Saturday’s meeting at Turffontein promises a sizeable Pick 6 pool and a good dividend. There are five trappy legs with a potential banker in the other. Build a kitty for the weekend with a standout bet at Fairview on Friday and on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Greyville, a promising Randjesfontein raider could bag the feature. Internationally, there are eight Group races at Newmarket in the UK this weekend and TAB customers can bet into the Hong Kong World Pool tote on Races 1 to 5 at Saturday’s meeting.
The best bet on a tricky card is Rafeef filly Lotus Silk (Race 3, 1400m). She was heavily backed on her 1200m debut last month, but was outpaced in the closing stages of the race. She steps up in trip now and trainer Alan Greeff said: “Lotus Silk had a few excuses on her debut. The extra 200m will suit her and she has a winning chance.” Greeff suggested that well-performed Kings Again (Race 6) was likely to enjoy her return to the turf track and that Hoerikwaggo (Race 8) was potentially better than her recent form.
Progressive Precise can claim another Group 1 victory for Aidan O’Brien and stand-in stable jockey Christophe Soumillon in Race 4, the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket. Precise was triumphant in the Group 3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood in August and stepped up to Group 1 level to land the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh last month. “She's a lovely filly. She's homegrown. She's out of a very good Galileo mare with a very good pedigree,” O’Brien said.
Eight fillies will line up for Race 6, the R150,000 Allez France Stakes over 2200m, and all have claims. Six-time winner United Council has the best form overall, while Soldier’s Eye goes beyond 2000m for the first time and may be suited by the extra, especially with a few kg in hand over the top two in the handicap. But this could be a battle of tactics in which the early tempo will play a role in the result, so it’s best to go wide in exotics. The best Pick 6 banker is in Race 9 in which talented, but erratic Beamonesque faces the weakest field of his career and should be a tough nut to crack, despite having 63kg.
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5
Leg 2: 3, 4, 6
Leg 3: FIELD (1-8)
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 6: 1
There are four Group races including the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes over 1400m. The horse to beat here is Charley Appleby’s Distant Storm, who advertised his top-level claims when bolting up in the Somerville Tattersalls Stakes over the course and distance last month. He will again lock horns with O’Brien’s high-class Royal Ascot winner Gstaad, in what promises to be a thrilling duel. “Distant Storm has matured a lot mentally and we saw that in the Somerville,” said Appleby.
TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger and Trifecta bets on Races 1 to 5 will be commingled into the Hong Kong World Pool tote so you can have a full go on your fancies.
Masterofmyuniverse has been given two trials to prepare for his return in Race 9, the Shing Mun Handicap over 1200m. He is a progressive four-year-old from the John Size yard and won four from 10 last term. From barrier three and with Zac Purton in the saddle first-up, he shapes as a key player in this feature.
Malaysia’s standout galloper, Lucky Magic reunites with jockey Rizuan Shafiq and looks poised to extend his dominance in local features in Race 10. He followed a win in July’s inaugural Group 1 Selangor Mile with a triumph in last month’s Group 1 Selangor Gold Cup and is handicapped to strike again in this Listed contest.
Go Grayson Go and Pioneer Square are two fit and up-and-coming runners in Race 8, the Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m. They could fight out the finish in a race where most of the contestants are prepping for features later this season. Preference is for Candice Dawson’s Highveld raider Pioneer Square, who was stylish in an 1800m win at Turffontein in August and looks well treated near the bottom of the handicap in this contest. Last year’s runner-up Cape Eagle is probably best of the others.