Jack Milner
One year ago, Rain In Holland had just won the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas and was on her way to claim the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.
Since then, she has had a few setbacks, specifically needing surgery to correct an entrapped epiglottis. That resulted in her missing six months of racing and since returning to track, this daughter of Duke Of Marmalade has struggled to regain her best form.
It has taken a few runs but there was a lot to like about her performance in the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met last month. Despite having to jump from No 15 draw, Rain In Holland looked dangerous 400m from home and then kept on nicely to finish just 4.40 lengths behind Jet Dark.
In that event the four-year-old filly took on the best horses in the country at weight for age and did not embarrass herself at all.
On Sunday, the Sean Tarry-trained runner takes a mighty drop in class as she comes up again her own sex in the Grade 3 Acacia Stakes over 1600m on the Turffontein Standside track.
She comes into the race as the best weighted runner and is perfectly drawn in gate No 5.
In addition, she is reunited with jockey Richard Fourie who rode the filly to victory in all three legs of the Triple Tiara and the Grade 2 Gerald Rosenberg Stakes.
If one considers that the average merit rating in the Cape Town Met was 119, the average of 99 in the Acacia Stakes indicates the level of opposition she will be meeting.
The bigger question is who will follow her home.
The biggest threat could come from Rain In Holland’s stable companion, Emerald Princess, who has been in consistent form. The four-year-old daughter of Gimmethegreenlight has run 16 times for five wins and five places although most of those runs came over 1450m or less.
Two runs back she did try 1600m for the first time and ran a decent 1.75-length second behind reopposing Bureau Des Legende who is now 0.5kg worse off. However, the latter has landed No 14 draw which is not great over this course and distance.
In addition, Tarry has engaged log-leading jockey Keagan de Melo to ride Emerald Princess.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 3 Gimmeanotherchance, 1 Captain Efficient, 6 Take It All, 4 Pure Predator
Race 2: 1 Aussenkehr, 9 Poursomesugaronme, 2 Phantomoftheforest, 7 Privilege
Race 3: 1 Keep The Fort, 3 Unyielding, 10 Summer Fling, 11 Turnthebeataround
Race 4: 3 Cold Fact, 2 Alula's Star, 8 Good Queen Bess, 5 Rose For Trippi
Race 5: 4 Ripple Effect, 3 Mrs Geriatrix, 5 Virginia Beach, 2 Miss Hannigan
Race 6: 2 American Graffiti, 8 Zinovi, 4 Troppo Veloce, Zoombomber
Race 7: 1 Rain In Holland, 9 Emerald Princess, 3 Gilded Butterfly, 13 Queen Of Shadows
Race 8: 7 Quantum Theory, 1 William Robertson, 5 Full Velocity, 3 Eden Roc
Race 9: 5 In The Beginning, 1 Midnight Gem, 6 Silver Winter, 2 Benguela Cove
Race 10: 6 Save The Queen, 1 Que Ceu Azul, 8 Defender Of Rights, 4 Say Yes
BEST BET
Race 3 No 1 Keep The Fort
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 7 Quantum Theory
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 1x3
BIPOT
R243
Leg 1: 1, 2, 9
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 2, 3, 8
Leg 4: 3, 4, 5
Leg 5: 2, 4, 8
Leg 6: 1, 7, 9
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R243
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 2, 3, 8
Leg 3: 3, 4, 5
Leg 4: 2, 4, 8
Leg 5: 1, 7, 9
Leg 6: 1, 5, 7
Leg 7: 5
PICK 6
R1280
Leg 1: 2, 3, 5, 8
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9
Leg 4: 1, 7, 9, 13
Leg 5: 1, 3, 5, 7
Leg 6: 5
JACKPOT 1
R400
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 8, 9
Leg 3: 1, 7, 9, 13
Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 7
JACKPOT 2
R160
Leg 1: 1, 7, 9, 13
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 7
Leg: 3, 5
Leg: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11