Leading jockeys fight it out at Kenilworth

Jack Milner

It is always exciting when two top jockeys go head-to-head in a race where both have good mounts, and that looks to be the case in Race 6 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Thursday, a MR 90 Handicap over 1800m.

At the time of writing, Keagan de Melo topped the jockey’s log this season on 117 winners with Richard Fourie on 77.

They both have landed decent runners in Race 6 and they look likely to fight it out.

De Melo is aboard Rafeef colt Pas De Nom for the Dean Kannemeyer yard and he will benefit from a drop in class this time around.

After four runs over sprint distances, the three-year-old was finally put over further and he reeled off three successive victories, two over 1600m and another over 1800m.

He was then tried against some of the best of his age group in the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup over 1600m. However, he was squeezed out at the start and that put paid to any chance he may have had, and he ended in 10^th place, beaten 7.75 lengths by Cousin Casey.

De Melo did not ride Pas De Nom on that occasion, but the country’s leading rider is back on board and from draw No 5 looks the one to beat.

However, one does need to respect Steinbeck. While he might not have the following nor the ability of his younger half-brother, Charles Dickens, this four-year-old son of Silvano has performed well. Trained by Justin Snaith, his 11 runs have yielded three wins and 10 places, his only unplaced effort coming on debut.      

Fourie has ridden him four times but has yet to win on him, although the pair did finish second behind Imilenzeyokududuma last time, and that runner was the runner-up behind Nexus on Saturday in the Grade 2 Ridgemont Highlands Peninsula Handicap over this course and distance.

Fourie should also be on the mark in Race 4 where he rides Snaith-trained Strawberry Light who looks the banker of the day, while De Melo should be able to overcome a wide draw in Race 5 with Ready Or Not, also from the Kannemeyer yard.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 3 Noon Day Gun, 5 Pressonregardless, 6 Honshu, 4 Kyomai

Race 2: 6 Captivate, 5 Golden Sickle, 10 Savic, 2 Sunshine Day

Race 3: 6 Trippi T, 8 Electric Feels, 7 Rock On Tommy, 10 Barnbougle

Race 4: 6 Strawberry Light, 1 Busy Lizzie, 3 Tuscany, 10 Gift From Heaven

Race 5: 15 Ready Or Not, 13 Elegant Noble, 3 Spirit Of Silvano, 14 Shotgun Willie

Race 6: 5 Pas De Nom, 8 Steinbeck, 6 Global Ally, 2 The Futurist

Race 7: 2 Faire Advantage, 11 Napoleon, 9 William Rufus, 6 Gimme More Time

Race 8: 9 Itsrainingwilliam, 2 Voldemort, 5 Let It Burn, 11 Rule Of Thumb

BEST BET

Race 4 No 6 Strawberry Light

VALUE BET

Race 9 No 2 Itsrainingwilliam

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 1x6

BIPOT

R144

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6

Leg 2: 5, 6, 10

Leg 3: 6, 7, 8, 10

Leg 4: 6

Leg 5: 15

Leg 6: 5, 6, 8

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 5, 6, 10

Leg 2: 6, 7, 8

Leg 3: 6

Leg 4: 15

Leg 5: 5, 8

Leg 6: 2, 9, 11

Leg 7: 2, 5, 9

PICK 6

R1400

Leg 1: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Leg 2: 6

Leg 3: 13, 15

Leg 4: 2, 5, 6, 8

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11

Leg 6: 2, 3, 5, 9, 11

JACKPOT 1

R56

Leg 1: 6

Leg 2: 13, 15

Leg 3: 2, 5, 6, 8

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11

JACKPOT 2

R280

Leg 1: 13, 15

Leg 2: 2, 5, 6, 8

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11

Leg 4: 2, 3, 5, 9, 11