Jack Milner: Punters will be faced with an eight-race programme of Maiden Plates at Turffontein on Tuesday but that could work in their favour.
It is normally handicaps that throw out the massive upset results, but in the case of plate races it is the best weighted runners who usually come out on top.
What makes this meeting particularly interesting is that there appear to be two bankers on the card, which is run on the Standside track. They are also perfectly placed in Races 5 and 6 and that puts them in all of the BiPot, Place Accumulator and Pick 6.
Race 5 is for fillies and mares over 1600m and Sean Tarry saddles Magical Flight. Tarry could not have found a better race for this daughter of Willow Magic because unless there is some latent form we cannot find, Magical Flight looks in a different league to her opposition.
She finished fifth on debut and then travelled to Greyville to run in the KZN Breeders Juvenile Plate (Non-Black-Type) for fillies over 1200m on the Polytrack where she finished a 2.50-length second to Winter Smoke, who has since gone on to win the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap.
Magical Flight stayed in KZN and next ran in a Maiden Plate over 1600m on the Greyville turf and this time ran a one-length third to Maria Carolina. Two winners have come from that form line.
Tarry gave her a three-month break and brought her back in an 1160m maiden in which she ran second to Run April Run. That run should have brought her on and the return to 1600m should be all she needs to shed her maiden tag.
She is the best handicapped runner by 5kg and more. Lyle Hewitson rides.
Race 6 is for all maidens, also over 1600m, and Johan Janse van Vuuren sends out Manterio with Gavin Lerena carded to ride.
This Oratorio gelding has only raced three times and in his first two runs he came across two good horses in Malmoos and Somasonic respectively. In his third start Manterio ran a very progressive neck second behind Eagle Alley over 1450m on the Inside track.
He looks to have more improvement to come than his opposition and based on breeding he should enjoy the additional 150m.