Jack Milner
The Clapham Stakes (Non-Black Type) for three-year-old fillies heads up the nine-race card at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday, and on form it looks to be at the mercy of Hold My Hand.
Glen Kotzen’s charge has the perfect opportunity to pick up a decent win where she is likely to get at best a small penalty or most likely, no penalty at all.
That is because she is the best weighted runner by some margin. All the runners carry 60kg and that means based on merit ratings, Hold My Hand is at least 8kg better handicapped than any of her opposition.
While she is only a one-time winner, she has run against the best and will drop significantly in class having contested the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes over the course and distance last time out.
She actually found some betting support but faded out late to finish 10.55 lengths behind Make It Snappy. The connections were clearly disappointed by that performance and had the course veterinarian take a look at her, but nothing obvious was detected.
Based on her previous achievements that run is probably best ignored and perhaps one needs to look at some of her previous runs.
Prior to that no-show, this daughter of Gold Standard caught the eye when producing the fastest 400m to finish in the Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas over 1600m to end up a 2.25-length third behind Make It Snappy.
She was drawn widest of all in the 14-horse field and did not find a clear passage in the home straight.
On the evidence of that display, she should have no issue seeing out the extra 200m on favourable weight terms. This time Grant van Niekerk will take the ride and he has ridden her twice, including to a fast-finishing and 0.60-length fourth behind Canadian Summer in the two-year-old Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes at Hollywoodbets Greyville at the end of last season.
The main threat is likely to come from Justin Snaith-trained Silverlinks. While she has not raced at the same level as Hold My Hand, this daughter of Silvano is a two-time winner over 1800m and 2000m respectively so the distance will not be an issue.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 3 Kennedy, 6 Enemy Territory, 10 Jade's Caberneigh, 9 Captain Casanova
Race 2: 2 Rosh Kedesh, 3 Promettere, 11 Marshall Field, 13 Inside Story
Race 3: 6 Madison Blues, 3 Run Rudolph Run, 1 Selukwe, 9Autumn Moon
Race 4: 3 Beyondtheboundary, 7 Gimmie A Star, 8 Future Swing, 1 Silent Trigger
Race 5: 5 Prevalence, 9 Ponte Pietra, 4 Doubling Up, 7 Montien
Race 6: 4 Desert Rose, 8 Shantastic, 6 Jam Jam, 9 Philosophise
Race 7: 8 Hold My Hand, 2 Silverlinks, 1 Fun Zone, 4 Love Is A Rose
Race 8: 9 Bluff On Bluff, 8 Wylie Jack, 5 Night Tiger, 2 Elusive Trader
Race 9: 13 What A State, 8 Distinction, 3 Hunting Trip, 11 Different Face
BEST BET
Race 7 No 8 Hold My Hand
VALUE BET
Race 9 No 13 What A State
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 2x6
BIPOT
R108
Leg 1: 2, 3
Leg 2: 1, 3, 6
Leg 3: 3, 7, 8
Leg 4: 5, 9
Leg 5: 4, 6, 8
Leg 6: 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 3, 6
Leg 2: 3, 7, 8
Leg 3: 5, 9
Leg 4: 4, 8
Leg 5: 8
Leg 6: 5, 8, 9
Leg 7: 3, 8, 13
PICK 6
R1440
Leg 1: 3, 7, 8
Leg 2: 4, 5, 7, 9
Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 4: 8
Leg 5: 2, 5, 8, 9
Leg 6: 1, 3, 8, 11, 13
JACKPOT 1
R96
Leg 1: 4, 5, 7, 9
Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 3: 8
Leg 4: 2, 5, 8, 9
JACKPOT 2
R120
Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 2: 8
Leg 3: 2, 5, 8, 9
Leg 4: 1, 3, 8, 11, 13