Rathnar to shrug off last Durbanville run

Jack Milner

Good form at the course is often a prerequisite when studying form for racing at Hollywoodbets Durbanville but one also has to analyse the reasons for a disappointing performance.

Ragnar Lothbrok is one of those runners.

The five-year-old son of Vercingetorix has only run once at the course and on that occasion finished eighth in a field of 10 runners. However, closer analysis indicates the run may not be as bad as first thought. Firstly, Ragnar Lothbrok was only beaten 3.35 lengths and that race was over 1250m.

The Piet Botha-trained runners has now notched up five wins but three of them have been over 1000m, one over 1100m and one over 1200m, where he just held on. So, he might have found 1250m a touch too far.

Secondly, he followed that run with a poor run at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and was gelded a few days later.

As a result, when he returns to the country course on Tuesday in Race 3, a Club B Stakes over 1000m, he deserves to be given another chance.

He was a touch unlucky last time when racing over 1100m at Kenilworth when going down 0.55 lengths to Silver Falcon because he jumped slowly, was bumped and started to hang yet produced the fastest 400m to finish.

Keanan Steyn has built up a good relationship with this gelding and he is back aboard. He has ridden him seven times for two wins and two places.

What A State stands out as the obvious danger. The five-year-old mare comes in as the best weighted runner and is at least 3kg better handicapped against the balance of the runners.

In addition, she does have good form at the course, with two wins and a second place from four runs. She also gets 9kg from Ragnar Lothbrok which is a substantial advantage.

However, she has generally stuck to races against her own sex and one is unsure how she will perform against the males.

Gareth Wright takes the ride for the first time on this Adam Marcus-trained runner.

An interesting runner is Yellowporscheroad who looked to be very decent after his first couple starts. On debut he was touched off just 0.20 lengths by Charles Dickens, and then beat Innamorare by 1.75 lengths in his second outing.

He was off for four months and then ran over 1250m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville but after leading from the off, stopped to a canter to finished tailed off behind Silvano’s Dasher but he was found to have bled.

He was gelded a few days later and we have not seen him since that run in September last year. He is drawn No 1 and does have Bernard Fayd’Herbe in the irons but trainer Vaughan Marshall has stated his charge will need the run.

Hopefully he will still run well, and we will see more of this four-year-old son of Pomodoro.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 6 Wecangoallnight, 4 Silver Falcon, 3 After The Rain, 1 Hoedspruit

Race 2: 2 Kythera, 10 La Pequenita, 3 Pingeapplemintgreen, 7 Nile The Boss

Race 3: 4 Ragnar Lothbrok, 6 What A State, 5 Rod The Mod, 7 Beerenberg

Race 4: 10 Jury Duty, 2 Charlie Malone, 4 Bullitt, 3 Wylie Jack

Race 5: 9 Unconquerable Lady, 6 Lady Look Alike, 3 Cattaleya, 5 Easy Money

Race 6: 6 My Flower Fate, 4 Veronica Mars, 1 Lady Silvano, 8 Philosophise

Race 7: 7 Peut Etre Moi, 6 Fallo Ancora, 8 Alfred's Girl, 5 Exceeder

Race 8: 1 Cloud Chaser, 7 Zippy Over, 3 Rewrite The Stars, 6 Lucy The Pink

BEST BET

Race 2 No 2 Kythera

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 1 Cloud Chaser

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 4x6

BIPOT

R288

Leg 1: 4, 6

Leg 2: 2

Leg 3: 4, 5, 6

Leg 4: 2, 4, 10

Leg 5: 3, 5, 6, 9

Leg 6: 1, 4, 6, 8

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 2

Leg 2: 4, 6

Leg 3: 2, 10

Leg 4: 3, 6, 9

Leg 5: 1, 4, 6

Leg 6: 6, 7

Leg 7: 1, 3, 7

PICK 6

R1536

Leg 1: 4, 5, 6, 7

Leg 2: 2, 10

Leg 3: 3, 5, 6, 9

Leg 4: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 5: 6, 7, 8

Leg 6: 1, 3, 6, 7

JACKPOT 1

R96

Leg 1: 2, 10

Leg 2: 3, 5, 6, 9

Leg 3: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 4: 6, 7, 8

JACKPOT 2

R192

Leg 1: 3, 5, 6, 9

Leg 2: 1, 4, 6, 8

Leg 3: 6, 7, 8

Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 7