Jack Milner: The movie Gone In 60 Seconds could almost apply to racing at Scottsville on Sunday. In this case, it should read “over in 70 seconds”.
Four Grade 1 thrillers over 1200m top the card and as is so often the case, winners are not easy to find.
However, there is money to be made for those who can hit the bull’s eye on the dart board as there is a Pick 6 carryover of R1 million with the pool expected to reach R5 million.
The four Grade 1s also form Jackpot 1 and it kicks off in Race 5 with the Allan Robertson Championship for two-year-old fillies. This is possibly where one can take a chance because two of them really stand out on form – Sheela and Sound Of Warning.
Both are unbeaten in two starts, and while she has not raced at Scottsville, there is a lot to like about Sheela. The Mike and Adam Azzie-trained daughter of The United States breezed home on debut, with two winners coming from that form line, and then took on the colts in the Grade 2 SA Nursery at Turffontein where she beat highly regarded Smorgasbord by one length.
Sound Of Warning has the advantage of having won at Scottsville as Sean Tarry’s charge won the Strelitzia Stakes over 1100m.
The Gold Medallion is for all juveniles, and this is wide open. There was a lot to like about the manner in which Gimme A Prince won on debut over this course and distance and Dean Kannemeyer’s charge could double up.
However, there are many with chances and this leg needs to be loaded.
Over the year’s the SA Fillies Championship has been dominated by the likes of Celtic Sea and Carry On Alice, but this year it is a lot wider open.
If one is prepared to use Grade 1 Computaform Sprint winner Rio Querari as a guide, then Hello Winter Hello from the Adam Marcus yard could be the runner to beat.
True To Life is the best handicapped runner by at least 3.5kg and she did finish a 3.20-length fourth behind Celtic Sea last year.
Sarah is coming back to form, and she has won her only start at the course. Vernichey captured the Allan Robertson Championship last year and she has a record of three wins and a second place from four starts at Scottsville.
Those four should be able to get you through in the exotics.
The Golden Horse Sprint is the only handicap of the four and perhaps the three-year-olds could have the edge this year. MK’s Pride from the Paul Peter yard knows how to win and has produced his best runs over 1200m.
Vars Vicky sees jockey Muzi Yeni and trainer Paul Matchett team up, and who would want to go against them in feature races these days, while Bold Ransom is in top form and needs to be respected.
Of the older horses, last year’s runner-up – Ultra Magnus – the ever-consistent Kasimir and 2019 champion Chimichuri Run warrant respect.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Global Secret, 4 Sea Eagle, 13 Official Secret, 7 Lazuli