Jack Milner
For a trainer, receiving a yearling fresh off the sales can be compared to an artist standing in front of a blank canvas.
He has the tools, he has the concept in front of him and he must just decide how he is going to apply all of this to his painting.
There is so much a trainer has to learn about a young horse, and while the breeding and conformation will provide many clues, a lot will come from both experience and trial and error.
Time Fo Orchids is one of those horses. She clearly had plenty of early ability. The daughter of Time Thief won on debut as a juvenile and followed that up with a one-length third behind Ameena in the Grade 2 Golden Slipper over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville from the widest draw in the field.
In Cape Town she finished a 0.75-length second behind Ciao Bella in what was then called the Grade 2 Western Cape Fillies Classic and finished an excellent 1.80-length fourth behind Princess Calla in the Grade 2 Sceptre Stakes.
After that it all went a bit haywire and while she did not run a really bad race, she stopped looking a potential winner.
There were trainer changes but perhaps it was Johan Janse van Vuuren who finally was able to see that canvas almost completed, with lots of form to work with, who could then come to the conclusion Time Fo Orchids was perhaps best over sprints.
The concern was that her merit rating was perhaps still too high and this filly would battle in a handicap. So, he found a couple of Plate races for her where she came in as the best weighted runner and it worked.
Time Fo Orchids was a runaway winner over 1000m on the Vaal Classic track, beating Linkin Navigator by 5.25 lengths and because she was weighted to win in that manner, she received no penalty.
She was equally impressive in her next start over 1160m on the Turffontein Standside track when she defeated Mount Pilatus by 2.50 lengths.
As the penalty in a non-feature stakes race is capped, she received just 3kg for her win.
On Thursday she tries the Inside track at Turffontein for the first time where she contests a Middle Stakes over 1000m in Race 6. She is the second best weighted runner, just 0.5kg behind On Cue who has not been in the best of form lately.
Nicely drawn in barrier No 3 and with Gavin Lerena back in the irons, Time Fo Orchids stands out as a banker in all bets.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Hair Trigger, 5 Wild At War, 4 Sunset Riot, Queen Of Fire
Race 2: 6 Erupt The Dawn, 1 Say It With Roses, 2 Darling Harbour, 3 Red Knot
Race 3: 2 Policy Of Truth, 6 Forest God, 10 Monte Bello, 3 Breath Of Magic
Race 4: 6 Thing Called Love, 7 Waitforgreenlight, 5 Enchanting Lady, 4 Mr Blue Flame
Race 5: 4 In The Ether, 8 Smelting, 7 Risky Business, 3 Sahara Dawn
Race 6: 2 Time Fo Orchids, 5 Rainbow Reward, 7 Kinshin Sha, 8 Dreamland
Race 7: 7 Viva De Janeiro, 5 Cerulean Dancer, 6 Gimme The Flame, 4 King Rahul
Race 8: 3 Willow Express, 5 Sage King, 2 Walled Garden, 9 Count Your Chances
BEST BET
Race 6 No 2 Time Fo Orchids
VALUE BET
Race 7 No 7 Viva De Janeiro
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 2x5
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 2, 5
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6
Leg 3: 2, 6, 10
Leg 4: 5, 6, 7
Leg 5: 3, 4, 7, 8
Leg 6: 2
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1, 6
Leg 2: 2, 6, 10
Leg 3: 6, 7
Leg 4: 4, 7, 8
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 5, 7
Leg 7: 2, 3, 5
PICK 6
R2520
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 6, 10
Leg 2: 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 2
Leg 5: 5, 6, 7
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9
JACKPOT 1
R72
Leg 1: 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 5, 6, 7
JACKPOT 2
R168
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9