Jack Milner
While the official curtain raiser to the KwaZulu-Natal winter season will only take place next Saturday, racing fans will have a trailer of things to come at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday with the running of four feature races.
The four feature races – the Listed In Full Flight Handicap, the Grade 3 Tabgold Strelitzia Stakes, the Grade 3 Tabgold Godolphin Barb Stakes and the Grade 3 Dennis Drier Poinsettia Stakes – are set up as options for horses who need races at Scottsville prior to the Grade 1 speed day run on the first Saturday in June.
Two-year-old filly from the Michael Miller yard, Just Reckless, already has a solid record of two wins and a second placing at this venue and the prep could be ideal for the Allan Robertson Championships.
That talented filly will meet horses with improvement to come such as Dark Winter and Prom Queen in Race 5, the Grade 3 Strelitzia Stakes for two-year-old fillies over 1100m, but they will need to up their games somewhat to match her second-place finish in the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m at Turffontein.
She was touched off by star Candice Dawson-trained Little Ballerina in that Grade 3 event and appeared unlucky as she failed to get a clear run at a crucial stage.
Rider Kabelo Matsunyane will be hoping the pace is on as she likes to produce a powerful surge in the closing stages and obviously ensure she can avoid any traffic blockages this time.
Importantly, Just Reckless has a good record at this course with two wins and a second place from three runs so that will also work in her favour. As a result, she stands out as the best bet on the card.
The Poinsettia Stakes (Race 7), a Grade 3 for fillies and mares over 1200m, is possibly the toughest of the lot, and it may pay to go the field in exotic bets. Most, if not all, are useful, and while the weights suggest Asiye Phambili and Secret Identity could take the lion’s share of the prizes, Kwinta’s Light looks worth an each-way bet jumping from a plum gate. She has three wins over the distance.
Finally, Race 6 is the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb where all seven participants have shown promise and have not been fully extended. The race may reveal who is headed for the top but if judging on who they beat is the benchmark, then Cymric, who beat Roy Magner’s highly rated King Of Kildare by five lengths could attract all the betting support.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 9 Disting, 6 Cape Capri, 2 Izibulo, 12 Diyarani
Race 2: 2 Flyingcool, 1 Field Marshal, 10 Professor Lupin, 13 Railroad
Race 3: 1 Nelson Bay, 3 Spelling Bee, 5 Tsar Bomba, 7 The Shepherd
Race 4: 12 King Of The Gauls, 7 Hithemhardsunshine, 8 Good Traveller, 14 Captain Bombshell
Race 5: 3 Just Reckless, 2 Prom Queen, 5 Dark Winter, 4 Siberian Winter
Race 6: 4 Cymric, 1 Impact Investor, 2 Cats Pajamas, 5 Makazole
Race 7: 2 Kwinta's Light, 5 Secret Identity, 4 Baltic Secret, 8 Asiye Phambili
Race 8: 7 Shotgun Willie, 9 Political Party, 5 Jazz Festival, 10 Pongola
BEST BET
Race 5 No 3 Just Reckless
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 7 Shotgun Willie
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 1x4
BIPOT
R192
Leg 1: 6, 9
Leg 2: 1, 2, 10
Leg 3: 1, 3, 5, 7
Leg 4: 7, 8, 12, 14
Leg 5: 3
Leg 6: 1, 4
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 1, 2, 10
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5
Leg 3: 7, 8, 12
Leg 4: 3
Leg 5: 1, 4
Leg 6: 2, 5
Leg 7: 5, 7, 9
PICK 6
R1600
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7
Leg 2: 6, 7, 8, 12, 14
Leg 3: 3
Leg 4: 1, 4
Leg 5: 2, 4, 5, 8
Leg 6: 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14
JACKPOT 1
R40
Leg 1: 6, 7, 8, 12, 14
Leg 2: 3
Leg 3: 1, 4
Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 8
JACKPOT 2
R64
Leg 1: 3
Leg 2: 1, 4
Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 8
Leg 4: 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14