Jack Milner
Racing is back on the Polytrack at Fairview on Tuesday in what looks an interesting midweek card.
In particular, there appear to be two decent bets for punters to sink their teeth, or wallets, into.
The first comes is Gimme’s Lassie who lines up in Race 3, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1300m.
Followers of the mare Gimmie's Lassie have burnt their fingers of late as she has lost as favourite two of her last three starts.
The last start was particularly painful to remember as she had the field under pressure until it counted most - and that was at the post.
The Gavin Smith-trained runner was weighted to win her last start and had things in hand 200m from home but started to hang, and that cost her dearly.
The Gimmethegreenlight five-year-old is once again weighted to win - she is the best handicapped runner by at least 3.5kg - and will need a soft and cunning ride to get her home – but she really should win.
The five-year-old mare is owned by Khaya Stables and Craig Zackey is the first-choice jockey for Lady Laidlaw’s runners. Fortunately, he is back at Fairview where he has been having quite a good time of late, and he will be back aboard this time.
The other good bet looks to be Masked Vigilante in Race 6, a MR 82 Handicap, also over 1300m.
The Alan Greeff-trained six-year-old gelding has also been costly to follow but judged on his two Polytrack appearances so far he will be also hard to oppose.
The Vercingetorix gelding was a three-time winner when arriving in his yard and Greeff was quick to test him on the Polytrack in his second start for the stable.
That was in May and Masked Vigilante clearly liked it as he won by 4.25 lengths. The handicapper took note of that win and gave him a six-point penalty.
He has not won again since but was extremely unlucky not to win his second start on the surface.
That was in July when slowly away. He found it very difficult to get a clear run and was beaten 0.40 lengths. He would clearly have won it comfortably if he had found a way through.
Some consistent and good runs have followed on the turf since then and he was only caught very late last time.
If using those same tactics on the Polytrack on Tuesday, he will prove very hard to catch, especially as he will have champion jockey Richard Fourie in the irons.
Another interesting runner is Vision Of Will who will be having her first run in the Eastern Cape. This Paul Gadsby-trained runner has been ultra-consistent in KwaZulu-Natal but has not been able to get her nose down on the line since October last year.
All four of her victories have come over 1000m on the Polytrack so the six-year-old daughter of Kildonan will be ideally suited to the conditions of Race 8, a MR 72 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.
Her record over the minimum trip is very consistent as she has raced over the distance 26 times for those four wins, five seconds, seven thirds and a fourth.
She is still carded to run for Gadsby so whether the intention is to just bring her down for the race or whether the plan is for Vision Of Will to stay in the Eastern Cape is uncertain but she should be competitive in this field.
Marco van Rensburg is carded to ride her but he did not ride at HWB Scottsville yesterday as he was medically indisposed so check for any jockey changes.
Jack Milner’s selection
Race 1: 2 Ignitethelight, 6 Royal Venus, 3 Tartan Queen, 1 Cape Flower
Race 2: 3 Nikes Ray Of Light, 1 And Action, 4 Colonel Green, 2 Hat Hot Hat
Race 3: 1 Gimme's Lassie, 6 Summer Odyssey, 2 Montelena, 3 Back For More
Race 4: 1 Elusive Mata, 2 Ice Cap, 3 Beijing Boulevard, 7 Galaxy Moment
Race 5: 7 San Quintin, 2 Walt Whitman, 4 Slainte Mhath, 3 The Inkosana
Race 6: 6 Masked Vigilante, 8 Igugulethu, 5 Eyjafjallajokull, 3 Lily Of The Nile
Race 7: 3 Coastal Path, 1 Pashtunwali, 9 Bennelong Point, 6 Mr Bodacious
Race 8: 8 Vision Of Will, 6 Si Gioca, 5 Miss Shaivi, 1 Ella's Delight
BEST BET
Race 3 No 1 Gimme's Lassie
VALUE BET
Race 5 No 7 San Quintin
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 6x8
BIPOT
R144
Leg 1: 2, 3, 6
Leg 2: 1, 3, 4
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 7
Leg 6: 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1, 3, 4
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 1, 2
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 7
Leg 5: 6
Leg 6: 1, 3, 9
Leg 7: 5, 6, 8
PICK 6
R1400
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
Leg 4: 6, 8
Leg 5: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9
Leg 6: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8
JACKPOT 1
R280
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
Leg 3: 6, 8
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9
JACKPOT 2
R350
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
Leg 2: 6, 8
Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 6, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8