, 2 Hotarubi, 5 Step Into It
Race 4: 7 Buddy Boy, 9 Force Publique, 2 Open Highway, 1 On Target
Race 5: 3 Repetition, 2 Real Stunner, 1 Sky Pillar Rock, 7 Copper Cliff
Race 6: 6 Golden Aspen, 1 Bloomington, 8 Commander Of All, 7 Bold Action
Race 7: 1 One Fine Winter, 4 Rifle Queen, 3 Anchorage, 2 Elegantrix
Race 8: 4 Xenophon, 2 Rafa Bay, 5 Vanakkam, 3 Plus Four
Race 9: 4 Maverick Queen, 10 Play With The Wind, 7 Captain Selvie, 15 Angel's Oasis
Race 10: 5 Tiger Storm, 1 Hathighwaytothesky, 3 Legendary, 8 Universal Girl
BEST BET
Race 2: 1 Zalatoris
VALUE BET
Race 4: 7 Buddy Boy
BEST SWINGER
Race 7 1x4
BIPOT
R192
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3
Leg 3: 1, 2, 7, 9
Leg 4: 2, 3
Leg 5: 1, 6, 7, 8
Leg 6: 1, 4
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R288
Leg 1: 1, 3
Leg 2: 2, 7, 9
Leg 3: 2, 3
Leg 4: 1, 6, 8
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: 2, 4
Leg 7: 4, 7, 10, 15
PICK 6
R2000
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9
Leg 2: 1, 2
Leg 3: 1, 4, 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 1, 4
Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 5
Leg 6: 4, 7, 10, 12, 15
JACKPOT 1
R80
Leg 1: 1, 2
Leg 2: 1, 4, 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 1, 4
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5
JACKPOT 2
R240
Leg 1: 1, 4
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 5
Leg 3: 4, 7, 10, 12, 15
Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 13