Jack Milner
Rain has forced the meeting scheduled for Turffontein on Saturday to be moved to the Vaal main track.
A further 12mm of rainfall was recorded at Turffontein overnight, while the Vaal received no rainfall in the same period.
Both centres have, however, experienced significant rainfall over the past week.
A track inspection conducted now has shown that the back straight on Turffontein Standside is waterlogged and has surface water.
An early decision has therefore been taken to relocate the meeting.
Distance changes are as follows:
• Races 3, 4 and 5 will now be run over 1200m
• Races 6 and 7 will be run over 1700m.
Race times remain unchanged.
There is an old adage in racing that one should follow a winning horse until it gets beaten and that is often sage advice.
Good horses know how to win and some just do enough to do so and often have a lot more in the tank than the winning distance may indicate.
That looks to be the case with three-year-old filly Precocious who is certainly living up to her name. She arrived from Candice Bass’ Cape Town yard and since joining Tony Peter at Turffontein has won all four of her starts.
Every time the weights creep up pundits have been arguing that the handicapper has caught up with her. Well, so far she has proved them all wrong and she is expected to extend her winning streak to five when she lines up in Race 8 at Turffontein on Saturday, a MR 94 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.
In a strange way, Precocious’ move to the Peter yard was almost a homecoming her as her dam, Sekhmet, was trained by Tony’s father Paul.
So far this daughter of Ideal World has not been hard pressed to win and at time that came despite hanging in the closing stages.
She has also built up and excellent rapport with apprentice Blaine Marx-Jacobson, but then, most horses he rides seem to respond well to him.
He has won the last three races aboard this filly and has done so as her merit rating has increased from 86 to 104. But while her merit rating has been increasing, his apprentice allowance has been moving in the opposite direction and this time he will only be able to claim 2.5kg.
Two runs back Precocious beat Mystical Miss by two lengths and will now meet her on 8kg worse terms and on paper, that should be enough to turn it around.
However, Peter’s charge won that race easily despite hanging in in the closing stages and she could well be good enough to do it again.
Mickaëlle Michel gets the ride on the Sean Tarry-trained three-year-old daughter of Rafeef who will be fitted with cheekpieces for the first time, so she does deserve respect.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 3 Impressive, 6 Proud Mary, 1 Within Reach, 4 Moana
Race 2: 2 Prayersandpromises, 1 Dear Doc, 7 Parachute Adams, 6 Mega Awesome
Race 3: 1 Wispinthewillow, 7 Greenandgold, 8 Humaira, 2 Gathering Winter
Race 4: 9 Geostorm, 1 Highwayman Harry, 2 Hammer Blow, 6 Tiger's Captain
Race 5: 5 The Specialist, 3 The Last Duke, 4 Gimmethegoodlife, 10 Lead The Charge
Race 6: 4 Guerilla Warfare, 1 Unsolved Riddle, 2 Frangipani, 6 Peregrine Falcon
Race 7: 1 Chronicle King, 4 King Harald, 3 Jimmy Don, 5 Gerbera
Race 8: 1 Precocious, 8 Mystical Miss, 7 Fiery Rose, 4 Versace Onthetrack
Race 9: 1 Blindfire, 3 Tempranillo, 4 Lovable, 5 Kia Kaha
BEST BET
Race 3: 1 Wispinthewillow
VALUE BET
Race 6: 4 Guerilla Warfare
BEST SWINGER
Race 8 1x8
BIPOT
R162
Leg 1: 1, 2
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 1, 2, 9
Leg 4: 3, 4, 5
Leg 5: 1, 2, 4
Leg 6: 1, 3, 4
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R162
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 9
Leg 3: 3, 4, 5
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4
Leg 5: 1, 3, 4
Leg 6: 2
Leg 7: 1, 3, 4
PICK 6
R2016
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 9
Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 6
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4
Leg 5: 1, 8
Leg 6: 1, 3, 4
JACKPOT 1
R168
Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 6
Leg 3: 1, 3, 4
Leg 4: 1, 8
JACKPOT 2
R72
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 6
Leg 2: 1, 3, 4
Leg 3: 1, 8
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4