Jack Milner
It could be worth making use of the TAB rules and going with Queen Leila as a banker in the opening leg of the Pick 6 at Turffontein on Thursday when they race on the Inside track.
This Paul Matchett-trained filly does have the best form in the field in Race 3, a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies and 1000m.
There is an eight-race card on offer but five of the races are for maidens, including Race 1 which is a Work Riders’ event.
Queen Leila, a grey daughter of Heavenly Blue, has only raced once and was allowed to go off at 33-1. However., her odds belied her ability and although she never got herself into a winning position, she stayed on nicely to finish third, beaten 3.50 lengths by Giselda.
In fairness, there were only four runners in the field but she did finish well ahead of the fourth-placed runner and the time was very decent.
That form line will be tested in this race but none of the other raced runners looked particularly inspiring and Queen Leila, who is by Heavenly Blue, should hold them all.
That of course leaves the unraced runners and there is one that stands out on the this race, and that is Sean Tarry-trained The Bachelorette.
This daughter of William Longsword seems to have attracted some early betting support and looks the first-timer likely to upset Queen Leila’s hopes.
However, as long as she is the first raced runner to finish, you will be in the Pick 6 and with the other fields looking wide open, this could be the best way to go.
The one difference between her last race and this event is that they will be racing on the Inside track tomorrow and this race will be run around the turn. Her first race was up the straight on the Standside track.
But she is well drawn in barrier No 2 and will have Philasande Mxoli back in the irons.
For the BiPot, however, it might be worth adding The Bachelorette who will jump from pole position and will have Keagan de Melo in the irons.
Then there is Race 5, a Graduation Plate over 1600m, where consistency screams for reward. Bristol Hercules hasn’t won for 596 days, but the market often over-penalises that stat while ignoring the detail. The Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained son of Lancaster Bomber has finished third four times and second on another three occasions in his last 10 starts, and he chased home a highly rated progressive three-year-old over 1450m here last time at level weights. That was no hollow second.
Off an unchanged mark and back over 1600m, he meets nothing of that calibre. With Callan Murray booked, this looks a winnable assignment if he reproduces that figure. He’s the type punters often desert out of frustration, and precisely the sort who pops up at an inflated price.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 8 Samuel Sharpe, 1 Royale Jacket, 4 Terrence, 2 Stokesy
Race 2: 1 Catfish, 7 Twilight, 6 Ruby Whisper, 3 Justhavefun
Race 3: 7 Queen Leila, 8 The Bachelorette, 2 Irish Wilma, 4 Love Not War
Race 4: 4 Emerald Countess, 2 Emerald Forge, 3 Palace Script, 10 Court Action
Race 5: 1 Bristol Hercules, 7 A Bit Of Class, 5 Golden Operator, 2 King Harald
Race 6: 8 Libeccio, 7 Golden Aspen, 13 Zoombomber, 10 Concordia
Race 7: 8 Fire Storm, 9 Carnelo, 6 Never Never Land, 5 Orange County
Race 8: 10 Brigitte Anne, 9 Major Arcana, 5 Kambati, 11 Trip Of Faith
BEST BET
Race 2: 1 Catfish
VALUE BET
Race 6: 8 Libeccio
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 1x8
BIPOT
R192
Leg 1: 1, 8
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 7, 8
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4
Leg 5: 1, 2, 5, 7
Leg 6: 7, 8, 10, 13
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R243
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 7
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4
Leg 4: 1, 5, 7
Leg 5: 7, 8, 13
Leg 6: 6, 8, 9
Leg 7: 1, 5, 9
PICK 6
R1600
Leg 1: 7
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 10
Leg 3: 1, 2, 5, 7
Leg 4: 7, 8, 10, 12, 13
Leg 5: 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 6: 5, 9, 10, 11
JACKPOT 1
R400
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 10
Leg 2: 1, 2, 5, 7
Leg 3: 7, 8, 10, 12, 13
Leg 4: 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
JACKPOT 2
R400
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 7
Leg 2: 7, 8, 10, 12, 13
Leg 3: 3, 5, 6, 8, 9
Leg 4: 5, 9, 10, 11