Jack Milner
Trainer Dean Kannemeyer is having a memorable racing season with The Real Prince’s victory in the Hollywoodbets Durban July at Hollywoodbets Greyville the cherry on the top.
He no doubt will be hoping the four-year-old gelding will be able to repeat the feat in Sunday’s Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m at same course.
However, on Wednesday there is racing at HWB Scottsville and Kannemeyer look set for another big day.
Sadly, he does not have Craig Zackey on his team this time owing to a suspension, but the stable jockey will be back on Sunday join forces with The Real Prince once again.
Nevertheless, he does have a more than suitable substitute for many of the races in Gavin Lerena and they could come away with a number of winners.
It could all start in Race 1, a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1100m, where he sends out Tulip Fields. The bay daughter of champion stallion Vercingetorix showed a degree of professionalism when beaten only two lengths by more experienced rivals on debut.
She was given a tough task trying the Polytrack and 1400m but was also hampered at the jump and had her saddle slip. She, nevertheless, showed good pace and was gaining on the principals at the business end.
Opera Fan, who was only 1.60 lengths ahead came out to win straight after.
In Race 3, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1400m, Kannemeyer saddles unraced Vercingetorix colt Gallic Victor. This two-year-old is a half-brother to six-time winner Good Traveller and has a lot in his favour.
Kannemeyer’s comment is he needs to be included in the Exotics and as this is not the strongest of fields and he has Lerena up, he looks the runner they all have to beat. He also has the benefit of jumping from No 1 draw.
The way Ideal World gelding Uzwano has been finishing his races on the Polytrack, one would think that he is a horse headed for bigger paydays. The three-year-old produced powerful turns of foot to win after slow starts and it could be that he will mature into a solid four-year-old regardless of the surface.
He is rising in class in Race 5, a B Stakes over 1600m, and switching to turf but his last form line suggests there could be more to come. Uzwano, who now carries 58.5kg, had a burden of 61.5kg and mowed down his field. Third and fourth placed Gurkha (57kg) and Record High (55.5kg) both came out to frank the form convincingly.
For reference, from rival Tobacconist’s last win, nothing has come out to frank the form. But the latter, along with easy last start winner Serpentine Fire, have drawn well must be included in exotic bets.
In Race 7 Maphaka is another three-year-old gelding with whom Kannemeyer should win more races. The Gimmethegreenlight gelding (his trainer is a master with sons of the sire) looked a horse headed for the top when opening his account at this venue with a facile effort in August.
He is back from a Western Cape campaign where he tried different things and didn’t do too badly.
With just 54.5kg to carry against fully exposed handicappers Maphaka appears under-rated and could get back to winning ways in style. He rates the value proposition in what is otherwise a wide-open racemeeting.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 12 Tulip Fields, 1 Love The USA, 3 Winter Blessing, 4 On Song
Race 2: 7 Mfethu, 8 Exocet, 9 Boardwalk Breeze, 5 Grand Force
Race 3: 1 Gallic Victor, 3 Director, 7 Splash Of Love, 8 Thirteen Fourteen
Race 4: 9 Givethatmanabells, 1 Kimball O'Hara, 7 Rooster Bradshaw, 8 Danube
Race 5: 5 Uzwano, 6 Bristol Hercules, 1 Serpentine Fire, 10 Terminator
Race 6: 7 Willow Gem, 3 Now I Got You, 8 Prankster, 9 Teriyaki
Race 7: 10 Maphaka, 11 Gorgeous Guy, 2 Khethiwe's Destiny, 1 Good Traveller
Race 8: 6 In The Bag, 5 Moya Wa Laliga, 9 Mar Del Plata, 10 Indecent Proposal
BEST BET
Race 1: 12 Tulip Fields
VALUE BET
Race 4: 9 Givethatmanabells
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 7x8
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 12
Leg 2: 7, 8
Leg 3: 1, 3, 7
Leg 4: 1, 7, 8, 9
Leg 5: 1, 5, 6
Leg 6: 3, 7, 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 7
Leg 2: 1, 3
Leg 3: 1, 7, 9
Leg 4: 5, 6
Leg 5: 3, 7, 8
Leg 6: 2, 10, 11
Leg 7: 5, 6, 9
PICK 6
R1944
Leg 1: 1, 3, 7
Leg 2: 1, 7, 8, 9
Leg 3: 1, 5, 6
Leg 4: 3, 7, 8
Leg 5: 2, 10, 11
Leg 6: 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12
JACKPOT 1
R108
Leg 2: 1, 7, 8, 9
Leg 3: 1, 5, 6
Leg 4: 3, 7, 8
Leg 5: 2, 10, 11
JACKPOT 2
R162
Leg 1: 1, 5, 6
Leg 2: 3, 7, 8
Leg 3: 2, 10, 11
Leg 4: 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12