Jack Milner
Bless My Stars put up a promising first run for the Sean Tarry stable last time, taking on some very talented three-year-old colts in the process.
As that was her first run since finishing a 0.35-length third behind Canadian Summer in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m at Greyville on 30 July, the Gimmethegreenlight filly was clearly in need of the run.
That was borne out by the fact that she drifted in the betting from an opening call of 3-1 to go off at 11-2. So, taking all that into account, she did well to finish just five lengths behind Prophet, who is a very decent performer.
Bless My Stars will be having her second race back in Race 4 at Turffontein on Monday and this time she should be perfectly primed for victory in this Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m.
She will be better prepared, she comes into the race as the best weighted runner, she will be even better over this distance and is ideally drawn in barrier No 3.
If the handicapper has got it right, she is at least 3.5kg better weighted with her opposition and the 54kg she has on her back is a very handy weight to carry.
Calvin Habib rode her last time and he is back in the irons for this race.
The main threat looks likely to come from Mike de Kock-trained Mike’s Chick. She came back from a three-month layoff earlier this month and put up an excellent effort to finish a 0.50-length second behind Hollywoodbound over this course and distance.
She almost succeeded to pull off a start-to-finish victory and was only caught in the final few strides. She will have come on from that run and should be highly competitive, but she does have to give Bless My Stars 5.5kg.
Keagan de Melo takes the ride.
Another interesting runner is Intoxicating from the Candice Dawson yard. She ran three very good races against some decent opposition as a two-year-old and finally was able to crack her maiden last time.
It was a win full of merit as she lost ground at the start and still managed to overcome the problem and win going away.
There is definite room for improvement, but she will be competitive in this event.
Many pundits will be keeping an eye on Gobsmacked in Race 7, a Pinnacle Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m.
This three-year-old Querari filly is unbeaten in three starts and last time showed her ability with a victory in the Grade 2 The Debutante over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 30 July.
She has not raced since and while unlikely to be fully fit, trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren will be aiming her at a bigger upcoming event and she won’t be far off the mark.
Gobsmacked is a half-sister to Mighty High, winner of the Grade 1 Allan Robertson at Scottsville in 2018 and the Grade 2 Senor Santa in 2020 so she comes from a good bloodline.
With just 52kg on her back and Keagan de Melo in the irons it is worth making her a banker in all bets.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 8 Siberian Steel, 9 Stalker, 10 Above The World, 3 Tanganga
Race 2: 11 Sparkling Jubilee, 3 Cape Lights, 10 Que Ceu Azul, 2 Batik
Race 3: 2 Phantomoftheforest, 5 Libeccio, 1 Atlantic City, 3 Gimme Royalty
Race 4: 9 Bless My Stars, 1 Mike's Chick, 8 Intoxicating, 2 Queen Of Shadows
Race 5: 8 Flashy Apache, 9 King's Crusade, 2 Youcanthurrylove, 1 Supreme Dance
Race 6: 2 Vengeance Forever, 1 Romeo's Magic, 3 Flag Bearer, 7 Angelsea
Race 7: 6 Gobsmacked, 3 Glittering Girl, 2 Full Velocity, 1 Sound Of Warning
Race 8: 3 Power Ranger, 1 Rule By Force, 6 Just Eminent, 4 Speechmaker
Race 9: 2 Kalahari Blue, 1 Arividicio, 7 Luthuli, 11 Fasinada
BEST BET
Race 7 No 6 Gobsmacked
VALUE BET
Race 5 No 8 Flashy Apache
BEST SWINGER
Race 9 1x2
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 3, 10, 11
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5
Leg 3: 1, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2, 8, 9
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 6: 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R192
Leg 1: 2, 5
Leg 2: 9
Leg 3: 1, 2, 8, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 5: 6
Leg 6: 1, 3, 6
Leg 7: 1, 2
PICK 6
R1800
Leg 1: 1, 2, 8, 9
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 7, 10
Leg 4: 6
Leg 5: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9
Leg 6: 1, 2
JACKPOT 1
R225
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 7, 10
Leg 3: 6
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9
JACKPOT 2
R50
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 7, 10
Leg 2: 6
Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2