The 10-race card at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday is headlined by the Non-Black Type Fever Tree Stakes over 1500m, where Madison Valley will be making his first appearance for his new yard having joined the stable of Nathan Kotzen.
Last time out, this son of Mambo In Seattle was having his second crack at the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup, but that run is best ignored as he was perhaps underdone going into the race and had one of his few off days, suffering from post-race distress.
To most observers, Madison Valley is a bit of an enigma.
Considered a serious stayer after his victory in the Grade 3 Gold Vase over 3000m at Greyville in 2024, he produced a powerful display in a prep run over 1400m in his penultimate to win going away - and that after a break.
According to Kotzen, he is also still getting to know the five-year-old, having taken charge of the gelding last month.
Kotzen says the fact that he has won over distances ranging from 1400m to 3000m, proves he is a true class act.
"He might not be 100% going into the race, but he is pretty close," said Kotzen.
He added that the Fever Tree Stakes is Madison Valley's first run of a planned three-race feature sequence, with the second being the Listed Kings Cup over 1600m on 15 March also at Scottsville, and then the R2-million Grade 1 World Pool Premier's Champions Challenge over 2000m at Turffontein on 4 April.
Reading between the lines, it seems that Kotzen does regard his new inmate more of a middle-distance runner than a stayer, so he gets the nod on Sunday, especially being the second best weighted runner in the field and with Craig Zackey aboard again.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Best Of All, 1 Place Of Practice, 7 Good Omen, 8 Sail The Horizon
Race 2: 9 Spirit Of Shimla, 8 Greek Heiress, 2 Taylor's Version, 13 Warrior Rose
Race 3: 1 Day Two, 4 Quicksmart, 5 Fire Force, 3 Spanish Feud
Race 4: 7 Curious Girl, 8 Hodgepodge, 2 Santiago's Pride, 5 Spectacular
Race 5: 10 Basie Raakvat, 6 Banzai Pipeline, 1 Cool Wind, 5 I Am Classy
Race 6: 13 Rani Tarabai, 12 Grand Occasion, 2 Thought Control, 8 Sonata Samaritan
Race 7: 1 Jazz Festival, 2 Vencedor, 7 Sword Speed, 8 Iron Will
Race 8: 7 Madison Valley, 2 Tomyris, 3 Dylan's Champ, 13 Cymric
Race 9: 11 Industrialstrength, 4 Cowdray Park, 13 Harun Al Rashid, 12 Elizabedi Gold
Race 10: 5 Cowboy Country, 2 Chicarito, 7 Winter In London, 9 The Mask
BEST BET
Race 1: 2 Best Of All
VALUE BET
Race 6: 13 Rani Tarabai
BEST SWINGER
Race 5 6x10
BIPOT
R144
Leg 1: 8, 9
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 2, 7, 8
Leg 4: 6, 10
Leg 5: 2, 8, 12, 13
Leg 6: 1, 2, 7
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 7, 8
Leg 3: 6, 10
Leg 4: 2, 12, 13
Leg 5: 1, 2, 7
Leg 6: 2, 3, 7
Leg 7: 4, 11
PICK 6
R1440
Leg 1: 2, 5, 7, 8
Leg 2: 6, 10
Leg 3: 2, 8, 9, 12, 13
Leg 4: 1, 2, 7, 8
Leg 5: 2, 3, 7
Leg 6: 4, 11, 13
JACKPOT 1
R120
Leg 1: 6, 10
Leg 2: 2, 8, 9, 12, 13
Leg 3: 1, 2, 7, 8
Leg 4: 2, 3, 7
JACKPOT 2
R216
Leg 1: 1, 2, 7, 8
Leg 2: 2, 3, 7
Leg 3: 4, 11, 13
Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10