It has been a very busy month of racing at Fairview, and the curtain will come down on 2025 racing at Gqeberha with a Polytrack meeting on Monday.
It looks a tricky card overall, but there are a few runners that certainly catch the eye.
Lana View, who contests Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1600m, stands out as one of the stronger fancies on the programme. While she is not going to Hollywood, nor likely to be bought by them, she does look hard to oppose in this line-up.
The Visionaire filly is still a maiden after 13 starts, but she produced the best run of her career last time out when finishing runner-up in a handicap over this course and distance on 28 November. That effort marked her third second-place finish from her last five starts on the Polytrack.
The highlight of the card is Race 7, the Fairview 1900m, where My Best Shot takes on nine rivals. The Fire Away gelding may have finished downfield in the two biggest features of the year – the Hollywoodbets Durban July and the Betway Summer Cup – but he is a different proposition on his home track. He has already recorded six victories at Fairview this year, and his Polytrack record is very strong, with three wins from just five starts.
My Best Shot was particularly impressive when last seen on this surface, easily accounting for Golden Link over 1400m. Jockey Richard Fourie knows how to get the best out of him.
He did, however, suffer defeat at the hands of rival Zatara Magic in this year’s running of the Algoa Cup on the turf over 2000m, and that gelding has gone on to win again.
Zatara Magic is in the form of his life and is very consistent on the Polytrack, so he will pose a serious threat.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 6 Grey Warrior, 3 City Of Port Louis, 8 Witching Hour, 4 Mont Tremblant
Race 2: 9 Potenza, 1 Lana View, 5 Red Lhasa, 4 Miss Mackie
Race 3: 10 Rockie Blue, 1 Engelandpark, 8 Dynasty's Last, 2 Priceless Treasure
Race 4: 2 Smashing, 4 Cherry Oh Baby, 1 Fiery Countess, 5 Cheeky Cranberry
Race 5: 7 Munchkin, 1 World Pharoah, 10 Russian Empire, 11 Xplicit Content
Race 6: 5 Warrior Of Royalty, 4 Warofdynamite, 9 B Fiftytwo, 1 Kings Again
Race 7: 1 My Best Shot, 2 Zatara Magic, 5 Lanciafiamme, 7 Home Reef
Race 8: 4 Silvonian, 3 French Flame, 1 Eyjafjallajokull, 9 Moola Man
BEST BET
Race 3: 10 Rockie Blue
VALUE BET
Race 4: 2 Smashing
BEST SWINGER
Race 7 1x2
BIPOT
R144
Leg 1: 3, 6
Leg 2: 1, 5, 9
Leg 3: 10
Leg 4: 2, 4
Leg 5: 1, 7, 10
Leg 6: 1, 4, 5, 9
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R144
Leg 1: 1, 9
Leg 2: 10
Leg 3: 2, 4
Leg 4: 1, 7, 10
Leg 5: 4, 5, 9
Leg 6: 1
Leg 7: 1, 3, 4, 9
PICK 6
R2016
Leg 1: 10
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4
Leg 3: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9
Leg 5: 1, 2
Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11
JACKPOT 1
R252
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11
Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2
JACKPOT 2
R672
Leg 1: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11
Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9
Leg 3: 1, 2
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11