Jack Milner
The first event of Global Team Horse Racing (GTH) takes place at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Friday evening.
It is a novelty contest with three teams up against each other on four consecutive Fridays this month. Two teams face off on each of the first three nights with the two teams with the most points taking on each other on the final night.
The eight races are just 18 minutes apart, eight horses with four riders from each team of nine riders get turns to ride. Their mounts are drawn at random.
There are also whip restrictions as they are only carried for safety reasons and riders’ hands are not allowed to leave the reins.
In order to ensure the short times between races is achieved, a different set of jockeys will ride in each race, so riders will either compete in Races 1, 3, 5 and 7 or Races 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Most of the races on Friday are highly competitive but the Gauteng Gijimaz appear to have two of the best rides on the card.
Diego de Gouveia should get them off to the perfect start in Race 1 where he rides I Like It Hot for Dennis Drier. She finished third on debut behind Will O Me over this course and distance and then a 0.60-length second over 1000m on the Polytrack.
From draw No 1 she looks the outstanding best on the card.
Captain Gavin Lerena also has a decent ride in Race 4, a FM 84 Handicap over 1200m, where he rides Bequest for trainer Alec Laird. She, too, looks the runner to beat and also will jump from pole position.
There are three teams – the Cape Stingers, the KwaZulu Royals and the Gauteng Gijimaz – competing for around R3.5-million in stakes and the Championship trophy.
Cape Stingers: Mark Khan (captain); Craig Zackey; Sean Veale; Rachel Venniker; Robert Khathi; Gareth Wright; Gabriell Pieterse; Khanya Sakayi; and Donald Gheerthsen.
KwaZulu Royals: Muzi Yeni (captain); Kabelo Matsunyane; Raymond Danielson; Jeffrey Syster; Ashton Arries; Thabiso Gumede; Athandiwe Mgudlwa; Jabu Jacobs; and Nicholas Patel.
Gauteng Gijimaz: Gavin Lerena (captain); Diego De Gouveia; Calvin Habib; Francois Herholdt; Tristan Godden; Cole Dicken; Jason Gates; Hennie Greyling; and Brian Nyawo.
Reserve jockeys: Mpumi Mjoka; Sphe Hlengwa; and Mfanelo Zuma.
Experienced trainers will serve as team managers. Michelle Rix will lead the Cape Stingers, Candice Dawson the Gauteng Gijimaz and Wendy Whitehead the KwaZulu Royals.
The KwaZulu Royals and the Gauteng Gijimaz teams will square off at tonight’s meeting while on Friday 12 August, the Gauteng Gijimas will meet the Cape Stingers.
On 19 August the KwaZulu Royals will take on the Cape Stingers.
Teams will accumulate points for each race over the three weeks. Then, the teams with the most points will ride in the finals on Friday 2 September.
Teams are awarded points per race according to their placings at the Finish Post.
1st 23 points; 2nd 18; 3rd 15; 4th 12; 5th 10; 6th 8; 7th 6; 8th 5.
The first two races of each event are called 50/50 Dashes, where only half points are awarded.
1st 12 points; 2nd 9; 3rd 8; 4th 6; 5th 5; 6th 4; 7th 3; 8th 2.
To add yet another level of excitement, each team captain may choose one race (from Races 3 to 7) to be the Turbo Charged race, where their teams scores are doubled, bringing their strategy in to play.
For the eighth and final Super Charged race, all scores are doubled.
1st 46 points; 2nd 36; 3rd 30; 4th 24; 5th 20; 6th 16; 7th 12; 8th 10.
All scratchings automatically receive last-place points for that particular race. Points are accumulated throughout the night to determine the winning team.
At the end of each race meeting points the winner will get two points and the loser nil. If there is a tie each team will be awarded one point.
In order to ensure the short times between races is achieved, a different set of jockeys will ride in each race, so riders will either compete in Races 1, 3, 5 and 7 or Races 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Most of the races are highly competitive but the Gauteng Gijimaz appear to have two of the best rides on the card.
Diego de Gouveia should get them off to the perfect start in Race 1 where he rides I Like It Hot for Dennis Drier. She finished third on debut behind Will O Me over this course and distance and then a 0.60-length second over 1000m on the Polytrack.
From draw No 1 she looks the outstanding best on the card.
Captain Gavin Lerena also has a decent ride in Race 4, a FM 84 Handicap over 1200m, where he rides Bequest for trainer Alec Laird. She, too, looks the runner to beat and also will jump from pole position.
All the action will be covered live on Racing 240.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 1 I Like It Hot, 8 Honey Land, 5 Rose Velvet, 2 Sea Of Tears
Race 2: 3 Dandolo, 4 Hooves Of Troy, 7 Hampton Court, 2 Justaguything
Race 3: 1 Music Is Life, 6 Moon Harvest, 3 Top Sail, 5 Ice Kingdom
Race 4: 1 Bequest, 4 Petra, 6 Another Love, 5 Indigo Fields,
Race 5: 2 Bright Star, 3 Acacia's Blossom, 6 Triptoroyalty, 4 Dilluh
Race 6: 1 Feeling Groovy, 6 Love Of Gold, 3 Fashionigma, 7 Angelsea
Race 7: 2 Syx Hotfix, 7 Pure Maverick, 6 Double Martini, 4 Pewter Sky
Race 8: 6 Fire Lord, 8 Admiral 2 Birnham, 7 Rodriguez
BEST BET
Race 1 No 1 I Like It Hot
VALUE BET
Race 7 No 2 Syx Hotfix
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 1x8
BIPOT
R144
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 7
Leg 3: 1, 3, 6
Leg 4: 1, 4
Leg 5: 2, 3
Leg 6: 1, 3, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 3, 4, 7
Leg 2: 1, 6
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 2, 3
Leg 5: 1, 3, 6
Leg 6: 2, 6, 7
Leg 7: 2, 6, 8
PICK 6
R1600
Leg 1: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8
Leg 2: 1, 4
Leg 3: 2, 3
Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 7
Leg 5: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 6: 2, 6, 7, 8
JACKPOT 1
R80
Leg 1: 1, 4
Leg 2: 2, 3
Leg 3: 1, 3, 6, 7
Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
JACKPOT 2
R160
Leg 1: 2, 3
Leg 2: 1, 3, 6, 7
Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 2, 6, 7, 8