Jack Milner
At the time of writing there was very little separating Craig Zackey and Gavin Lerena at the top of the national jockeys’ log. Zackey, with 141, was two winners ahead of Lerena on 139.
It has been a ding-dong battle between the pair, while breathing down their neck with 126 wins is current champion jockey Richard Fourie.
Zackey and Lerena in particular have been travelling all over the country in search of this season’s title and both will be in action at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday and both have some decent rides. However, while it is quite a tricky card, Lerena does look to be aboard one of the best runners on the card in Sohot Sowhat in Race 8, a Class 4 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m.
Trained by Lucinda Woodruff, Lerena has been aboard this three-year-old daughter Soqrat in all three of her starts and has built up an excellent rapport with this filly.
Sohot Sowhat clearly needed her debut start last November and that was reflected in the betting as she drifted from 25-2 to 16-1 and ran accordingly. However, it was a different story just one month later where, although starting at 33-1, she took the lead around 300m from home and raced away to beat Catch A Penny by 3.75 lengths.
That form has been franked as two winners have come out form that race, while Catch A Penny, although still a maiden, has gone on to run two respectable second places since then.
One of the winners who came out of that form was third-placed Shesgotclass, who was making her debut in that earlier race and finished a 7.50-length third. However, in her next start, Des McLachlan’s charge was well supported in the betting and went on to beat Sugarbush by three lengths.
The other winner was Sohot Sowhat herself, who was backed from 6-1 in to 28-10 and charged home late to beat Captain’s Destiny and Tanneron, easier than the 0.50-length margin suggests. Interestingly, First Masterpiece, who finished unplaced that day, came out to win last Saturday, narrowly beating Tanneron, while Captain’s Destiny also ran second, this time behind Golden Destiny, beaten just 0.40 lengths.
Woodruff’s charge will try 1400m tomorrow and based on the manner of her last win, where Lerena held her up and pounced at the right moment, the additional 200m should hold no fears for her.
Trainer Candice Bass-Robinson has a decent chance of picking off the first two races.
Whatastar in Race 1, a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1200m, has been unlucky not to win yet and has finished runner-up in both of her starts.
She showed promise in those races and although bred to get a bit further she is speedy.
Jockey Gareth Wright was aboard the What A Winter filly on debut when only a length behind Wild Wild Green, who looks a talented sort.
Jockey Aldo Domeyer took over for her second start and she finished 1.25 lengths adrift of Music Of The Night.
Both runs were over 1000m and hopefully she goes one better this time with Domeyer up, with the additional 200m sure to count in her favour.
If there are to be dangers to her the challenges could come from newcomers as there are two Rafeef fillies representing big yards.
Plumbago Park represents Snaith Racing while Inspiration does duty for Sean Tarry.
Babelicious started her career with promise, but it took the addition of blinkers for the first time to help produce the victory last time out, suggesting that the Var filly can score again.
Babelicious, who lines up in Race 2, a Class 3 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m, won over this course and distance last time.
Jockey JP van der Merwe takes over from Domeyer this time out as the latter can’t make the weight of 56.5kg, but that should not be a problem as Van der Merwe been in top form the whole season.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Whatastar, 1 Jordash, 5 Paralegal, 9 Take It As Red
Race 2: 5 Babelicious, 4 Miss World, 3 Artiste, 6 Girl Like Us
Race 3: 7 Rahhabba, 13 Hoerikwaggo, 5 Another Dream, 8 Keep Happy
Race 4: 5 Flying Finley, 4 Heritage Ridge, 6 Poetic Princess, 11 Meg's Legacy
Race 5: 9 Crescent, 4 Real Stunner, 8 Landoftherisingsun, 3 Heemstede
Race 6: 7 Please Be True, 6 King's Quest, 4 Tsunami Warning, 8 Scalini
Race 7: 8 Fly Futura, 6 Repetition, 5 Prime Venture, 1 Continentalexpress
Race 8: 5 Sohot Sowhat, 6 La Divina, 10 Bela Vista, 7 From A Distance
Race 9: 7 Gravity, 1 Winteronthegreen, 5 Mrs Shackleton, 3 Country Time, Try Me
BEST BET
Race 1 No 2 Whatastar
VALUE BET
Race 5 No 9 Crescent
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 6x7
BIPOT
R324
Leg 1: 4, 5
Leg 2: 5, 7, 13
Leg 3: 4, 5, 6
Leg 4: 4, 8, 9
Leg 5: 6, 7
Leg 6: 5, 6, 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 5, 7, 13
Leg 2: 4, 5
Leg 3: 4, 8, 9
Leg 4: 6, 7
Leg 5: 5, 6, 8
Leg 6: 5
Leg 7: 1, 5, 7
PICK 6
R1800
Leg 1: 4, 5, 6, 7, 11
Leg 2: 3, 4, 8, 9
Leg 3: 4, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 5: 5
Leg 6: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10
JACKPOT 1
R60
Leg 1: 3, 4, 8, 9
Leg 2: 4, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 4: 5
JACKPOT 2
R90
Leg 1: 4, 6, 7
Leg 2: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 3: 5
Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10