TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 27 - 29 June

BUILD YOUR BANKROLL FOR NEXT WEEKEND

This weekend gives TAB customers some great chances to build a bank ahead of next Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July spectacular where big pools and three mega carryovers will offer multiple opportunities to win a small fortune. Trainer Alan Greeff’s well-oiled machine sets things in motion at Fairview this Friday. An improving filly looks a banker at Turffontein on Saturday and a free-running sort offers value at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: RECORD-CHASING GREEFF IS TRAINER TO FOLLOW

Greeff is just a few winners short of the 160 mark for the 2024-5 season and is chasing his personal best of 177 winners achieved in 2018-19. With five Eastern Cape meetings left, he’ll be aiming at four winners per meeting and certainly has the firepower to make it happen. Greeff said in an interview on www.racingtoday.co.za that North Star, who won his debut with consummate ease, is a big runner in Race 1 over 1200m. He expects to fight out the finish of Race 2 with Wild Fig and Olive Oyl, and noted that stable jockey Richard Fourie picked Winter Emeralds above Final Try in Race 5. He added that Fire Alarm (Race 6) is maturing and not far off his second win, while Coastal Path (Race 8) was in the right race and over the right distance.

NEWCASTLE: APPLEBY CAN IMPROVE ALL-WEATHER STRIKE RATE

Charlie Appleby has a 38% strike rate of winners from the 24 four-year-olds he has raced on all-weather tracks over the last five seasons. His well-performed filly Diamond Rain looks set to improve this already excellent statistic with victory in Race 5 over 2000m. The daughter of Shamardal easily disposed of last week’s Ascot Group 2-placed Running Lion in a Listed race on her 24 May comeback and is at short odds to follow up.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

PERAK (MALAYSIA): TALKINGTALKINGGURU CAN BOUNCE BACK

Four-year-old galloper Talkingtalkingguru looks on track to bounce back in Race 4, a Class 5A contest over 1400m at Ipoh. He has notched three wins in Class 5 company since making his local debut last December, and is capable of quickly atoning for an unexpected unplaced effort here a fortnight ago. Talkingtalkingguru will be having his third start for the Kevin Coetzee stable and will benefit from the 3kg claim of apprentice Aiman. The meeting starts at 07:45

SHA TIN: SIZE CAN SHOW WHAT MATTERS WITH WUNDERBAR

John Size’s sprinter Wunderbar returned to form in style when he won his most recent start over 1200m and could follow up in Race 8 over 1000m. His arch-rival Magic Control drops back to his preferred track and trip after tackling Group company and has strong form to show in races behind Ka Ying Rising and Helios Express. There’s little between them again but preference is for Wunderbar, who has won four more races than his rival and looks in his best shape again. Race 1 is at 10:00.

TURFFONTEIN: CEUTA HAS THE CLASS TO DELIVER THE GOODS

Ceuta is one of the best-bred fillies in racing and she’s improving with maturity. David Nieuwenhuizen has brought her along steadily this season for an eye-catching last win and, as Computaform notes, she’s “at the top of her game” and should go close in Race 7 over 1400m.

Ceuta drops in trip, but has pace and a good draw and looks the right banker on a tricky card. Her owner Mary Slack has another promising runner on the day in Wise Counsel (Race 4), trained by Lucky Houdalakis. She made her debut in a strong Juvenile Plate against winners, and was far from disgraced in finishing fifth to Constellation, who clocked a fast time. With the benefit of that experience, Wise Counsel should exit the Maiden ranks here.

SUGGESTED PICK 6 PERM, (R324 for 10%)
(Leg 1 Race 4 @13:35):
Leg 1: 7, 10, 13
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: FIELD (1-9)
Leg 4: 2
Leg 5: 1, 2, 7, 8
Leg 6: 1, 4, 6, 7, 8

THE CURRAGH: KEANE TO IMPRESS EARLY WITH KALPANA

Six-time Irish Champion jockey Colin Keane will be aiming for top honours in Race 5, the Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes over 2000m aboard Andrew Balding’s classy filly Kalpana. Recently appointed as the retained rider for Juddmonte Farms, Keane could make a swift entry onto their Irish Group 1 roll of honour here. Kalpana won last season’s Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes and followed up with a solid third behind Los Angeles in last month’s Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. Fitter now, she looks the one they’ll all have to beat.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: SINCEFOON HERO LOOKS SET FOR A HAT-TRICK

Former Macau galloper Sincefoon Hero will bid to keep his perfect Malaysian record intact in Race 8 over 1200m at Kuala Lumpur. The six-year-old has impressed with two commanding local wins - first by 1.75 lengths and then by an even more dominant 3.75 lengths in stronger company. Racing on the pace in both outings, he should be well positioned again from a favourable draw. With top jockey Andre Da Silva retaining the ride, Sincefoon Hero looks a good eachway bet. The first race gets underway at 06:30.

HOLLYWOODBETS SCOTTSVILLE: FORWARD MOTION TO DICTATE

On a line of form through graded performer Give Me Everything, Paul Lafferty’s filly Forward Motion could be a betting strike at good value in the day’s feature, Race 7 over 1600m. Lafferty engaged 4kg-claiming apprentice Jacey Botes to ride her in a similar handicap over this trip on 31 March, when they set the pace and stayed on gamely until the closing stages. Lafferty will probably opt for the same tactics and Forward Motion did have both Ice Rain and African Beat a few lengths adrift that day. A repeat of that effort could suffice here.