Jack Milner
Trainer Joe Soma has picked up a remarkable number of Graded race winners for a stable of his size and has claimed his fair share of Grade 1 races.
Got The Greenlight alone won five Grade 1 races on his own and now Soma seems to have another decent son of Gimmethegreenlight in the form of Gimmeachoice.
Soma’s charge might not be in the same league as some of the stable’s top performers but he seems to have come to his best at the right time.
Although already a five-year-old, Gimmeachoice has only raced 10 times for two wins and three places, and was not winning out of turn when romping to a 3.30-length victory in his first outing over 2000m last month with Craig Zackey in the irons.
It was the lightly raced five-year-old gelding's first start with a tongue-tie fitted and all the ingredients for that winning recipe will likely be repeated in Race 4 at Turffontein on Saturday, a MR 82 Handicap over 2000m on the Inside track, again with Zackey in the irons.
Should he win this race well, it would not be a surprise to see him aimed at a small feature during the summer season.
The main danger to Gimmeachoice could come from St John Gray’s Eiger Sanction. He clearly found the race too strong last time when sixth behind Royal Tradition at the Vaal, but the drop in class and the move to the Turffontein Inside track will be ideal and he will have the services of Muzi Yeni.
Mauritian apprentice Girish Samo-Burthia shot to prominence when riding a Vaal treble, the first of his career, last month and the 4kg claimer is proving top value for his weight allowance as he demonstrated at the Vaal on Thursday with a well-ridden victory on Tony Peter-trained Komati River, getting the better of Zackey in the process.
Zackey looked to have Race 7 wrapped up when he moved alongside Komati River in the closing stages of the race aboard favourite Francilien and in fact, moved into the lead.
But the young apprentice plugged on tenaciously and used his 4kg claim to come back and win the race by 0.40 lengths
He could again be able to provide that sort of service aboard on Fabian Habib's inmate King's Express in Race 5, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m.
This hard-knocking son of Pomodoro had legitimate excuses for a disappointing last start over 2000m but the return to his preferred distance will stand him the six-year-old gelding in good stead.
It is also worth noting he has a liking for the Inside track and has a record of three wins, a second and a third in seven runs at the course.
The main threat is likely to come from Kobus Roux-trained Fire ‘N Flames, who looks to have a massive chance in this race as he is dropping in class. While King’s Express comes into the race as the second best weighted runner in the line-up behind Soldier’s Eye, who benefits from a sex allowance, Fire ‘N Flames is not far behind him in this place and has been running well in his last couple of starts.
It is also significant that Roux has engaged Callan Murray for the ride and he is currently in top form as he proved with a quick double at the Vaal yesterday.
Soldier’s Eye is another who cannot be written off as she comes into the race with just 53.5kg on her back and will have the services of Kobeli Lihaba.
Also one needs to keep an eye on Peter-trained Silent War who will be having his third race after a layoff. The seven-year-old Gimmethegreenlight gelding was up with the pace for much of the race and only tired late.
Rachel Venniker takes the ride on this occasion and she will take 1.5kg off her mount’s back.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 8 Lonely As A Cloud, 5 Banyan, 2 Roaming Spirit, 6 Juniper Green
Race 2: 1 Karate Kid, 6 Gimmethegoodlife, 6 Twentytwentyvision, 7 Night Bomber
Race 3: 5 Mo Ment, 2 United Council, 1 Breeze Over, 4 Vesuvio
Race 4: 3 Gimmeachoice, 5 Eiger Sanction, 9 Robert Browning, 6 Eiffel Tower
Race 5: 3 King's Express, 1 Fire 'N Flames, 8 Soldier's Eye, 2 Hotarubi
Race 6: 8 Mystical Miss, 3 Bjorn Ironside, 1 Pennsylvania, 6 Poblano
Race 7: 5 Max The Magician, 8 Paul Revere, 6 Player, 2 Master Christmas
Race 8: 1 Parisian Walkway, 3 Count Huhtikuu, 4 Pumpkin Pie, 2 Solar Sail
BEST BET
Race 4: 3 Gimmeachoice
VALUE BET
Race 1: 8 Lonely As A Cloud
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 3x8
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 2, 5, 8
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 5
Leg 4: 3
Leg 5: 1, 3, 8
Leg 6: 3, 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R192
Leg 1: 1, 6, 7
Leg 2: 2, 5
Leg 3: 3
Leg 4: 1, 3
Leg 5: 3, 8
Leg 6: 5, 8
Leg 7: 1, 2, 3, 4
PICK 6
R720
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 5
Leg 2: 3
Leg 3: 1, 3, 8
Leg 4: 1, 3, 8
Leg 5: 2, 5, 6, 8
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 11
JACKPOT 1
R36
Leg 1: 3
Leg 2: 1, 3, 8
Leg 3: 1, 3, 8
Leg 4: 2, 5, 6, 8
JACKPOT 2
R180
Leg 1: 1, 3, 8
Leg 2: 1, 3, 8
Leg 3: 2, 5, 6, 8
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 11