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