Lerena’s riding style to suit Petit Verdot

Jack Milner

With the lucrative winter season now just a month away from its official start Gavin Lerena has been making regular trips to KwaZulu-Natal where he has picked up some decent rides.

He will be back at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday and could come away with another winner or two.

Racing takes place on the Polytrack and perhaps Lerena’s best ride comes up in Race 6, a MR 76 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m, where he will be aboard Petit Verdot, a consistent What A Winter-filly trained by Garth Puller.

Petit Verdot, while effective on the synthetic, battled to settle last time out on this surface under Richard Fourie. Perhaps that explains why Lerena has been tasked with the job instead of Fourie, who is often seen aboard Puller’s choice runners.

However, Fourie is bidding to make it three from three with Spring Kiss, so he may have chosen to stick with that runner.

Spring Kiss seemed to labour getting to the front last time out and now, with a higher merit rating, also takes a steep rise in class. That does make her task considerably more difficult.

Petit Verdot, on the other hand, brings higher grade form into the contest, as does Imperious Destiny.

Petit Verdot finished in the money in her last four starts – all of which were much stronger races so she should enjoy a less testing heat.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 1 Glamorz, 4 Teatime Tipple, 9 Always Shining, 5 Hunters Arrow

Race 2: 2 Eventidor, 5 Justfortheepenny, 6 Ravens Sword, 3 Devils And Dust

Race 3: 4 Radiant Heat, 1 Purple Flower, 5 Flying Reign Storm, 8 Tannen Princess

Race 4: 5 Miss Lialah, 4 Kingsmeads Krystl, 7 Vision Of Will, 1 Pretty Analia

Race 5: 6 Global Secret, 3 Perfect Trust, 8 Drive By, 4 Conchita

Race 6: 5 Petit Verdot, 3 Spring Kiss, 4 Miss Platina, 7 Questo E Quello

Race 7: 2 Allaroundtheworld, 9 Lucretius, 6 Future Saint, 3 Only A Poet

Race 8: 6 Plinian, 10 Stanley Park, 5 One Too Many, 3 Chara Sands

BEST BET

Race 5: 6 Global Secret

VALUE BET

Race 8: 6 Plinian

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 1x4

BIPOT

R288

Leg 1: 1, 4

Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 6

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 8

Leg 4: 4, 5, 7

Leg 5: 6

Leg 6: 3, 4, 5

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R243

Leg 1: 2, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5

Leg 3: 4, 5, 7

Leg 4: 6

Leg 5: 3, 4, 5

Leg 6: 2

Leg 7: 5, 6, 10

PICK 6

R1000

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 8, 10

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 3: 6

Leg 4: 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Leg 5: 2

Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10

JACKPOT 1

R50

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 6

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Leg 4: 2, 9

JACKPOT 2

R80

Leg 1: 6

Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 7, 8

Leg 3: 2, 9

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10