Jack Milner
Two Pinnacle Stakes races top the card at Turffontein on Saturday, and they look diverse in more ways than just the distance over which they are run.
The first is Race 6 over 1800m and Tony Peter-trained Meridius returns to the scene of his biggest victory, the Grade 3 Jubilee Stakes over this course and distance.
It was a win that booked him a place into the Hollywoodbets Durban July which may have turned out the way his connections may have hoped.
Muzi Yeni rode him to victory in that race on 9 June and will back aboard the five-year-old gelding for this event.
Peter's charge is the joint best-weighted runner in the race with Savannah Storm and a repeat of his Jubilee success looks likely for this son of Canford Cliffs.
He had both Pyromaniac and stable companion Street Art behind him in the Jubilee and on that run they both look unlikely to turn the tables.
Nevertheless, the main threat is likely to come from Pyromaniac as Sean Tarry’s charge raced again after that in a MR 96 Handicap over 1600m, finishing a 1.75-length third behind Master Christmas. In fairness though, that was a far weaker race and one cannot be feel that if the Jubilee Stakes form holds up, Meridius is a possible banker on the card.
The second Pinnacle Stakes in Race 7 is over 1160m and looks wide open. The one concern is that there are a number of runners who are 1000m specialists and could be found out over the additional 160m.
On the other hand, the tracks are as hard as concrete and running fast so that could suit a runner who is best suited to the minimum trip.
Jockeys Keagan de Melo and Serino Moodley will be up in Joburg for the meeting and the latter could have say in the outcome of this race.
Moodley's trip to Joburg will likely be made worthwhile by Tarry-trained filly Troppo Veloce in this ultra-competitive sprint.
This four-year-old daughter of Rafeef bounced back to form last time when fitted with a tongue-tie to finish a close-up second over 1100m with 57kg on her back. With that equipment retained and just 52.5kg to shoulder on this occasion, best-weighted Troppo Veloce could confirm that recent improvement by upstaging her male opposition with Moodley in the irons.
One can almost make some sort of case for all 11 runners. The Peter stable have four runners but both Rulership and Captain’s Hindsight, while both classy performers, are 1000m specialists. Gavin Lerena rides Rulership and perhaps he can extract that little extra from the William Longsword gelding.
The other two, while ideally course and distance suited, are held on form. In fact, Silent War holds stablemate Power Broker while Anfield Rocket holds Silent War and Grant Maroun’s charge could well provide the value of race.
However, Yeni could get punters off to a flying start in Race 1 aboard Hey Hey Julia who he rides for Paul Matchett in the opener over 1000m.
This Canford Cliffs filly has the form and experience to fight out the finish with Lady Of Arc who ought to have come on after an encouraging debut outing.
Well-bred Gimmethegreenlight filly Bakwena (De Melo) and One World debutante Ono No Komachi, who Lerena rides, are newcomers to make note of, especially if attracting market support.
Jack Milner‘s selections
Race 1: 1 Hey Hey Julia, 5 Lady Of Arc, 3 Bakwena, 7 Ono No Komachi
Race 2: 6 Karate Kid, 1 Kwagga Blitz, 5 Inspector James, 2 Potberrie
Race 3: 8 Confederate, 9 Towers Of Gold, 6 Zafar, 1 High Queue
Race 4: 1 City Lights, 4 Silver Flare, 2 Silky Jet, 8 Pass The Baton
Race 5: 1 Strewn Sky, 3 Copper Mist, 2 Mount Darwin, 8 Guardia Regine
Race 6: 1 Meridius, 5 Pyromaniac, 4 Savannah Storm, 6 Flashy Apache
Race 7: 6 Troppo Veloce, 2 Anfields Rocket, 1 Rulership, 8 Silent War
Race 8: 3 Brave Viking, 6 Open Highway, 7 Bob's Your Uncle, 5 Max The Magician
Race 9: 8 Archimides, 7 Moonlight Trader, 2 Southern Blaze, 1 King's Ransom
BEST BET
Race 4 No 1 City Lights
VALUE BET
Race 9 No 8 Archimides
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 1x5
BIPOT
R120
Leg 1: 1, 5, 6
Leg 2: 8, 9
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 1, 3
Leg 5: 1, 5
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R192
Leg 1: 8, 9
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 1, 3
Leg 4: 1
Leg 5: 1, 2, 6, 8
Leg 6: 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 7: 2, 7, 8
PICK 6
R1960
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 8
Leg 3: 1, 5
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 6: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8
JACKPOT 1
R392
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 8
Leg 2: 1, 5
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
JACKPOT 2
R490
Leg 1: 1, 5
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 11
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 6, 7, 8