Jack Milner
It is Derby Day in the Cape on Saturday and there will be lots for punters to splash out on not only at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth but also on other exciting event on the day.
There is a R500,000 Pick 6 carryover at the meeting with a pool hoping to reach R3 million, while the world’s richest race, the $20-million Saudi Cup, will take place in Riyadh and it is a Hong Kong World Pool meeting which will be offered locally by TAB.
Punters could well have the beating of the bookies in the Cape as there are some strong favourites that look hard to beat, starting with the Grade 1 SplashOut Cape Derby itself where WSB Cape Town Met winner will take on six rivals in the R1.5-million race over 2000m, the same course and distance as the Met.
Racing against his own age group at level weights he comes into the event holding a handicap advantage of at least 12kg over his opposition.
Justin Snaith’s charge looks impossible to oppose as long as he has recovered from his tough race in the Met but he does have everything else in his favour.
Snaith has five of the seven runners and that means he can ensure he gets the ideal pace for his key representative. Richard Fourie takes the ride once again.
Although he has little chance on paper, the main threat could come from Piet Steyn-trained Garrix who is lightly raced and is a two-time winner. This son of Vercingetorix is highly regarded but until now, he has not had much luck in the draw department. Two runs back he jumped from No 15 of 16 while last time, in the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m, he was drawn No 10 of 11.
This time he jumps from pole position and meets Zeitz, who beat him by 2.75 lengths last time, on 3kg better terms.
Garrix, with Aldo Domeyer up, could be the right runner for Exactas with the favourite.
Another Grade 1 winner on Cape Town Met day likely to add to his Grade stakes tally is Dean Kannemeyer's stable star Gimme A Prince, who was an emphatic winner of the Grade 1 Cape Flying Championship last month.
This high-class son Gimmethegreenlight gelding showed his versatility by streaking clear to win the 1000m speed test by more than five lengths after finishing third to One Stripe in the King's Plate.
Gimme A Prince, with Craig Zackey back in irons, lines up in the 1200m Grade 2 Diadem Stakes (Race 6) and is good value to go better his second-place finish in the same race two years ago.
See It Again looks thrown in Race 5, the Listed Jet Master Stakes over 1600m. Michael Roberts' charge is by far the best weighted runner and comes off a good fourth in the Met where he ran on well after a slow start.
Piere Strydom takes the ride once again.
The number of short-priced favourites in the carryover Pick 6 gives punters a number of options. The first is to hope they all win and then load the other legs and take the bet a number of times or alternatively, hope to beat a couple of them and look at a really massive payout.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Direct Hit, 3 Wild Wild Green, 1 Winter Snap, 5 Absolutely Yes
Race 2: 3 Masterofthedesert, 1 Honor Of Kings, 7 Regulation, 2 Definitely Yes
Race 3: 2 Mauritius Kestrel, 1 Talk To The Master, 10 Powerandtheglory, 3 Rosh Kedesh
Race 4: 5 Kinda Wonderful, 7 Lady Springfield, 6 Scarlet Macaw, 1 Give Me Everything
Race 5: 10 See It Again, 9 Meu Capitano, 3 Rapidash, 4 Sugar Mountain
Race 6: 6 Roccapina, 1 Mon Petit Cherie, 10 Gimmie's Countess, 2 Bavarian Beauty
Race 7: 2 Eight On Eighteen, 1 Garrix, 6 Zeitz, 7 Native Ruler
Race 8: 6 Gimme A Prince, 4 Surjay, 2 Royal Aussie, 1 Questioning
Race 9: 6 Alltheboysiveloved, 7 Oni San, 10 Miraculous, 2 Golden Angel
BEST BET
Race 8 No 6 Gimme A Prince
VALUE BET
Race 3 No 2 Mauritius Kestrel
BEST SWINGER
Race 7 1x2
BIPOT
R75
Leg 1: 1, 3, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10
Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 10
Leg 5: 6
Leg 6: 2
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R60
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 10
Leg 2: 1, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 10
Leg 4: 6
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 6
Leg 7: 6, 7, 10
PICK 6
R280
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 10
Leg 3: 1, 2, 6, 10
Leg 4: 2
Leg 5: 6
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
JACKPOT 1
R4
Leg 1: 10
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 10
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 6
JACKPOT 2
R40
Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 10
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 6
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10