Pinnacle for a Princess

Jack Milner

Pinnacle Stakes races usually favour the best handicapped runners but that is not the case in Race 3 at Turffontein on Thursday when they race on the Standside track.

This Pinnacle Stakes is for fillies and mares over 1600m and while there are just six runners carded to go to post, it looks a highly competitive event.

The main reason is because no runner has an outright weight advantage. Based on their respective merit ratings, just 2kg separates the best weighted runner from the two “worst weighted” pair and on form, one could make a winning case for all six.

In fact, it is one of those less well-weighted runners who could come out on top and that is Crimson Princess from the Ashley Fortune yard. This four-year-old daughter of Silvano came up from the Western Cape and has just had two runs since moving to the Highveld.

They resulted in a fourth place behind Alabama Anna over 1400m at the Vaal on debut followed by a 0.70-length defeat of Anne Boleyn over 1400m at Turffontein.

The extra distance will not trouble her as she did win two races over 1600m in Cape Town when trained by Candice Bass-Robinson.

Ryan Munger takes the ride, the filly carries just 54kg, she has won at the course, and the stable is in top form, so all the winning credentials are there.

Follow Me is narrowly the best weighted runner but on a line through Anne Boleyn there is little to choose between Stuart Pettigrew’s charge and Crimson Princess.

Kabelo Matsunyane has been in prolific form of late and consistent Follow Me is expected to contest the finish.

Hollywoodbound is another who is always thereabouts and has a definite winning chance. Based on a race which took place in May, Roy Magner’s charge has the beating of Follow Me but perhaps the tactics used that day on Follow Me were not ideal, but once again it is very close between those two.

Then we have the evergreen Rouge Allure, who will be turning nine on 1 August.

The Stephen Moffatt-trained mare celebrated her 100^th run by recording her 14^th career victory with Gavin Lerena up and he is back in the irons for this race.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 9 Lovers Lane, 6 Boisterous, 7 Burgess, 14 Promontory

Race 2: 11 Outlaw, 1 Chopsticks, 3 Tsitsikamma Pearl, 12 Rose Velvet

Race 3: 5 Crimson Princess, 2 Follow Me, 4 Hollywoodbound, 3 Rouge Allure

Race 4: 1 Wolffs World, 12 Vengeance Forever, 5 Bey Suyay, 4 Motor City Hitman

Race 5: 1 Flame Flower, 6 Dancing Arabian, 4 Kiawah, 8 Stunning Kitten

Race 6: 2 Leopold, 7 Admiral Dooley, 1 Whafeef, 4 Barneys Pride

Race 7: 7 Bequest, 5 Benguela Cove, 6 On Cue, 2 Lucy In The Sky

Race 8: 10 Blue Waters, 16 Baby Don’t Hurt Me, 4 No Time Is Taken, 8 Space Race

BEST BET

Race 2 No 11 Outlaw

VALUE BET

Race 4 No 1 Wolffs World

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 1x11

BIPOT

R192

Leg 1: 6, 9

Leg 2: 11

Leg 3: 2, 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 12

Leg 5: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 6: 2, 7

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 11

Leg 2: 2, 4, 5

Leg 3: 1, 5, 12

Leg 4: 1, 4, 6

Leg 5: 2, 7

Leg 6: 5, 7

Leg 7: 10, 16

PICK 6

R1920

Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 5

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 5, 12

Leg 3: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 7

Leg 5: 5, 6, 7

Leg 6: 10, 16

JACKPOT 1

R240

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 5, 12

Leg 2: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 7

Leg 4: 5, 6, 7

JACKPOT 2

R144

Leg 1: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 7

Leg 3: 5, 6, 7

Leg 4: 4, 10, 16