Jack Milner
The Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m at Turffontein on Saturday is often seen as a prelude to the Premier’s Champions Challenge to be run on Champions Day, 29 April over the same course and distance.
This year only seven runners are carded to go to post for the Colorado King Stakes which is run at weight-for-age plus penalties and there is little doubt Sean Tarry is the trainer they will all have to beat as he saddles three strong runners.
He sends out Litigation, Nebraas and filly Rain In Holland, all of whom have a number of feature-race wins on their résumés.
Litigation won the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m at this course last November and also triumphed in the Listed Derby Trial last year over this distance. However, that is usually not the strongest of races and in the WSB Summer Cup last year over this track and trip, he led going through the 400m mark but eventually faded late to finish fifth, beaten three lengths by Puerto Manzano.
As a result, one wonders if 2000m is at the end of his limit.
He is the second best weighted runner, with the top honour going to stable companion Nebraas. Based on merit ratings this six-year-old son of Vercingetorix is at least 1.5kg better handicapped than any of his opposition and that gives him an outstanding winning chance.
There is no doubt he is at his best the further they travel but he does have decent enough form over 2000m, having run four times over the trip for a win, a second and a third.
He has been runner-up in his last two starts, the first in the Grade 2 Western Cape Stayers over 2800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in Cape Town and last time going down to Litigation in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m.
In both races, Nebraas was beaten just 0.50 lengths and looking at his last run, he will now meet Litigation on 1.5kg better terms. The weight turnaround along with the additional 200m should see him turn the tables on his stablemate.
Tarry has engaged Richard Fourie to ride Nebraas while Gavin Lerena will be aboard Litigation once again.
That leaves Rain In Holland, last year’s Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara winner. This daughter of Duke Of Marmalade has battled to regain her form but she does get a 2.5kg sex allowance and that could aid her chances.
S’manga Khumalo rides her for the first time and hopefully he can extricate something special out of her.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Sheela, 3 Sweet Pepper, 1 May Queen, 5 Vivacious Spirit
Race 2: 1 Mo The Man, 2 Gimme A Diamond, 3 Fast Duty, 4 Labrausco
Race 3: 6 Avoontoast, 1 Keep The Fort, 7 Call To Glory, 8 Have A Party
Race 4: 1 Desert Miracle, 4 Humdinger, 7 Feather Boa, 5 Marigold Hotel
Race 5: 1 Lucky Lad, 4 Gimmeanotherchance, 7 Amber Rock, 2 The Africa House
Race 6: 1 Elegant Ice, 4 Leaving Las Vegas, 5 Midnight Fusion, 2 Exchange Student
Race 7: 2 Nebraas, 3 Litigation, 6 Rain In Holland, 1 Second Base
Race 8: 6 Royal Mazarin, 1 Little Prince, 2 Jet Dynasty, 5 Prime Example
Race 9: 2 Aussenkehr, 7 Cornwall, 8 Storm Dictator, 10 Permesso Avanti
BEST BET
Race 3 No 6 Avoontoast
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 6 Royal Mazarin
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 1x2
BIPOT
R128
Leg 1: 1, 2
Leg 2: 6
Leg 3: 1, 4
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 7
Leg 5: 1, 2, 5, 6
Leg 6: 2, 3
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R288
Leg 1: 6
Leg 2: 1, 4
Leg 3: 1, 4, 7
Leg 4: 1, 4, 5
Leg 5: 2, 3
Leg 6: 1, 2, 6, 7
Leg 7: 2, 7
PICK 6
R2048
Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 5
Leg 4: 2, 3
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 6: 2, 7
JACKPOT 1
R256
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 5
Leg 3: 2, 3
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
JACKPOT 2
R128
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 5
Leg 2: 2, 3
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 2, 7