Jack Milner
Rain has been descending across the Eastern Cape and that has resulted in a waterlogged turf track at Fairview.
Friday’s racing was set to take place on that surface with a couple of feature races on the card but with penetrometer readings varying between 26 and 40 resulting in an inconsistent going, the decision was taken to move the meeting to the Polytrack.
All times and distances remain the same.
As a result there have been a number of scratchings.
In most cases this is unlikely to have too much of an influence on the outcomes of the races but the move is likely to work very well for Mercantour who lines up in Race 6, the Fairview 1400 (Non-Black Type) over 1400m.
Alan Greeff and Richard Fourie team up with this five-year-old gelding who arrived in Greeff's yard as a six-time winner from 31 starts and it only took him three runs at Fairview to get off the mark.
The Var gelding did so in style, drawing clear to an impressive 3.25-length win over Speed Racer on the Fairview Polytrack over 1200m.
That was only his second run on the Polytrack, and he clearly enjoyed it, so he looks hard to beat, although he has yet to win over the distance.
However, the way he finishes off his races over sprint distances suggests that the course and distance may suit him better this time.
Earlier on the card, the Justin Snaith-trained Wild Applause should prove a solid banker for all permutations. The Vercingetorix filly lines up in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1200m.
Although still winless after eight starts, she has finished second on three occasions and has been running well for jockey Muzi Yeni. She looks tough to beat.
She is untried on the Polytrack.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 1 Danish Dynamite, 6 Silvan Mistress, 9 Zumsee, 2 Darlingbudsofmay
Race 2: 1 Wild Applause, 11 Star Of Elena, 5 Dancing In Winter, 3 Midnight Music
Race 3: 14 Royal Kingdom, 1 Green Okra, 12 Star Trooper, 2 Pyro Edition
Race 4: 13 Perfect Trust, 4 Hugsandhighfives, 2 Kilmonivaig, 3 Smashing
Race 5: 3 Cliff Top, 9 Speed Racer, 1 Anuschka's World, 6 Forest Spy
Race 6: 1 Mercantour, 3 Silver Falcon, 4 Bush Tracker, 5 Gimme's Laddie
Race 7: 7 Trip To Maputo, 1 Three Rocks, 4 Gimme's Lassie, 2 Gocekwithlove
Race 8: 5 Volare E Mambo, 9 In The Green Zone, 11 Courageous, 6 Got The Fever
BEST BET
Race 2: 1 Wild Applause
VALUE BET
Race 4: 13 Perfect Trust
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 1x14
BIPOT
R40
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 1, 14
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 8, 13
Leg 5: 3, 9
Leg 6: 1, 3
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R144
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 14
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 13
Leg 4: 3, 9
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: 1, 4, 7
Leg 7: 5, 9, 11
PICK 6
R1920
Leg 1: 1, 14
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13
Leg 3: 1, 3, 9
Leg 4: 1, 3
Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 7
Leg 6: 3, 5, 6, 9, 11
JACKPOT 1
R192
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13
Leg 2: 1, 3, 9
Leg 3: 1, 3
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 7
JACKPOT 2
R120
Leg 1: 1, 3, 9
Leg 2: 1, 3
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 7
Leg 4: 3, 5, 6, 9, 11