Princess Philippa chases hat-trick

Jack Milner

The Stuart Pettigrew juggernaut continues to roll on the Highveld and he can strike again at the Vaal on Tuesday when he sends out Princess Philippa in Race 9, a MR 91 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m on the Classic track.

Based on the number of winners on the Highveld alone this season, Pettigrew lies in fourth place with 23. But while he might lag behind Johan Janse van Vuuren, Sean Tarry and Ashley Fortune, at 18.25 he does have the higher percentage of winners.

In addition, of the top four, he is the only one who, if you put R1 on every raced horse, you would be up R17.30.

However, it would be unfair not to mention Mike and Adam Azzie who lie in fifth place. They have the highest percentage of winners on the entire log at 24.72 and you would be up R49.90 if you had bet R1 on every one of their runners so far.    

Princess Philippa has been in exceptional form since the start of the season, recording three victories and a runner-up finish from four runs.

These four great efforts have seen her merit rating jump up from 70 to a current 88, but the way she has progressed through the divisions suggests she might still be a few points ahead of the handicapper.

Victory on Tuesday will see this daughter of Silvano complete a hat-trick.

Randall Simons has ridden Princess Philippa in her last three starts and he is back on board again.

This time last year, Mike de Kock-trained Clafoutis was regarded as a possible Triple Tiara contender but after she had finished a 0.25-length runner-up to Aragosta in last year’s Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes, the wheels started to come off.

Her two comeback runs after a six-month rest were not encouraging but at least it has seen her merit rating come down seven points.

She did have an improved run last time when just 3.25-lengths behind Under Your Spell in a Class A Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m so hopefully she can produce a better performance this time.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 3 Fire 'N Flames, 5 Qhawe Lami, 9 Symbol Of Love, 10 That's My Baby

Race 2: 1 Camerata, 2 Time For Charity, 3 Rio Supremo, 7 Leahlicious

Race 3: 8 Brosnan, 9 Elusive Justice, 1 Iron Sky, 3 Dungeons

Race 4: 1 Swing Upon A Star, 2 Tsar Bomba, 3 Expeditioner, 5 Lil Miss Moneybags

Race 5: 6 Namaqua Blossom, 4 Raratonga Rose, 3 Banha Bridge, 7 Liverpool Legend

Race 6: 4 Tinder Dry, 3 Sequoia, 1 Admiralty Arch, 8 Absolute Value

Race 7: 1 Lady Of Power, 3 Bee In My Bonnet, 6 Mamaquera, 2 Arden Park

Race 8: 10 In Cahoots, 12 Southern Blaze, 7 Kotinos, 6 Elusive Swann

Race 9: 4 Princess Philippa, 1 Clafoutis, 5 Wokonda, 6 Escape Artist

Race 10: 6 Pacific Express, 2 Monsieur Chevelle, 3 Mirren, 12 Manz Knight

BEST BET

Race 9 No 4 Princess Philippa

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 4 Tinder Dry

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 1x2

BIPOT

R216

Leg 1: 1, 2

Leg 2: 1, 8, 9

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 3, 4, 6

Leg 5: 1, 3, 4, 8

Leg 6: 1, 3, 6

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 1, 8, 9

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 3, 4, 6

Leg 4: 1, 3, 6

Leg 5: 1, 3, 6

Leg 6: 7, 10, 12

Leg 7: 4

PICK 6

R750

Leg 1: 1, 2

Leg 2: 3, 4, 6

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Leg 5: 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

Leg 6: 4

JACKPOT 1

R375

Leg 1: 3, 4, 6

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Leg 4: 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

JACKPOT 2

R225

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 8, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Leg 3: 6, 7, 9, 10, 12

Leg 4: 4