TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 8 - 10 August

ASCOT’S SHERGAR CUP HEADLINES AN EXCITING WEEKEND

The weekend highlight is Saturday’s Shergar Cup at Ascot, where jockeys from 10 countries will compete in a four-team challenge on one of the world’s biggest stages. Locally, we’ve got racing on Fairview’s Polytrack on Friday, a promising Pick 6 at Turffontein’s Standside meeting on Saturday and a nine-race programme at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday originally scheduled for Monday. It was brought forward a day after the Kenilworth meeting scheduled for Sunday was postponed to Wednesday 13 August because of the weather. All in all a weekend packed with competitive racing and plenty of value bets!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: SMALLER YARDS TO SHINE AS BIG GUNS GO QUIET

A typical late-winter card with good-value betting opportunities on the Fairview Polytrack. Leading trainers Alan Greeff and Gavin Smith are giving their best runners a breather, while champion jockey Richard Fourie is away on a well-earned break. That opens the door for some of the smaller yards to make their mark.

Kelly Mitchley and Muzi Yeni can open and close the meeting with form runners Brigham (Race 1) and Lucky Spirit (Race 8). Zietsman Oosthuizen has a bright chance with former Highveld maiden Pibe De Oro in Race 2 over 1400m and Tara Laing’s Midnight Music can prove her preference for the surface in Race 3 over 1200m. In-form Chad Little should coax a competitive effort out of useful Brenden James in Race 7.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: GOOD STAR CAN SCORE DESPITE WIDE DRAW

In-form five-year-old Good Star is set for a big run in Race 8 over 1400m at Kuala Lumpur. The former Australian galloper broke through for his first Malaysian win on 22 June, taking a Novice Plate over 1400m. He has proven competitive in stronger company since, finishing runner-up in his last two outings from wide barriers. While he is drawn deep again, his current form suggests he’ll be tough to beat. Race 1 is at 07:15.

TURFFONTEIN: FRACTIONAL PICK 6 IS THE SMART PLAY

There are at least three runners in every leg of the Pick 6 with solid winning chances on form, which makes a fractional bet the smart way to play. In-form Teo Torriatte (Race 4) has a 4kg apprentice claim to negate the penalty from her good last win and could be an early banker for small perms.

But it gets harder from there. Storm Ahead (Race 5) has dropped to a competitive mark, although Instant Attraction and Silky Jet loom as tough rivals. Clarkson has a chance of a follow-up win in Race 6, but this eight-year-old is not the most reliable gelding in training. Stars And Bra’s (Race 7) makes most appeal on the strength of her good early form, but has been a margin below best recently.

Sunset Warrior (Race 8) has his first run as a three-year-old off a mark of 85, which gives him a lot to do and brings older mare Western Wishes and a few others into the fray. Passage Of Power (Race 9) is another old-timer with a strong chance at best. But if Red Bomber is fit after a rest he will be right there and One Fell Swoop is speedy enough to reverse the form with recent conqueror Blizzard Snow.

SUGGESTED R230.40 (10%) PICK PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 13:50):

Leg 1: 2, 3, 7, 10

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 5

Leg 3: 2, 4, 6, 7

Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 6

Leg 5: 2, 4, 5

Leg 6: 1, 3, 5

ASCOT: BIG-NAME RIDERS GO HEAD TO HEAD IN SHERGAR CUP

Four teams of riders (Great Britain and Ireland, Asia, Europe and the Rest Of The World) will compete for the annual Shergar Cup Trophy in a six-race competition that has a team from Asia in place of an all-ladies team this year. Each team comprises three jockeys and their individual points are added together to give their team an overall score. There is also an individual award, the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle, to the jockey with the most points at the end of the day.

Major names include Hollie Doyle, who has ridden over 1,000 career winners and captains Great Britain and Ireland, as well as Karis Teetan (Mauritius) and Hugh Bowman (Australia), who give the Rest Of The World real firepower. Asian captain Suraj Narredu has over 2,000 global wins to his name.

Ante-post betting suggests that Tenability (Race 5) is the best banker on the card. William Haggas’ three-year-old will be ridden by France’s decorated lady jockey Delphine Santiago (Europe).

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

PERAK: MAN OF ACTION TO BAG FOURTH WIN FOR COETZEE

Consistent performer Man Of Action looks poised for a return to the winner’s circle in Race 8 over 1400m at Ipoh. A three-time winner in Singapore, Man Of Action has won three more from six starts for his new trainer Kevin Coetzee. Most recently he stepped up to his toughest test yet - the Grade 1 Perak Gold Vase over 1100m in which he produced a powerful finish for a credible fourth. The six-year-old will be hard to beat despite a 5kg weight rise. Race 1 is at 07:30.

HOLLYWOODBETS SCOTTSVILLE: TIMES POINT TO SOHO STAR

The handicapper looks to have a nine-horse line-up closely matched in Race 8, a Class B Handicap over 1200m and the topliner at the meeting. Barring Ingqwele and Maphaka, they’re all in good form and this is the best race of the day with a proverbial blanket finish is in the offing.

Licence To Thrill showed courage in his narrow defeat of Wiccan Warrior over track and trip last month with Riverstone just behind them. Licence To Thrill is only marginally worse off at the weights and could confirm the form, but there’s much to like about Soho Star, who won a course-and-distance handicap in a faster time and has a competent claiming apprentice on board. Highveld raider Black Egret has some useful form against slightly stronger, but seems held at the weights and Mr Master Starter seems to prefer the Polytrack.