Reaching for the stars at Turffontein

Jack Milner

Bless My Stars has been one of the most consistent horses in training and last season contested one feature after another, all with pleasing results.

In her last four starts she finished third in the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July, won the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet, finished third in the Grade 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile and then third again in the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup.

The Durban July and the Summer Cup are the two most lucrative Grade 1 races in the country, and she would have been a massive contender in the third of them, the recent Cape Town Met at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, if an outbreak of African Horse Sickness had not prevented her from travelling to the Western Cape.

However, the Sean Tarry-trained daughter of Gimmethegreenlight has the perfect opportunity to get herself back in the winner’s enclosure when she lines up in Saturday’s Grade 3 Betway London News Stakes over 1800m on the Turffontein Standside track.

She comes into the race as one of the best weighted runners and although she has not raced since the Summer Cup in November last year, this four-year-old filly seems to race well when fresh.

This could also be her final race in South Africa as she was recently bought by an American syndicate which includes Barry Irwin’s Team Valor.

Previous owner, Kenneth Pillay, is on record saying that he believed the filly will be off to the USA next month.

Ant Mgudlwa, who rode her into third place behind Winchester Mansion in the Durban July, will be aboard her this time.

Safe Passage finished just 0.10 lengths in front of Bless My Stars in the Summer Cup and they meet at the same weight differential on this occasion. Therefore, on paper, there should be very little between the pair again.

However, Safe Passage has run since in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m at this track and dropped out to last from a wide draw and never got into the race, finishing eighth, 8.25 lengths behind Unzen.

There are two points of interest with regards to that run. The first is that he drifted off the betting boards from 11-2 to 20-1 and ran accordingly. The second is despite being so far back in the field, he still produced the second fastest time for the final 400m.

Hopefully Mike de Kock has ironed out any problematic issues and one can expect a better performance from the son of Silvano, especially over the extra distance.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 5 Proceed, 3 Moonlight Trader, 4 Pibe De Oro, 1 Divine Messenger

Race 2: 5 It's Her Way, 7 Kindred Heart, 1 Across The Pond, 8 Milo's Millionaire

Race 3: 9 Monte Bello, 3 Theres A Light, 1 Dhoni, 2 Al Bayreg

Race 4: 1 Springer, 7 Lady Lennox, 6 Incredible Indrani, 11 Zenobia's Gold

Race 5: 7 Mia Moo, 4 Mount Darwin, 5 Copper Mist, 1 Biofarmer

Race 6: 9 Presley, 1 Twin Turbo, 2 Willow's Wish, 8 Supreme Dance

Race 7: 2 Bless My Stars, 4 Safe Passage, 10 Emirate Gina, 9 Street Art

Race 8: 8 Indian Ocean, 6 Twenty Drachma's, 4 Battleground, 1 Rule Book

Race 9: 5 Monsieur Chevelle, 1 Mount Etna, 2 Crimson Forest, 4 Royal Mazarin

Race 10: 13 Written In Stone, 3 Max The Otter, 1 Whorly Whorly, 6 Twice The Storm

BEST BET

Race 4: 1 Springer

VALUE BET

Race 10: 13 Written In Stone

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 1x7

BIPOT

R96

Leg 1: 1, 5, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 9

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 4, 7

Leg 5: 1, 2, 8, 9

Leg 6: 2

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 1, 3, 9

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 4, 7

Leg 4: 1, 2, 9

Leg 5: 2

Leg 6: 4, 6, 8

Leg 7: 1, 2, 5

PICK 6

R720

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 7

Leg 3: 1, 2, 5, 8, 9

Leg 4: 2

Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8

JACKPOT 1

R120

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 8, 9

Leg 3: 2

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

JACKPOT 2

R216

Leg 1: 2

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

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8

Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 13