Race-by-race Met day Pick 6 guide

Race-by-race guide to the carryover Pick 6 – likely pool R10 MILLION!

Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Sat 28 Jan

LEG 1 (Race 4): Only six runners are carded for the Grade 1 Schweppes Majorca Stakes over 1600m and that is mainly due to the presence of CAPTAIN’S RANSOM. This five-year-old mare is chasing her third successive victory in this race and has won 13 of her 17 starts. She is the reigning Equus Horse Of The Year and over her best distance on weight-for-age terms, trainer Justin Snaith’s charge is the best bet on the card.

LEG 2: This race looks quite open, but trainer Justin Snaith has five runners and four have them have strong winning claims. Richard Fourie is Snaith’s first-choice jockey and he rides NEVADA KING who looks the stable elect and the runner to beat. Last time over 1600m at Kenilworth, he finished a 1.45-length fourth behind Future Swing and the drop to 1400m should be right up his street. His wide draw is a worry and Fourie will need to get his mount well placed very quickly. FUTURE TURN finished just 0.45 lengths behind NEVADA KING HK_ExpertColumn_Race4last time and has the advantage of No 1 draw. It is worth noting that Piere Strydom, who rode FUTURE TURN last time, has opted to ride GIMME MORE TIME and he could be the main threat to NEVADA KING. BARDOLINO is an interesting runner and could show improvement in his second run after gelding.

LEG 3: The problem with this race for two-year-olds is there are many who have only raced once and could make sudden major improvement. That said the word is out that trainer Brett Crawford has a real “bomb” in THE ABDICATOR. This Irish-bred son of No Nay Never made his debut over 1000m at Kenilworth just two weeks ago. He was heavily backed and the result was never in doubt as he led from pillar to post and won easing up by two lengths. Snaith has four runners and the stable elect appears to be GOLDEN SICKLE, the mount of Richard Fourie.

Like THE ABDICATOR, GOLDEN SICKLE found massive betting support on debut and also ran out an easy winner. She’s a lively contender, while GOLDEN TATJANA was second on debut and in her second start won a minor feature for juveniles by 0.40 lengths. Four of those she defeated on that occasion will line up in this race. FIRST ORIGIN from Port Elizabeth was an easy winner at Fairview and needs to be considered for all bets. DUMBLEDORE is beautifully bred and won on debut.

LEG 4: This R7.5-million race for three-year-olds over 1600m carries the biggest prize money on the day with R5 million going to the winner. The race is restricted to eligible graduates of the 2021 CTS Cape Yearling Sale. A few well-performed horses stand out and topping that list is ROYAL AUSSIE. The son of Royal Mo has raced seven times for two wins and five places. He raced in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas and finished fourth behind the country’s top three-year-old Charles Dickens. Although beaten 6.35 lengths, the winning distance was 4.25 lengths which puts ROYAL AUSSIE just two lengths behind second-placed Cousin Casey who is running in the Met. A repeat of that performance will make ROYAL AUSSIE very hard to beat. WINTER GREETING from the Sean Tarry yard is unbeaten in three starts. This is a jump in class for her but she could have a lot more to come. KING REGENT has raced three times for two wins and a second. TIME FO ORCHIDS is the best weighted runner and has performed well over 1200m and 1400m, But she has finished unplaced in both her starts over 1600m.

LEG 5: All eyes will be on Sean Tarry-trained PRINCESS CALLA, who will be aiming for a fifth consecutive win in a Graded event. Although officially a Highveld-based horse, 10 of her 17 career runs have been at Kenilworth, where she has recorded four of her seven career victories. The five-year-old mare obviously loves the track and is the runner to beat. ALESIAN CHIEF, a four-year-old colt by Vercingetorix, also boasts a Grade 1 victory and looks the biggest danger. The lightly raced ISIVUNGUVUNGU from Peter Muscutt’s yard is another with winning credentials and has the benefit of world-renowned Christophe Soumillon in the saddle. RESONATE takes his first shot at a Grade 1 event and this fast finisher is expected to fly late.

LEG 6: In 2018 Snaith’s charge Oh Susanna skipped home in the Cape Town Met to become the first three-year-old filly to win the race in more than 100 years. Trainer Brett Crawford is looking to emulate that feat with MAKE IT SNAPPY this year. This daughter of Dynasty was narrowly beaten on debut and has since reeled off four successive victories, including the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1800m in which she beat last year’s winner Captain’s Ransom. She is a natural front runner and with just 51.5kg she may prove very hard to beat. Last year KOMMETDIEDING and JET DARK finished first and second respectively and both will be competitive again. However, they have met three times since and JET DARK has had the edge on all three occasions. Another interesting runner is three-year-old colt COUSIN CASEY. This Glen Kotzen-trained runner was named Champion Two-Year-Old colt last season and has run well in his two runs as a three-year-old. Another runner to consider is Mike de Kock-trained SPARKLING WATER. She won the Durban July last year in easy fashion.

Suggested R768 PICK 6

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 12, 13, 14

Leg 3: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15

Leg 4: 8

Leg 5: 2, 16

Leg 6: 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 14