Jack Milner
Justin Snaith has his winter raiding party in KwaZulu-Natal and they are starting to warm up for bigger things to come.
One of those is Randolph Hearst who lines up in Race 3 at Hollywoodbets Scottville on Wednesday, a Progress Plate over 1400m.
The three-year-old gelding is only a one-race winner, but he does comes into this race as the best weighted runner. He is at least 2kg better handicapped than his opposition and should be ideally suited to the distance.
His last run was in the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m for which he was sent off a weak favourite but after a slow start and reported to having been making a breathing noise during the running, he finished unplaced behind Star Major.
It must be noted that he has now been declared to race with a tongue-tie and that could assist with his breathing issues.
However, prior to that he had finished third behind Jan Van Goyen in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas and was beaten a short head in the Grade 2 Cape Punters Cup, both over 1600m.
Based on those two runs Randolph Hearst, named after the American publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst who was also the inspiration for the main character in the Orson Welles movie Citizen Kane, will be very hard to beat.
He is drawn in gate No 2 and will have Keagan de Melo in the irons.
The decent bet on the day looks to be Michael Roberts-trained filly Ladyofdistinction who is back from a rest and could take home the winner’s cheque in Race 6, a Middle Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m.
The full sister to KwaZulu-Natal champion Gladatorian has raced seven times for four wins, two seconds and a third and will also be the beneficiary of a 1.5kg allowance claimed by Rachel Venniker.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 4 Mastercrafter, 12 Better Never Ends, 2 Bison Warrior, 10 Royal Sceptre
Race 2: 9 Quest Of Valor, 3 One Pepper, 7 Flamethrower, 5 Riff Raff Boy
Race 3: 2 Randolph Hearst, 3 Talk To The Master, 5 Regeneration, 4 Ancient World
Race 4: 8 War Emperor, 3 Good Omen, 1 Highveld Storm, 4 Naval Officer
Race 5: 5 Can We Start, 4 Fire Force, 1 Osmium, 7 Baltic Assayer
Race 6: 3 Ladyofdistinction, 4 Miss Twinkle, 6 One Smart Cookie, 7 Ice Rain
Race 7: 7 Acacia's Blossom, 1 Poetic Princess, 8 Amafort, 3 Grue Of Ice
Race 8: 8 Chicarito, 3 Who Blinked, 5 Cowboy Country, 6 Maphaka
Race 9: 1 Trippi's Silk, 12 Sun Dazed, 4 Definitely Yes, 3 L'Ultimo
BEST BET
Race 3: 2 Randolph Hearst
VALUE BET
Race 8: 8 Chicarito
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 3x4
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 3, 5, 7, 9
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 1, 3, 8
Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 7
Leg 5: 3, 4
Leg 6: 1, 7, 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 2
Leg 2: 3, 8
Leg 3: 1, 4, 5
Leg 4: 3, 4
Leg 5: 1, 7, 8
Leg 6: 3, 5, 8
Leg 7: 1, 4, 12
PICK 6
R1920
Leg 1: 1, 3, 8
Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 3, 4
Leg 4: 1, 3, 7, 8
Leg 5: 3, 5, 6, 8
Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 12
JACKPOT 1
R160
Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 3, 4
Leg 3: 1, 3, 7, 8
Leg 4: 3, 5, 6, 8
JACKPOT 2
R128
Leg 1: 3, 4
Leg 2: 1, 3, 7, 8
Leg 3: 3, 5, 6, 8
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 12