With HWB Greyville being readied for Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July meeting, racing in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday will be at Hollywoodbets Scottsville featuring a nine-race programme.
The best bet on the card must be Chapbook for trainer Clinton Binda who has a great strike rate when raiding KwaZulu-Natal.
There are some runners with decent local form in Race 2, a Maiden Plate run over 1100m. Boardwalk Breeze showed improved pace in his third start when fitted with blinkers and older runners Grand Force and Bomber Stream have wins to come having not been beaten far recently, but Chapbook looks to be quite a bit above the average.
A son of champion sprinter Rafeef, Chapbook made his debut in what was a strong contest when finishing fifth, 2.35 lengths behind Victory Of Orleans. Runner-up Shadow Fax showed top-class potential when outgunning precocious speedster Jan Van Goyen not long after. Chapbook took on Jan Van Goyen in his second start but had to settle for second best and in that race improved to finish clear of Carnarvon with whom he dead heated on debut.
Like Boardwalk Breeze, he is a two-year-old, but having been exposed to high-class individuals and run not far off them he looks the type who could be up for better contests later.
For now, he rates as the best bet on the day, especially with Richard Fourie taking the ride this time.
Vihaan’s Web will be looking for a hat-trick of wins in Race 3, a Class 3 Handicap over 1200m, and his penultimate run in which he beat Soho’s Star by 0.15 lengths over this course and distance, is proving to be a dynamite form line. Fifth-placed Connery has come out to win well, third-placed Thisiswhatitmeans has now won three in a row, and Vihaan’s Web went on to win his next race in what looked a tough contest.
But it is Soho Star, having not run since finishing second, who could take his turn. Vihaan’s Web is a comfortable galloper from the front and is proving to be a valuable weapon for trainer Gareth van Zyl’s yard which has been in hot form. But Soho Star, carrying 3kg more, gave him a scare moving up strongly only to be ousted a head at the wire.
Soho Star is now a full 4kg better off and must surely be able to turn the beating around.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 11 Perfume Power, 1 Princess Of Gaul, 2 What A Passion, 8 East Coast Girl
Race 2: 6 Chapbook, 4 Boardwalk Breeze, 8 Grand Force, 10 Bomber Stream
Race 3: 7 Soho Star, 3 Quandary, 1 Rock Of Bismantova, 8 Black Egret, 9 Vihaan's Web
Race 4: 12 Kwagga Blitz, 1 Abaddon, 8 Gorgeous Guy, 14 Real War
Race 5: 1 Soldier Boy, 8 Attaboy, 7 Kimball O'Hara, 3 Sail To The Moon
Race 6: 5 Golden Aspen, 9 Captain's Pride, 10 My True Love, 1 Copacabana
Race 7: 3 Sonic Jet, 8 One Smart Cookie, 2 Ice Rain, 4 Forward Motion
Race 8: 8 Rani Tarabai, 9 Greenhouse, 6 Mountainsofthemoon, 1 Rugger Lover
Race 9: 6 Run For Cover, 1 Terminator, 2 Corrupt, 13 El Rey Viene
BEST BET
Race 2: 6 Chapbook
VALUE BET
Race 6: 5 Golden Aspen
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 4x6
BIPOT
R144
Leg 1: 6
Leg 2: 1, 3, 7
Leg 3: 1, 8, 12
Leg 4: 1, 3, 7, 8
Leg 5: 1, 5, 9, 10
Leg 6: 3
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 3, 7
Leg 2: 1, 8, 12
Leg 3: 1, 7, 8
Leg 4: 5, 9, 10
Leg 5: 3
Leg 6: 8, 9
Leg 7: 1, 2, 6
PICK 6
R1000
Leg 1: 1, 8, 12, 14
Leg 2: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10
Leg 4: 3
Leg 5: 8, 9
Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 6, 13
JACKPOT 1
R50
Leg 1: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8
Leg 2: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10
Leg 3: 3
Leg 4: 8, 9
JACKPOT 2
R50
Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 9, 10
Leg 2: 3
Leg 3: 8, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 6, 13