Magner could be Hollywoodbound

Jack Milner

Composer Robert Schumann once described Beethoven’s Symphony No 4 as “a slender Greek maiden between two Norse giants”, because of the magnitude of symphonies Nos 3 and 5.

Trainer Roy Magner could find himself in the same boat in Race 2 at the Vaal on Thursday, a Progress Plate for fillies and mares over 1450m on the Classic track.

Only six horses are carded to go to post of which Johan Janse van Vuuren has three, Sean Tarry two and Magner just one, Hollywoodbound.

Janse van Vuuren, who is in red-hot form, launches his three-pronged attack with Sprinkles, Shivers, and Homely Girl, while Tarry has Marigold Hotel and Sound Of Warning.

Sound Of Warning is the best weighted runner and that gives her some sort of claim, but she has not raced beyond 1200m. It does not mean she can’t win. In fact, on breeding she must be in with a chance, especially with S’manga Khumalo up.

Hollywoodbound is not that well handicapped but while she has yet to win over course and distance, she has placed in all three of her runs. However, she has won over 1450m on the Inside track at Turffontein and last time out there was a lot to like about her run over that track and trip when she was touched off by Princess Phillippa to who she was conceding 6.5kg.

Gabriell Pieterse rode her on that occasion and he is back in the irons once again, taking 1.5kg off her back.

Tarry-trained Marigold Hotel seems to have lost that killer instinct and an array of headgear has not helped. This time round she’ll be sporting a compression hood as well as earmuffs.

However, she ran a promising race last time when fourth in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge over 1600m on the Turffontein Standside track. She takes a massive drop in class and is also likely to benefit from the drop in trip.

Tarry has engaged Rachel Venniker for the ride, and she too will take 1.5kg off the back of her mount.    

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1:  2 Top Sail, 3 Prime Example, 6 Ballycotton, 7 Sassy, Harold The Duke

Race 2: 4 Hollywoodbound, 2 Marigold Hotel, 3 Homely Girl

Race 3:  1 Island Beauty, 7 Bee In My Bonnet, 5 Sky Velocity, 4 Efficient Trader

Race 4:  5 Bowl First, 1 Robert Burns, 7 Pembroke, 8 Silvano's Song

Race 5:  3 Cape Bouquet, 6 Go Dream Machine, 7 Apache Fighter, 2 Liverpool Legend

Race 6:  1 Twice The Storm, 3 Golden Prospect, 2 Texas Red

Race 7:  5 Karin's Legacy, 4 Cerulean Dancer, 6 Stunning Kitten, 7 Della's Sword

Race 8:  2 Player, 8 Luthuli, 5 Lidl Miss Sunshine, 1 Wondering Star

Race 9:  9 Southern Blaze, 10 Billy Spellbound, 5 Eye Of The Prophet, 2 Indus Knight

BEST BET

Race 1 No 2 Top Sail

VALUE BET

Race 7 No 5 Karin’s Legacy

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 2x3

BIPOT

R162

Leg 1: 2, 3, 4

Leg 2: 1, 5, 7

Leg 3: 1, 3

Leg 4: 3, 6, 7

Leg 5: 1, 5

Leg 6: 4, 5, 6

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 1, 5, 7

Leg 2: 1, 5

Leg 3: 3, 6, 7

Leg 4: 1

Leg 5: 4, 5, 6

Leg 6: 2, 8

Leg 7: 5, 9, 10

PICK 6

R1620

Leg 1: 1, 5, 7

Leg 2: 2, 3, 6, 7

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3

Leg 4: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Leg 5: 2, 5, 8

Leg 6: 5, 9, 10

JACKPOT 1

R180

Leg 1: 2, 3, 6, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Leg 4: 2, 5, 8

JACKPOT 2

R135

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3

Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Leg 3: 2, 5, 8

Leg 4: 5, 9, 10