Outofthedarkness and into light

Jack Milner

The official first entries for the Grade 1 Allied Steelroad Onamission Charity Mile to be run at Turffontein on Saturday 29 October officially close on Monday morning but some trainers have already provided some early entries.

Among those is Outofthedarkness from the Johan Janse van Vuuren yard.

The four-year-old son of Gimmethegreenlight also has an entry for the Grade 1 Gauteng Summer Cup over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday 26 November, which one must assume is the ultimate mission for the four-year-old gelding.

But prior to all of those runs, Outofthedarkness is carded to race tomorrow in a MR 105 Handicap over 1500m on the Turffontein Inside track. He has only raced 12 times and at this stage it is difficult to assess what will be his ultimate distance.

He won his first two races over 1000m and 1200m respectively with his third victory coming over 1600m on the Inside track where he overcame a slow start to get the better of About The Storm by 0.75 lengths.

Arguably his two best performances so far came in the Grade 3 Tony Ruffel Stakes over 1400m and the Grade 2 Gauteng Guineas. In the first event he was touched off in the final stride by William Robertson who has gone on to perform well in a number of Graded races while in the Guineas, which is the first leg of the SA Triple Crown, he was beaten into third place by Safe Passage.

Mike de Kock’s runner went off to win the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 and finished third in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July over 2200m, both at Greyville in Durban.

He came back from a rest after his Durban campaign on 15 September and was clearly in need of the run when he finished a 1.25-length fourth behind Jamaila over 1800m.

One could possibly blame his 0.50-length Irish Tractor over 1600m last week on another slow start but he was reported to be blowing after that race as well and was probably just short of a run.

That means he could be spot on when he lines up on Saturday and even though he drops in distance, Outofthedarkness looks the runner to beat. Interestingly, he will be wearing blinkers and earmuffs for the first time.

Keagan de Melo has ridden him in his last four starts and he will be back aboard once again.

ne runner who is proven over the course and distance is Another Level. Candice Dawson has her runnOers in top form right now and this son of Twice Over has done particularly well since having been gelded late last year.

He came back from a long layoff to run a 1.25-length second to Team Gold over this course and distance and has since notched up two more victories, the last over 1450m at this track where he defeated Tuscan Winter.

His only unplaced run was when fifth behind Jamaila but he may well have found that 2000m at touch far.

Muzi Yeni knows this five-year-old well and he has picked up the ride once again. With just 53.5kg on his back Another Level has to be a serious contender.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 7 Sylvan Theater, 3 Giocatore, 6 Mo The Man, 8 The Mauritian

Race 2: 1 Smelting, 10 Solo Diva, 2 Midnight Crystal, 7 Lunar Winter

Race 3: 5 Tsar Bomba, 4 Union Square, 1 Swing Upon A Star, 3 Strike A Match

Race 4: 1 Terra Time, 7 Dark Travel, 3 Greek Miss, 4 Gilded Butterfly

Race 5: 10 Bold Fortune, 3 Second Base, 8 Pink Tourmaline, 7 Black Thorn

Race 6: 1 Linganomore, 4 Stunning Kitten, 6 Fasinada, 3 Sun Bird

Race 7: 1 Outofthedarkness, 11 Another Level, 4 Sound Of Summer, 10 Whafeef

Race 8: 1 Vanderbilt, 7 Whispers Of War, 3 Leopold, 2 Argo Alley

Race 9: 4 Meridius, 3 Destiny Of Souls, 1 Fast Love, 5 Without Equal

BEST BET

Race 9 No 4 Meridius

VALUE BET

Race 2 No 1 Smelting

BEST SWINGER

Race 9 3x4

BIPOT

R324

Leg 1: 1, 2, 10

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5

Leg 3: 1, 3, 7

Leg 4: 3, 10

Leg 5: 1, 4, 6

Leg 6: 1, 11

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5

Leg 2: 1, 3, 7

Leg 3: 3, 10

Leg 4: 1, 4, 6

Leg 5: 1, 11

Leg 6: 1, 7

Leg 7: 4

PICK 6

R1200

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 7

Leg 2: 1, 3, 7, 8, 10

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7

Leg 4: 1, 4, 10, 11

Leg 5: 1, 3, 7

Leg 6: 4

JACKPOT 1

R300

Leg 1: 1, 3, 7, 8, 10

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7

Leg 3: 1, 4, 10, 11

Leg 4: 1, 3, 7

JACKPOT 2

R60

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7

Leg 2: 1, 4, 10, 11

Leg 3: 1, 3, 7

Leg 4: 4