Jack Milner
Occasionally a Maiden Plate throws up a most interesting race in which form studiers realise there are some runners who could make an impact on higher-level events somewhere down the line.
That is the case with Race 3 at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, a Maiden Plate over 1750m, which sees Billy Of Tea, Streetshavenoname and Ancient World square off.
Two of them are trained by Michael Miller while Paul Lafferty is the mentor of Streetshavenoname, and jockey arrangements of Miller’s trio points to Ancient World as the right one as the Vercingetorix gelding is the mount of first-choice rider Tristan Godden.
However, exposed form might point one in a different direction as Billy Of Tea comes off the best form-line. Last time out the Flying The Flag gelding pushed Mike de Kock-trained Trois Trois Quatre to the line over 1950m at this course, going down just 0.80 lengths.
Two winners have come out of that form line including the victor, who went on to beat Youcanthurrylove over 2000m at the Vaal. Mike de Kock’s charge was the talk of the day and duly obliged and this son of Rafeef looks to be going places. More significantly Duke Of Africa, who finished an 8.50-length 10th, came out to win and was well supported to go off at 2-1.
It certainly looks a decent form line.
Third behind Trois Trois Quatre came Streetshavenoname, who finished two lengths behind Billy Of Tea. However, he led for much of the journey and could improve over 200m less.
Ancient World, however, could be anything. He ran fifth over 1200m on debut and then, racing over 1600m at this course, got lost in the early stages of the race before taking off late to run a 1.45-length third behind Aberdeen making up 7.85 lengths over the final 400m.
Godden’s choice of rides does throw a spanner in the works but Robert Khathi takes the ride on Billy Of Tea while Richard Fourie is aboard Streetshavenoname so it should be a thrilling contest.
Race 5 is a Conditional Plate over 1200m and looks an interesting contest between Mrs Browning and Sun Blushed.
Sun Blushed was one of trainer Michael Roberts’ leading three-year-olds alongside stable star See It Again and has consistently run high-class races.
It may look a below-par run when he finished unplaced last time, and he did jump slightly slowly. But he ran in one of the stronger line-ups seen in recent times in the Grade 2 Post Merchants on Durban July day.
The second and third placed finishers, Thunderstruck and Surjay, subsequently reversed positions in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint on Gold Cup day so the form line is nothing to be sneezed at.
He finds himself joint best weighted with Sean Tarry’s highly regarded Rafeef filly Mrs Browning and the latter should attract all the attention. She is unbeaten in two sprints, boasting both a good cruising speed and a fine turn of foot. She will be tested at Scottsville’s undulating straight whereas Sun Blushed is unbeaten in his two races at the country course.
Nevertheless, Mrs Browning looks to be ahead of her current rating and the Fourie/Tarry combination has been devastating in KwaZulu-Natal over the past few months.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 5 Last One Standing, 6 Future Flo, 15 Gorgeous Guy, 4 Master Fuego
Race 2: 9 Cue The Rebel, 2 Minogue, 7 An Air Of Pride, 3 Miss Arlberg
Race 3: 6 Billy Of Tea, 5 Streetshavenoname, 4 Ancient World, 3 Ninety Nine Heros
Race 4: 6 Soldier's Eye, 7 Grandi Orecchie, 5 Midnight Crystal, 1 Petit Verdot
Race 5: 3 Mrs Browning, 8 Sun Blushed, 6 Neitherherenorther, 5 The Africa House
Race 6: 6 Princess Arlowe, 1 Divine Moonlight, 10 Maquette, 9 Flying The Star
Race 7: 8 National Star, 7 Lucky Miss, 2 Mvulazana, 5 Kailene
Race 8: 1 Justfortheepenny, 7 Brave Voyager, 2 Pongola, 12 Rodriguez
BEST BET
Race 2 No 9 Cue The Rebel
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 1 Justfortheepenny
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 2x9
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 5, 6, 15, 16
Leg 2: 9
Leg 3: 4, 5,6
Leg 4: 5, 6, 7
Leg 5: 3, 8
Leg 6: 1, 6, 9, 10
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 9
Leg 2: 5, 6
Leg 3: 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 3, 8
Leg 5: 1, 6, 10
Leg 6: 7, 8
Leg 7: 1, 2, 7
PICK 6
R1800
Leg 1: 4, 5, 6
Leg 2: 1, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 3, 6, 8
Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 9, 10
Leg 5: 7, 8
Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 7, 12
JACKPOT 1
R120
Leg 1: 1, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 3, 6, 8
Leg 3: 1, 3, 6, 9, 10
Leg 4: 7, 8
JACKPOT 2
R150
Leg 1: 3, 6, 8
Leg 2: 1, 3, 6, 9, 10
Leg 3: 7, 8
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 7, 12