Jack Milner
Going into the final fortnight of the season, Gavin Lerena’s quest for a second Champion Jockeys’ title looks to be a fait accompli. At the time of writing, Lerena has built up a 10-win advantage and even challenger Richard Fourie might have to admit that his chances of retaining the title he won last year, are disappearing fast.
Lerena looks set to notch up another few runners at Turffontein on Saturday when they race on the Standside track
He does ride a number of winners for the Tony Peter yard and he can claim a win for them when he climbs aboard The Ultimate King in Race 6, a MR 80 Handicap over 2000m.
This lightly raced three-year-old son of Vercingetorix has always been highly thought of by Peter and after a couple of disappointing early starts, the decision to geld him was proven to be the right move and has seen him turn the corner.
He was a very comfortable winner of his maiden and than produced a flying finish after a poor start to beat Impact Investor going away by 0.75 lengths.
He has only been penalised 4.5kg for the two wins and should still have a lot more to give. He also has the benefit of jumping from No 1 draw and looks a possible banker in all bets.
Well-related Jabari Thimba, a Pathfork half-brother to highly rated Garrix, filled the runners-up berth on debut over 1160m and is good value to open his account under Lerena in Race 3 over 1400m with that experience to count on and improvement expected over the extended trip.
And the conveyor belt of Lerena-ridden winners will likely churn out another in the form of Obsidian in Race 9 over 1400m. This impressive last-start scorer pulverised his opposition over 1600m six weeks ago and the form of that victory was franked by the runner-up, Birthright, winning subsequently.
The progressive three-year-old gelding carries races off a career-high mark under an eight-point penalty but that is unlikely to prevent Van Vuuren's charge from winning again, with Lerena aboard for the first time.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 8 Windsor Silk, 2 Dondoyaki, 1 Amazonian, 4 Paradise Way
Race 2: 8 Zahra Dominia, 7 Top Shelf Teddy, 4 Delaware River, 1 Amaze Me
Race 3: 4 Jabari Thimba, 1 Big Joe, 2 Carnarvon, 6 Palace Attack
Race 4: 4 Chilli Marmalade, 8 True Hero, 1 Jet Querari, 2 Summer Shade
Race 5: 6 Aladdin's Lamp, 2 Breeze Over, 5 Vesuvio, 3 Twenty Drachma's
Race 6: 2 The Ultimate King, 1 American Rebel, 7 Enflame, 8 Chabal
Race 7: 1 Impact Investor, 2 Unsolved Riddle, 3 Lava County, 10 Sheets And Goggles
Race 8: 11 Pioneer Square, 8 Mount Darwin, 3 Hawkbill, 7 On Target, Don't Cry For Me
Race 9: 1 Obsidian, 12 Palace Prince, 2 Gregarious, 3 Peace Treaty
BEST BET
Race 6: 2 The Ultimate King
VALUE BET
Race 7: 1 Impact Investor
BEST SWINGER
Race 9 1x12
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 1, 4, 7, 8
Leg 2: 1, 4
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 8
Leg 4: 2, 5, 6
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 1, 4
Leg 2: 1, 4, 8
Leg 3: 2, 5, 6
Leg 4: 2
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3
Leg 6: 3, 8, 11
Leg 7: 1, 12
PICK 6
R1500
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 8, 10
Leg 5: 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11
Leg 6: 1, 2
JACKPOT 1
R150
Leg 1: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 8, 10
Leg 4: 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11
JACKPOT 2
R60
Leg 1: 2
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 8, 10
Leg 3: 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11
Leg 4: 1, 2