Jack Milner
Racing on the Highveld is starting to feel like a Stephen King novel.
The Western Cape had “it” in the winter and KwaZulu-Natal and the Highveld are having “it” now.
The “it” concerned is non-stop heavy rain, which has resulted in a number of racemeetings over the past couple of weeks.
The meeting that is scheduled to be run at Turffontein tomorrow is made up of three races that should have been run last Sunday, then moved to Monday, only to be hit by “it”.
As a result, the three feature races are scheduled now to be run on the Standside track on Saturday and the 10-race race card looks outstanding as long as “it” stays away. They have been carded to run earlier on the day and will be run as Races 4, 5, and 6.
One of the most interesting races features Greaterix who will have the opportunity to redeem his reputation when he lines up in the Grade 3 Betway Got The Greenlight Stakes for three-year-olds over 1400m.
The Mike de Kock-trained runner was all the rage to win the Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m on the same track. The son of Vercingetorix went off a 77-100 favourite but found filly Quid Pro Quo far too good on the day. In fact, in the closing stages Greaterix was even passed by Fire Attack and was beaten five lengths in the end.
I know it is very easy to sit in the stands and criticise the jockey but there is a school of thought that although Greaterix is a natural front runner, Kabelo Matsunyane went too fast on the colt, and he had nothing left in the tank.
De Kock put Piere Strydom on the grey this time but unfortunately, he is likely to be out of action for the next few weeks and Muzi Yeni, who has a high regard for this colt, has picked up the ride.
Now, Yeni is a real fan of Greaterix who he believes has all the potential to go to all the way to the top.
In his column last week he wrote: “I was all in on him last time out and I think he could have done too much in front, but as I’ve mentioned before, he is a horse that gives me an unreal feel and I think the drop back in trip is a massive plus and I’ll be very disappointed if he isn’t able to win.”
This race is the perfect opportunity for Greaterix to show his true and the fact that it is over 1400m will be strongly in his favour.
Fire Attack is also in the race but he will be 2kg worse off and could battle to confirm the Dingaans form. He will be ridden by Diego de Gouveia who replaces injured Calvin Habib. Another key runner is best-weighted Cosmic Speed who had an excellent comeback win over 1160m last time.
Craig Zackey originally had the ride but he has opted to ride at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and has been replaced by Serino Moodley who will be an excellent replacement.
Vulcanite is by far the best-weighted runner in the Grade 3 Mother Russia Stakes, and she is another who looks hard to beat. Paul Matchett’s charge has been very impressive in her last two wins and is another who last week was scheduled to be ridden by Zackey.
However, Ryan Munger, who has been riding with aplomb in Canada, is back in the South Africa while they take a break during their winter, has made this a busman’s holiday and he has taken a number of rides on the day, including Vulcanite.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 5 Zacatoo, 6 Bright And Brazen, 7 Easy Tiger, 1 Nyaka Nyaka
Race 2: 8 Flight Of A Condor, 7 Desert Cloud, 1 Endizayo, 11 World Tour
Race 3: 6 Johnny Appleseed, 3 Yamadori, 5 King Of Venus, 1 Karangetang
Race 4: 1 Texas Red, 2 Pomodoro's Jet, 8 Truth, 9 Chestnut Bomber
Race 5: 1 Vulcanite, 4 Salenio Peninsula, 3 Miss Lia, 7 Cocomelon
Race 6: 3 Greaterix, 2 Fire Attack, 1 Cosmic Speed, 6 Musical Score
Race 7: 6 Chasing Happiness, 3 Gimme A Shot, 8 Just Be Lekker
Race 8: 8 Explosive Bond, 2 None Other, 1 Crimson King, 4 Second Base
Race 9: 10 The Playboy Bomber, 2 Radicchio, 5 Cymric, 1 Buster Barnes
Race 10: 5 Zanthar, 10 Sea Shanty, 3 Secret Chord, 6 Big Boy Bruce
BEST BET
Race 6 No 3 Greaterix
VALUE BET
Race 9 No 10 The Playboy Bomber
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 2x3
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 1, 7, 8
Leg 2: 3, 5, 6
Leg 3: 1, 2, 8, 9
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4
Leg 5: 3
Leg 6: 5, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R192
Leg 1: 6
Leg 2: 1, 2, 8, 9
Leg 3: 1, 3, 4
Leg 4: 3
Leg 5: 5, 6
Leg 6: 5, 8
Leg 7: 1, 3, 5, 10
PICK 6
R1120
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 7
Leg 3: 3
Leg 4: 5, 6
Leg 5: 5, 8
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
JACKPOT 1
R16
Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 7
Leg 2: 3
Leg 3: 5, 6
Leg 4: 5, 8
JACKPOT 2
R320
Leg 1: 5, 6
Leg 2: 5, 8
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10