Jack Milner
While there are no features on offer at Turffontein on Saturday, there are some decent races on the nine-race card.
One of the best comes up in Race 6, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m on the Standside track, where we see the second runoff beautifully UK bred runner The Equator lines up for the second time in South Africa.
A big run was expected from the five-year-old Galileo entire when he ran in the Grade 3 Durban July Consolation race over 2200m as his work at home was excellent, however, nothing tells you more about a horse than a race itself.
He was sent off favourite for the event but he proved a tough ride for jockey Warren Kennedy as he continued to hang in badly for the entire race.
Having a chat to Kennedy after the race, he explained that his mount was continually looking for the rail and the manner in which the race panned gave him no opportunity to get there,
However, he said while The Equator dropped out shortly after turning for home, one he found the inside rail, he started to pick up again.
It is worth noting that trainer Tony Peter has opted to run him in blinkers and his engaged Gavin Lerena for the ride.
The Equator takes a huge drop in class and now he knows what to expect, Peter can take measures to irons that out. The horse is also likely to be far better at a more galloping track like Turffontein where he is trained.
The obvious danger is King’s Express who has won two of his last three races and will have Muzi Yeni back in the irons.
Yeni is expecting a massive run from the Fabian Habib-trained gelding and if The Equator fluffs his lines, the six-year-old son of Pomodoro should pick up the slack.
Computaform Sprint hero William Robertson also makes his reappearance on the Highveld and he is another who is likely to prefer Turffontein to Greyville.
The versatile veteran gelding has won from 1000m to 1800m in 45 starts but reverts to the minimum trip for the first time since last season's Grade 1 Computaform Sprint success in Race 8 over 1000m. The seven-year-old son of Rafeef reunites with apprentice Trent Mayhew, who takes a handy 1.5kg off the back.
William Robertson was far from disgraced in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m last Sunday when he finished just 3.10 lengths off winner Buffalo Storm Cody, having travelled well into the final 400m before his challenge petered out in the concluding stages. And on the evidence of that performance, the return to 1000m will be more to his liking.
However, the concern is that the track is dry and hard and that might not be ideal for him.
The two most likely to trouble him are Quantum Theory and Mount Pinatubo who are both in good form and should go close.
Yeni has picked up the ride on Robbie Sage-trained Quantum Theory who has finished runner-up in his last four starts. One of those defeats was to Mount Pinatubo beat him by 0.8- lengths. However, this time Quantum Theory will have the benefit of a 3.5kg pull and that should be enough to turn the result around.
Johan Janse van Vuuren’s charge is returning from an 83-day break and might just need the run but the stable is in top form and Lerena is in the irons once again.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 7 On The Run, 1 Dondoyaki, 2 Midnight Miracle, 6 Master's Lady
Race 2: 8 Brigitte Anne, 2 Bingo, 1 Simbine, 3 So American
Race 3: 8 Zahra Dominia, 1 Lady Blunt, 6 Kensal Green, 5 Heavenly Good
Race 4: 1 Texas Red, 6 Bacchus, 3 Truth, 8 Argo Alley
Race 5: 4 Romeo's Magic, 3 Enflame, 6 Damova, 1 To The Rescue
Race 6: 1 The Equator, 3 King's Express, 2 Hotarubi, 4 Wecangoallnight
Race 7: 9 Impact Investor, 5 Unsolved Riddle, 6 Future Date, 2 Princess Ilaria
Race 8: 6 Quantum Theory, 4 Mount Pinatubo, 1 William Robertson, 5 Ready To Charge
Race 9: 3 Captain Efficient, 2 Valieva, 5 Phala Millions, 1 One Tiger
BEST BET
Race 1: 7 On The Run
VALUE BET
Race 9: 3 Captain Efficient
BEST SWINGER
Race 8 4x6
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 2, 8
Leg 2: 1, 6, 8
Leg 3: 1, 6
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 6
Leg 5: 1, 3
Leg 6: 5, 6, 9
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 1, 6, 8
Leg 2: 1, 6
Leg 3: 3, 4, 6
Leg 4: 1, 3
Leg 5: 5, 6, 9
Leg 6: 6
Leg 7: 2, 3, 5
PICK 6
R2160
Leg 1: 1, 3, 6, 8
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: 1, 3
Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9
Leg 5: 1, 4, 6
Leg 6: 2, 3, 5
JACKPOT 1
R180
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 2: 1, 3
Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9
Leg 4: 1, 4, 6
JACKPOT 2
R90
Leg 3: 1, 3
Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 6, 9
Leg 5: 1, 4, 6
Leg 6: 2, 3, 5