TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 6 - 8 FEBRUARY

CHAMPIONSHIPS KICK OFF WITH A PICK 6 CARRYOVER

The opening legs of the TAB SA Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara at Turffontein this Saturday kick-start the 2026 The Championships on the Highveld. A TAB Pick 6 carryover of R500,000 adds sparkle with the total pool expected to swell to around R3 million. There are three other local meetings through the weekend with man-of-the-moment Andrew Fortune heading to the Eastern Cape on Friday for a book of rides that all appear to offer value. The local action continues under lights at Hollywoodbets Greyville in the evening and a popular punters’ favourite returns to the track at HWB Scottsville on Sunday, rounding off an engaging racing weekend.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: GUY GIBSON LOOKS FORTUNE’S BEST SHOT

Fortune has a number of rides for leading trainer Alan Greeff and popular grey Guy Gibson is perhaps his best chance in Race 6, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m in which accomplished stablemate Fairy Knight looms large. Greeff said: “Guy Gibson is only a three-time winner, but should have won more. He’s a real fighter, don’t discount him.” Greeff gave Fortune’s rides Rock Me Mama (Race 1) and Amanatto (Race 8) good money chances. Here Comes Johnny (Zietsman Oosthuizen, Race 2) and Atlantic Pearl (Kelly Mitchley, Race 3) should also go close on recent form.

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: BINDA RUNNER CAN MAKEALL

Clinton Binda-trained Umzingeli Wenyathi has shown marked improvement and a pleasing level of consistency since spending summer in Cape Town and being gelded. He has recorded two wins and two places from five starts since last October, including a gritty Class B success over 1200m in mid-January. He returns to the Polytrack in Race 7 over 1000m and with a 4kg claimer, an inside draw and blinkers fitted, a bold start-to-finish effort is anticipated.

MEYDAN: CATS BY FIVE CAN KEEP WATSON ROLLING

Doug Watson, eight-time UAE champion trainer, has his team in good heart after a quiet start to the season. He sent out five winners in January and can add to his tally with Cats By Five in Race 7, the Burj Aziz over 1200m on dirt. He has progressed with racing this season and opened his UAE account when defeating Danyah and Sahalat, over the same course and distance at the beginning of January. He should have the measure of both again in the eight-runner event.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: BANKER’S EIGHTYONE CAN RECOUP LOSSES

Johnny Lim’s charge Banker’s Eightyone looks ready to make a winning return in Race 3 over 1275m at Kuala Lumpur. He has already registered four wins in Malaysia, including two successes over this track and trip. Strongly supported a fortnight ago, the five-year-old delivered an eye-catching performance when finishing third over 1200m. He was held up briefly for a clear run and finished strongly to be beaten just 1.50 lengths by the winner. He should atone for that defeat. The meeting starts at 06:30.

TURFFONTEIN: THREE-YEAR-OLDS GET THEIR CHANCE TO SHINE

Three-year-olds get a chance to write their names into the annals of South African racing history over the next two months. The TAB SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara kick off with the TAB Gauteng Guineas and the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas. Both 1600m races have been strongly supported with 13 males declared for the Gauteng Guineas and 15 fillies in the other.There are more exciting races on the undercard and below is a race-by-race guide to the bumper Pick 6, which starts in Race 4 at 13:50.

Leg 1 (13:50): Race 4 - 1800m RACING TODAY MAIDEN PLATE

6 VIXENINTHEVINEYARD has improved since relocating to the Highveld. Knocking at the door and with no stamina doubts, she could be the right choice over this distance. 5 SHADOWLINE was two lengths behind Vixeninthevineyard when they were beaten by Chickasaw at the Vaal recently. With further improvement to come, she could get closer this time. 1 KNOWMORE and 2 ROYALE JACKET have earned a few stake cheques up to 1600m and will be thereabouts again if they are effective over the extra 200m. Three-year-old 8 SCARLET O’HARA is the only other contender with a semblance of form. She jumps from a pipe-opening sprint to a middle distance and bears watching.

Leg 2 (14:25): Race 5 - 1000m SA DERBY 4 APRIL PINNACLE STAKES

Speedy 3 TAXI TO THE MOON has the comfortable beating of 1 WILLIAM ROBERTSON, 5 COSMIC STAR, 6 ELEGANT ICE and 7 LITTLE BALLERINA on their encounter in the Grade 3 Betway Lebelo Sprint. While both William Robertson and Elegant Ice have shown marked improvement since, there is every reason to believe that game Taxi To The Moon is a better horse after gelding and should have no trouble confirming the form. A pair you can’t ignore is 2 ZIYASHA and 4 MOUNT PINATUBO, who both run well when fresh and have competitive form to show over this course and distance.

Leg 3 (15:05): Race 6 - 1600m WILGERBOSDRIFT GAUTENG FILLIES GUINEAS (Grade 2)

Formidable 1 GOLDEN PALM unexpectedly fluffed her lines in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas, but was below best that day and suffered interference. She has been prepared on the Highveld for her first target of the Joburg feature season, is expected to return to form and will take all the beating. 2 LOWVELD LILY has a fighting chance on her two recent runs in Graded company and that her trainer makes a rare raid to Gauteng shows that the stable doesn’t lack confidence. 6 WARM RECEPTION looks progressive enough to have a winning chance from a fair draw. Grade 2-placed 7 DAISY JONES is an outsider to consider for big perms, but wide draws could prove problematic for 5 HAZY DAZY, 10 VALENTINA BALDUCCI and 11 PRETTY PERSUASIVE.

Leg 4 (15:40): Race 7 - 1600m TAB GAUTENG GUINEAS (Grade 2)

Talented Grade 2 Jackpot City Dingaans winner 1 TRUST was a touch flat-footed in the recent Grade 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes but should strip much fitter for the run. He’s also better suited over 1600m and has a strong chance of reversing the form with Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained rivals 5 ONE EYE ON VEGAS and 12 SPLITTHEEIGHTS, both of whom are now 2kg worse off. The De Kock stable’s other runners 6 I’M A FIREBALL and 11 YIPPEE KIYAY are other strong rivals. Recently gelded I’M A FIREBALL broke the course record when defeating 9 KING HARALD over 1450m at the Vaal last time out. If his blistering pace is put to full effect again, he could prove hard to peg back. Yippee Kiyay has twice successfully raced against older horses and has an upset chance.

Leg 5 (16:15): Race 8 - 1600m FOR HOSPITALITY BOOKINGS CALL 011 681 1796 PINNACLE STAKES

Expert 1600m runner 6 CALLMEGETRIX is at the top of her game and best weighted. She has the additional advantage of a competent 1.5kg claimer in the irons and rates the one to beat. 5 GREATERIX should be cherry ripe in his third run after a rest. He has top-class form over the trip and is the principal danger to the mare. A 1.5kg allowance will assist 4 BUSSTOPINHOUNSLOW, who will be in the firing line if he can break on terms. 8 TAEGAN’S CHAMP, in receipt of chunks of weight all round, is the best outsider.

Leg 6 (16:50): Race 9 - 1600m NEXT TURFFONTEIN RACE MEETING THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY MR 84 HANDICAP

It’s usually hard to win a handicap first-up after a maiden success, but 3 ERROL FLYNN looked smart when he broke the ice over 1450m at the Vaal recently and trainer Joe Soma confirmed that he has high hopes for this one. He is probably not banker material from a wide draw and 4 WINSTON’S WONDER and 5 TROMBOLINES warrant inclusion. Both have turned in good runs in handicap company following leaving the maiden ranks.

SUGGESTED R216 (10%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @13:50):

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

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 6

Leg 4: 1, 6, 12

Leg 5: 4, 5, 6, 8

Leg 6: 3, 4, 5

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: REAP THE CASH FROM PLATINUM HARVEST

Seven-year-old Platinum Harvest has held form since winning over 1700m and 1500m last September. Beaten favourite in his past two outings, he looks ideally placed to return to the winner’s circle in Race 5 over 1400m at Kuala Lumpur. Drawn ideally in barrier No 2 with leading jockey Benny Woodworth back in the saddle, the Ricky Choi-trained gelding should enjoy a soft run throughout and shapes as the one they all have to beat. The meeting starts at 06:10.

SHA TIN: NUMBERS CAN BOOST HIS DERBY PROSPECTS

Trainer Frankie Lor’s four-year-old Numbers is a serious Derby contender after an impressive second-up win over 2000m at the end of December. The form around him has continued to stack up and could be hard to run down off a light weight in Race 8 over 1800m. Encountered rates a danger. He stayed on for fourth in the recent fast-run January Cup and turned in a better effort than the bare result reads.

HOLLYWOODBETS SCOTTSVILLE: KING PELLES HAS THE CLASS

King Pelles, the 2025 Betway Summer Cup favourite, makes his return to racing after finishing unplaced in the Johannesburg showpiece last November. He is the highest-rated and best-weighted runner in Race 8, the umThombothi Stakes over 1950m. While he traditionally takes a run or two to come to hand after a rest, none of his rivals appear good enough to beat him.Nearest rated is Cape Eagle, who is rising nine and seems past his best, while filly Gimmefabulous is in promising form but has yet to race beyond 1600m. Cases can be made for Down By The River and Amor Fati, but if class prevails King Pelles should win it, ring rusty or not.