Lovegrass to repay a missed opportunity

Jack Milner

I am sure many keen racing fans have experienced a day when whoever you talk to ahead of a meeting seems to be talking about the same horse.

That was the case on Tuesday morning 5 December last year when I was encouraged by almost everybody I spoke to – have a good bet on first-timer Lovegrass in Race 2 at Turffontein.

Of course, I didn’t listen to them, and just watched as this filly shortened from 7-2 into 12-10, and then cursed myself when she won.

Trained by Johan Janse van Vuuren and ridden by Gavin Lerena, this daughter of Gimmethegreenlight won well. Not being a great fan of backing runners on debut, I had a wide grin when she didn’t jump all that well when leaving the stalls, but the smile was wiped off my face as she produced a strong finish and despite hanging in come the latter stages of the race, she went on to beat the original favourite, Winter Path, by 1.60 lengths.

I did make a note of that performance and made her one to follow. She has not been seen out since but finally her name did reappear, and she is carded to run in Race 8 at Turffontein on Thursday.

She contests a MR 81 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m in the Inside track and hopefully she will have come on even further since her last race.

She has a lot going for her because she will jump from barrier No 2, always a huge advantage on the Inside track. It will be her first race around the turn, but she is trained at Turffontein and hopefully would have had the opportunity to have a run on this track.

Gavin Lerena sticks with her which is significant because he will have to do a little sweating to get down to the 56.5kg she will carry in this race as his declared riding weight is 57kg.

The main threat could come from Mike de Kock-trained Gocekwithlove who had a decent follow-up run after winning his maiden two runs back.

Jack Milner's selections

Race 1: 2 Buffalo Storm Cody, 1 Bad Medicine, 5 It's Personal, 10 Gloria Mundi

Race 2: 4 Far Reaching, 6 Pointer, 9 We Will Rock You

Race 3: 3 Dark Silver, 8 Forest God, 2 Rossore Finale, 6 Claw

Race 4: 1 Royal Mazarin, 4 Agamemnon, 3 Ideal Future, 6 Nuclear Force

Race 5: 2 Ariel's Jet, 9 Paschals Samore, 7 Summerland, 1 Feeling Groovy

Race 6: 2 Willow Express, 10 Officer In Command, 1 Golden Pavilion, 7 Eiger Sanction

Race 7: 10 Joker Man, 6 Warhawk Bomber, 7 Captain Of Grit, 4 Imperial Master

Race 8: 8 Lovegrass, 1 Gocekwithlove, 2 On Cue, 4 Women Of Fame

BEST BET

Race 8: 8 Lovegrass

VALUE BET

Race 3: 3 Dark Silver

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 1x2

BIPOT

R324

Leg 1: 1, 2, 5

Leg 2: 4, 6

Leg 3: 2, 3, 8

Leg 4: 1, 2

Leg 5: 2, 7, 9

Leg 6: 1, 2, 10

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 4, 6

Leg 2: 2, 3, 8

Leg 3: 1, 2

Leg 4: 2, 7, 9

Leg 5: 1, 2, 10

Leg 6: 6, 10

Leg 7: 8

PICK 6

R900

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 7, 10

Leg 5: 6, 7, 10

Leg 6: 8

JACKPOT 1

R180

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4

Leg 2: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 7, 10

Leg 4: 6, 7, 10

JACKPOT 2

R60

Leg 1: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2, 7, 10

Leg 3: 6, 7, 10

Leg 4: 8