TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 3 - 5 October

THREE DAYS OF THRILLS AND A PICK 6 CARRYOVER

An exciting weekend of racing from Fairview on Friday to Longchamps in Paris on Sunday. Allan Greeff runs a proverbial good thing at Fairview and there’s also a potential banker in the last race at Hollywoodbets Greyville a few hours later. Smart three-year-olds face off against well-performed older rivals in two Grade 2 features at Turffontein on Saturday and across the sea two top fillies clash at Newmarket in England. And on Sunday a champion filly challenges the males in the Qatar Arc de Triomphe. Get set for a three-day racing spectacular.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: GREEFF SENDS OUT TWO OF HIS BEST

Greeff steps out two stable stars to start their three-year-old campaigns. King Prawn looks hard to oppose in Race 5 and the trainer said: “He’s been gelded and has grown a bit. He’ll run a good race.” Champion filly Anotherdanceforme is as close to a certainty as you’ll ever find in Race 6. She is in a class all of her own in a small field and, as Greeff pointed out, is the only runner to have beaten stablemate Golden Palm, last season’s Equus Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. “This is a nice warm-up run to start this term,” said Greeff.

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: EXOCET CAN RECOVER LOSSES

This day-night meeting is the trickiest card of the weekend, but the stand-out bet looks to be three-year-old Exocet (Race 9). He was well backed in a similar field over 1200m last time, when he ran out of steam after being stubborn and fighting his rider. Exocet is still learning to race and looks set to redeem himself from an inside draw.

ASCOT: ARABIAN FORCE HAS THE CREDENTIALS

William Haggas and Tom Marquand combine with three-year-old stayer Arabian Force in Race 4 over 2800m. Beaten just a length in a Group 2 at York in August, he has been priced up a strong favourite. “He’s talented, he’s very well and he should run a good race,” Haggas said.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

PERAK (MALAYSIA): QIJI STAR TICKS THE RIGHT BOXES

Qiji Star looks set to return to winning form in Race 10. Kevin Coetzee’s nine-year-old gelding has been placing consistently, most recently a strong runner-up over 1100m when he attempted to lead all the way. Blessed with abundant early pace, Qiji Star has drawn ideally in barrier two and off 54kg looks weighted to win. The meeting starts at 06:45.

SHA TIN: MOJAVE DESERT LOOKS THE ONE TO BEAT

Soleil Fighter runs in Race 8 over 1650m and his only try over this course and distance saw him narrowly denied from a wide gate. He breaks from a tricky draw again, but looks a strong contender. The one they all have to beat, however, is Mojave Desert, who slots in nicely at the weights for his first crack at Class 2. He’s third-up and comes off a sharp course-and-trip win that suggests he can manage the step up in class. Race 1 is at 07:00.

TURFFONTEIN: COUNT ON GREATERIX AND PERFECT MIRACLE

The spring-summer season on the highveld begins to build momentum with two Grade 2 features over 1450m, both sponsored by Betway. TAB’s Pick 6 for the meeting is boosted by a R500,000 carryover with the total pool set to total about R3 million. It’s a must-play bet and below is a brief leg-by-leg analysis.

Leg 1 (14:05): Race 4 - 1450m BETWAY SUMMER CUP 29 NOVEMBER CONDITIONS PLATE

1 BARBARESCO, 3 GREATERIX and 4 CONFEDERATE are the best horses in the race. Preference is for powerful grey galloper Greaterix, who runs well fresh and should be effective over this distance. He is a potential banker.

Leg 2 (14:40): Race 5 - 1200m BETWAY GRADUATION PLATE

A tricky race in which several are being prepped for races over further but have the class and ability to win. There isn’t much to choose between 3 CHARMING CHEETAH and 5 ZALATORIS on their juvenile encounters, while 9 ROMILLY and 10 MIAMI MOUNTAIN are still relatively unexposed and look destined for the higher ranks. 2 LEAD THE CHARGE’s merit rating has dropped from 104 to 94 and is one to consider, being an older horse and perhaps the only out-and-out sprinter among them. He also will be ridden by a 4kg claimer.

Leg 3 (15:15): Race 6 - 1450m BETWAY JOBURG SPRING FILLIES & MARES CHALLENGE (Grade 2)

An open renewal of this always-exciting race. 10 ANCHORAGE catches the eye as one who may be well ahead of the handicapper after the form of her maiden win was well franked by runner-up Alpine Jet this week. But it takes a good three-year-old to handle the big step up in class Anchorage is taking and there are many dangers among the older brigade. Among them Grade 1 winner 4 VJ’s ANGEL makes most appeal and there are encouraging stable reports about 2 CALLMEGETRIX and 3 MINOGUE. It’s worth noting 9 DESTINY OF FIRE’s dam won this race in 2012 and has passed on some good genes to her daughter.

Leg 4 (15:50): Race 7 – 1450m BETWAY JOBURG SPRING CHALLENGE (Grade 2)

Again it’s a member of the three-year-old crop that stands out in the shape of 12 TIN PAN ALLEY, who had good two-year-old Grade 1 form and has an inside barrier with just 50kg to shoulder. Winter Series winner CHOISAANADA is being prepped for the Summer Cup, but is the first to watch among the older horses, while 2 LUCKY LAD made a good impression in his recent comeback. He has won seven times for Richard Fourie and is versatile enough to make an impact over this trip if he arrives in the right frame of mind. 3 TEXAS RED, 4 QUANTUM THEORY and 13 NYAKA NYAKA have the speed to be competitive.

Leg 5 (16:25): Race 8 - 1200m BETWAY GRADUATION PLATE (F&M)

A strong test for facile debut winner 4 PERFECT MIRACLE, who faces two other highly promising sorts in 2 PRETTY PERSUASIVE and 3 A BIT OF CLASS. This could be one of the best races of the day, but Perfect Miracle looks a banker.

Leg 6 (17:00): Race 9 - 1600m BETWAY THANK YOU FOR RACING WITH US MR 84 HANDICAP

The scratching of 9 SINGLETON SAM has thrown this race wide open.1 BEYNAC, 2 ZIP CODE and 5 OMBUDSMAN are best performed among the older runners, while 3 READALLABOUTIT looks a decent young horse but has a stiff task under 59kg. 6 BRAVE VIKING, the perennial under-achiever, has won over the distance and will get his head in front one of these days, while 8 FUTURENAIRE drops in class and comes into the reckoning.

SUGGESTED R205.80 (10%) PICK PERM (Leg 1, Race 4 @ 14:05):

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 12, 13

Leg 5: 4

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8,10

NEWMARKET: ARCH-RIVALS DO BATTLE IN SUN CHARIOT

Group 1 winners Cinderella’s Dream (Charlie Appleby) and Fallen Angel (Karl Burke) are set to renew rivalry in Race 3, the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes over 1600m on the Rowley Mile. Both stables are confident. Appleby said: “Cinderella’s Dream returns in great nick. She has enjoyed a nice little break since the Prix Jean Romanet.” Richard Brown, racing adviser to Fallen Angel's owners Wathnan Racing, commented: “She's a star and Karl is very happy with her. She just needs that little bit of rain.”

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: FRIGHT LOOKS ON TRACK FOR HAT-TRICK

Locally unbeaten four-year-old Fright has made a huge impression in both of his Malaysian outings and targets a hat-trick in Race 7. He cruised home after a nine-month break midway through August and followed up with another effortless triumph early in September. Fright is rated 20 points higher than his nearest rival and is expected to win from pole position. The meeting starts at 06:30.

HOLLYWOODBETS DURBANVILLE: COUNT ON ALDO IN TOPLINER

Lightly-raced Please Be True has shown more consistency since fitted with blinkers and gets a chance to prove his worth in Race 7 over 1500m, the topliner at the meeting. He tends to loaf at the business end and needs a strong ride, so trainer Justin Snaith has booked heavyweight ace Aldo Domeyer, Innamorare, San Pedro and Chasingtherainbow have claims at best.

LONGCHAMPS: O’BRIEN STAR GOES FOURTH G1 WIN IN A ROW

This is Europe’s showpiece race meeting and Frankel’s daughter Minnie Hauk tops the betting boards for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe over 2400m after drawing stall one in the 18-runner field. Trainer Aidan O’Brien supplemented the filly on Wednesday with Christophe Soumillon booked to ride. Japan’s leading pair, Byzantine Dream and Croix Du Nord, were dealt wide draws, while Estrange faces the toughest task from stall 18. No Arc winner has come from stall one since Zarkava in 2008, but Minnie Hauk seeks her fourth successive Group 1 success and has a lot going for her.

It has been almost a decade since O'Brien enjoyed one of the finest training triumphs of his career, when Found led home Highland Reel and Order of St George to complete a famous 1-2-3 for Ballydoyle in the 2016 Arc. He commented: “I didn't realise it was already nine years since we won it. Minnie Hauk has run in lovely races all along and she is not a filly who has had too hard a time. She has been given a lot of time between her runs and I think all that has helped her to progress. We will be as fascinated as everyone else to see what happens.”