SUMMER PUDDING
Jack Milner: Summer Pudding, who is unbeaten at Turffontein, returns to her favourite racecourse on Saturday to contest the Grade 2 Colorado King Stakes over 2000m.
Although she won the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara, all at Turffontein, and the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville, her crowning glory came in last year’s WSB Summer Cup, also over 2000m at Turffontein, in which she gave weight to most of the field and hammered them into submission.
She did blot her copybook when travelling to Cape Town for the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes, but she was not the only upcountry visitor to fail during the season. Although not running to her best, she was still only beaten 4.95 lengths by Queen Supreme.
She was unbeaten in nine starts prior to that and to an extent, that Cape defeat has taken some of the pressure off her connections as she was just two wins away from equalling Home Guard’s long-time record off 11 straight victories.
Trainer Paul Peter says she is over her Cape experience and is back to the form which saw her named Equus Horse Of The Year.
“She’s doing very well,” confirmed Peter. “She is well in at the weights, she’s back over her favourite course and distance and I’m looking forward to her running.”
She certainly is well weighted. Had this been a handicap she would be conceding chunks of weight all around. As it is, she carries 57.5kg and is at least 8kg better off with any of her opposition.
Warren Kennedy makes the trip from Durban and he will be delighted to be reunited with this stellar daughter of Silvano.
So, while her mission might be the Premier’s Champions Challenge over this course and distance later in the season, Summer Pudding has to be the banker of the day.
She will also have the assistance of two stable companion, Portico and Heart Stwings, who will ensure she is not caught out by a pedestrian pace in this six-horse field.
Sean Tarry-trained Zillzaal is the next best-weighted runner and although he was trounced by Summer Pudding in the Summer Cup, he has come on a lot since then and looks the runner most likely to follow her home.
Fabian Habib-trained Youcanthurrylove is the other runner for Trifectas and Quartets.
The Grade 3 Protea Stakes over 1100m features two unbeaten fillies – Cold Fact from the Peter stable and Tarry’s Under Your Spell.
The former outpaced her field on debut then followed with a top victory after looking beaten 200m from home. However, she kicked again and won without raising a sweat.
Under Your Spell won with consummate ease after a slow start on debut and then impressed when winning the Listed Ruffian Stakes extending her lead as she drew away.
One also should not write off Naarah, who was all the rage to win the Ruffian Stakes but faded to run fifth. Prior to that Dorrie Sham’s charge had won her two races impressively and this daughter of Vercingetorix should not be written off on just one bad run.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 7 Last Song, 10 Whateveryoulike, 9 Two Fools Collide, 6 It’s Raining Men
Race 2: 9 Belle Of Belize, 1 Eyes On Tiger, 2 Grappler, 3 Lazy Guy
Race 3: 1 Ra’Ed, 2 Enigma Code, 3 Soldiers Song, 8 Infinite Wonder
Race 4: 2 Wisteria Walk, 1 Magic School, 3 Cockney Pride, 6 La Luvia
Race 5: 2 Mind Reader, 4 Freedom Seeker, 3 All Of Me, 1 Greens
Race 6: 2 Cold Fact, 4 Under Your Spell, 3 Naarah, 7 Heavens Girl
Race 7: 4 Summer Pudding, 1 Zillzaal, 2 Youcanthurrylove, 5 Heart Stwings
Race 8: 13 Lady Nica, 9 Afternoon Tea, 10 Lagertha, 1 Twelve Oaks
Race 9: 9 Liverpool Legend, 6 Magic Vision, 7 Emaline, 5 Manitoba
BEST BET
Race 7 No 4 Summer Pudding
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 13 Lady Nica
BEST SWINGER
Race 6 2×4
BIPOT
R90
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 5: 2, 4
Leg 6: 4
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R240
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 2
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4
Leg 4: 2, 4
Leg 5: 4
Leg 6: 1, 2, 9, 10, 11
Leg 7: 6, 7, 9
PICK 6
R2520
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4
Leg 4: 4
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 13
Leg 6: 5, 6, 7, 9
JACKPOT 1
R144
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4
Leg 3: 4
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13
JACKPOT 2
R96
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4
Leg 2: 4
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13
Leg 4: 5, 6, 7, 9
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