Jack Milner
After a dearth of top racing on the Highveld, R175,000 Listed Betway Spring Spree Stakes headlines tomorrow’s Joburg meeting at Turffontein, where racing is on the Inside track for a nine-race card that should provide some valuable pointers to the Highveld's upcoming feature-race season.
To celebrate the fact, a R500,000 carryover will kick off the Pick 6 with the pool likely to reach R3 million.
S’manga Khumalo rode Robbie Sage-trained Quantum Theory to victory in the Spring Spree Stakes 12 and he will be back to defend his title but Denis Schwarz will again be aboard the Querari gelding, having ridden him to victory last time over 1160m in preparing for this title defence.
However, the horse they may all have to beat this year is Joe Soma-trainer Back In Business.
The lightly raced son of William Longsword has only run nine times for four wins, and he does like this course.
He comes in with just 53kg on his back and will be ridden by Muzi Yeni, who is in hot form having brought home a superb double at the Vaal yesterday.
In spite of having to carry 62kg, the main threat looks likely to come from Mike de Kock-trained Zinovi. Following two impressive victories, De Kock took the four-year-old son of Heavenly Blue to Hollywoodbets Scottsville to contest the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint. He did not really show but that was a very strong field and he drops considerably in class this time.
With Khumalo booked to ride Johan Janse Van Vuuren-trained Cliff Hanger from stall No 10, the latter's in-form stablemate, Chyavana, is drawn alongside in gate No 9 with Kabelo Matsunyane engaged to ride the six-year-old Flower Alley gelding unbeaten in three starts over 1200m, including his only course-and-distance appearance back in March 2022.
Chyavana has been lightly raced, making just 19 starts, but is maturing and only now coming into his own. He looked better than ever when winning off a career-high mark (98) over 1000m and the Standside track late last season. He carried 61kg that day, giving weight and a beating to useful performers - among them stablemate Rainbow Reward, a 1000m specialist to whom he was conceding 6kg.
For that performance, Chyavana earned a mere two-point penalty and that is unlikely to halt his momentum, especially over his preferred trip, and there should be good each-way value on offer in what is an ultracompetitive Spring Spree Stakes renewal.
Versatile Silent War, blinkered-again Guy Gibson, defending champ Quantum Theory, and Khumalo's ride Cliff Hanger look others to consider.
The 1200m main event - Race 7 on the programme - is accompanied by The Lady's Stakes (Race 8), a 1200m Non-Black Type event for fillies and mares, as well as two 1450m Graduation Plate races that include several promising three-year-olds whose connections harbour big-race ambitions.
On the subject of attractive betting propositions, Matsunyane rides arguably one of the better bets on the card in Towers Of Gold in Race 9 over 1800m. This Paul Matchett-trained Gimmethegreenlight (Champion Sire) gelding made an encouraging start to his career as a juvenile, finishing third in both starts as a two-year-old. He confirmed that promise on his seasonal reappearance over 1600m, staying on well to finish second on the Standside track three weeks ago.
Towers Of Gold has found the perfect opportunity to open his account and need not improve much - if at all - over the extended trip to bid adieu to the maidens and have his sights set higher.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 3 Fiery Pegasus, 1 Andi's Girl, 4 Volare E Mambo, 5 Winter Muse
Race 2: 7 Bay Empire, 4 Chestnut Bomber, 3 Vix Princess, 6 Spring Tradition
Race 3: 7 Shes Everything, 1 City Lights, 2 Ambitious Lady, 4 Incredible Indrani
Race 4: 1 Fostinovo, 2 Nettleton, 3 Ride On, 4 Turbo Power
Race 5: 5 American Biscuit, 3 Safe Space, 4 Futurewolff, 6 Majestic Touch
Race 6: 4 Indlamu, 2 Presley, 3 Max The Magician, 6 Atarime
Race 7: 9 Back In Business, 1 Zinovi, 2 Quantum Theory, 7 Chyavana
Race 8: 6 Wings Within Me, 1 Exchange Student, 3 Ice Star, 8 Alesia's Love
Race 9: 7 Towers Of Gold, 8 Roman's Revenge, 3 Damascodoro, 1 Mo Ment
BEST BET
Race 1 No 3 Fiery Pegasus
VALUE BET
Race 6 No 4 Indlamu
BEST SWINGER
Race 9 7x8
BIPOT
R324
Leg 1: 4, 7
Leg 2: 1, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3
Leg 4: 3, 4, 5
Leg 5: 2, 3, 4
Leg 6: 1, 2, 9
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 1, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2
Leg 3: 3, 4, 5
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4
Leg 5: 1, 2, 9
Leg 6: 1, 3, 6
Leg 7: 7
PICK 6
R2048
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4
Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 4: 1, 2, 7, 9
Leg 5: 1, 3, 6, 8
Leg 6: 7, 8
JACKPOT 1
R256
Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 3: 1, 2, 7, 9
Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 8
JACKPOT 2
R128
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 2: 1, 2, 7, 9
Leg 3: 1, 3, 6, 8
Leg 4: 7, 8