It’s Thumbs Up to Johan

The Gauteng-based trainer has a good idea of which horses will improve on the Polytrack and as a result, has had some good results when raiding at Greyville.

First up is Thumbs Up in Race 1, a Graduation Plate over 1100m. Even though we have a filly taking on the colts, she showed her ability early in her career when she took on some of the best of her peers in juvenile features, including a 2.40-length fourth behind Erik The Red in the Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth.

She took a while to open her account but did confirm her class in November when she beat the boys in a MR 93 Handicap over 1200m at the Vaal.

Ignore her last run at the Vaal, where the going was yielding, and her running style looks tailor-made for Greyville.

Dandolo looks the main threat and is a good runner with whom to take Exactas.

Van Vuuren will be hoping to have picked the right race for Vercingetorix gelding West Coast Lover in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1400m, but he could find himself under siege from best-weighted Bells And Whistles and What A Ryder.

But Van Vuuren could end the meeting on a high note, both figuratively and literally, as he runs On A High Note in Race 8. This Oratorio gelding won on debut over 1000m on the Poly and has only run once since, finishing unplaced behind Alex The Great in October, when he was found not to be striding out.

The poly could see him get back on a winning track.    

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 2 Thumbs Up, 3 Dandolo, 1 Ziva La Winter, 5 Dancing Feather

Race 2: 1 Bells And Whistles, 3 What A Ryder, 8 West Coast Lover, 10 Storm Chaser

Race 3: 11 Silver Celebrity, 5 Let’s Go Fly, 9 August Red, 8 Patronage

Race 4: 8 Rock Flight, 3 Duquesne Whistle, 6 Catalyst, 2 Magikos

Race 5: 3 Gentleman’s Wager, 10 Galway, 7 Run To Denmark, 8 Techno Captain

Race 6: 7 Herecomestherain, 9 Bedazzled Joker, 3 Lord Wylie, 1 Higher Purpose

Race 7: 5 Marsanne, 6 Elusive Current, 8 Vihaan’s Pie, 7 Meet At The George

Race 8: 9 On A High Note, 6 Vunderbar, 8 Roy’s Magic, 1 Bordeaux

BEST BET

Race 4 No 8 Rock Flight

VALUE BET

Race 2 No 1 Bells And Whistles

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 2×3

BIPOT

R108

Leg 1: 2, 3

Leg 2: 1, 3, 8

Leg 3: 5, 11

Leg 4: 8

Leg 5: 3, 7, 10

Leg 6: 3, 7, 9

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 3, 8

Leg 2: 5, 11

Leg 3: 8

Leg 4: 3, 10

Leg 5: 3, 7, 9

Leg 6: 5, 6

Leg 7: 6, 8, 9

PICK 6

R1120

Leg 1: 5, 11

Leg 2: 8

Leg 3: 3, 7, 8, 10

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 5: 5, 6, 7, 8

Leg 6: 1, 6, 8, 9, 11

JACKPOT 1

R112

Leg 1: 8

Leg 2: 3, 7, 8, 10

Leg 3: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 4: 5, 6, 7, 8

JACKPOT 2

R560

Leg 1: 3, 7, 8, 10

Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Leg 3: 5, 6, 7, 8

Leg 4: 1, 6, 8, 9, 11