Weekend HIGHLIGHTS

TWO POTENTIAL BANKER BETS AT TURFFONTEIN

This Saturday’s local double-header comprises a challenging eight-race card at Kenilworth and a nine-race programme at Turffontein, where two excellent bankers present themselves midway through the exotic bets. Astute punters can bag the loot with clever structuring of the Place Accumulator, Pick 6 and Jackpots. And Peter Muscutt has one that could win at value odds on Sunday. There’s money to be made with TAB so read on.

FRIDAY: GREEFF SAYS OFFICIAL SECRET HARD TO OPPOSE

Trainer Alan Greeff has highlighted a few of his runners at Fairview this Friday. Last week’s trainer interviews on 4Racing TV’s YouTube channel were generally on the mark and interviewer Nadine Lo Ah Kee has done her rounds again. These trainer comments can be viewed HERE. Trainer Gavin Smith saddles three of the seven runners in Race 4 against three from Alan Greeff and one from Sharon Kotzen. “We’re going to have to run to beat Official Secret,” said Smith in reference to Greeff’s principal entry. Greeff confirmed that Richard Fourie’s mount is a possible banker, saying “she’ll be hard to oppose here”. Kotzen reckoned Medler’s Tart could upset the favourite, but her filly looks safely held on a line of recent form through Gold Poker Game.

Greeff was also positive about his first-timer My Best Shot in Race 1, saying “he is a nice, strong colt, one to follow”. My Best Shot is a half-brother to Greeff’s Questor, last season’s champion juvenile in the region, and presents an opportunity for an early TAB all-to-come bet.  In Race 6 Greeff appears to prefer Charles Ndlovu’s mount Gideon’s Daughter over Fourie’s ride United Express, but reckons both should be included in exotic bets.

Click/tap here for the best bets and the views of five tipsters on Friday's Fairview meeting.

FRIDAY: STARDUST SETTO LAND DUBAI TROPHY AT MEYDAN

Ralph Beckett’s Starlust, a Group 3 winner at Kempton last September and Breeders Cup Juvenile-placed in November, made an encouraging comeback when second to Star Of Mystery in the Al Wasl Stakes at Meydan last month. He runs in the R1.8-million Dubai Trophy, the highlight of this Friday’s bumper nine-race card at the track. Starlust was no match for Star Of Mystery on his UAE debut, but conceded 2.5kg to Charlie Appleby’s exciting filly and lost little in defeat. The winner gave the form a boost by taking the Group 2 Blue Point Stakes next time. Fitter now, Starlust is a confident choice to open his UAE account under regular rider Hector Crouch.

A field of eight will go to post for Race 3 over 1400m on the dirt and the interesting runner is South American import Auto Bahn, who arrives in the Middle East after winning at Palermo last March on his debut. Auto Bahn, a son of Dubai Triple Crown winner Asiatic Boy, ran on strongly to beat Dark Lover in his only start and the runner-up franked the form by going on to win at Grade 1 level. Mickael Barzalona is booked to ride Julio Olascoaga’s charge.

FRIDAY: HOLLIE DOYLE CAN WIN TWO AT CHELMSFORD

Leading jockey Hollie Doyle has four rides on the all-weather at Chelmsford City in the UK this Friday evening. She partners Archie Watson’s lightly raced and in-form four-year-old Al Wosol in Race 3 and re-unites with David Loughnane’s Lady In Havana in Race 5. She won at Southwell 10 days ago. There is an earlier meeting on the flat at Wolverhampton. Doyle rides two more for Watson on the all-weather at Newcastle on Saturday and the long-rested Jungle Charm is one to watch in a small field in Race 4.

SATURDAY: SWING VOTE TO REMAIN UNBEATEN AT JEBEL ALI

Saturday sees the running of the Group 3 Jebel Ali Mile, the biggest race of the season at Jebel Ali in Dubai. This year’s renewal has attracted a strong field in which former Andre Fabre-trained Swing Vote is firm pre-race favourite. He has thrived since switching to dirt and joining Simon and Ed Crisford. In top form and unbeaten at the track, he will take plenty of stopping in the hands of William Buick, who is making a rare visit to Jebel Ali.

SATURDAY: TWO STRIKE BETS AT TURFFONTEIN

Most of the races on Turffontein’s Inside track on Thursday were won by well-fancied runners and the trend may continue on the Standside track on Saturday. There are two outstanding bets on form - Marauding Horde in Race 6 and Barbaresco a race later. Marauding Horde, backed into the red when finishing strongly for second over 1600m last time, is set to atone over this extra 200m.

Trainer Johan Janse Van Vuuren’s up-and-coming grey Barbaresco looks the proverbial certainty on his second to star colt Main Defender in the Got The Greenlight Stakes last month. This is Barbaresco’s prep for the SA Classic and he won’t be far off peak fitness.

SUGGESTED R1050 TURFFONTEIN PICK 6 PERMUTATION (R315 for 25%)
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: FIELD (1-7)
Leg 3: 1,2,7
Leg 4: 1,2
Leg 5: 2,3,5,8,9
Leg 6: 1,3,4,5,7

TURFFONTEIN PICK 6
Race 4 @ 13:50)

SUGGESTED PERMUTATION
(R560 for 33%)

Leg 1: 2, 5
Leg 2: FIELD (1-7)
Leg 3: 7
Leg 4: 9
Leg 5: FIELD (1-10)

Leg 6: FIELD (1-12)

Click/tap here for Harry Ihassi Pick 6 Tips

Click/tap here for the best bets and the views of five tipsters on Saturday's Turffontein Standside meeting.

SATURDAY: SUDDEN SONG LOOKS ON A WINNING MARK

Brett Crawford’s five-year-old Sudden Song has only won two races from 24 starts, but he’s often finished right on the heels of quality runners including Durban July hopeful Mucho Dinero and Baratheon. With his rating down to a handy 75, Sudden Song has only 52,5kg in Saturday’s Race Cape Powered by Hollywoodbets B Stakes at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth. With the additional benefit of a good draw, he has a chance of turning the tables on recent conquerors Natyam and Marshall Field to post a long-overdue third career success. Royal Watch, in his third run after a rest, is another to consider but looks held at the weights.

Trainer Vaughan Marshall has already sent out two juvenile winners by leading freshman sire One World. A third, World Of Pleasure, looks ready to win in Race 1. She was backed on debut and was run out of it late by highly regarded Banff. With the experience behind her, she’ll be hard to beat.

Click/tap here for the best bets and the views of five tipsters on Saturday's Hollywoodbets Kenilworth meeting.

SUNDAY: SCHOFIELD TO CASH IN ON RARE VISIT TO KRANJI

South African-born Chad Schofield will fly in for a one-day visit to Singapore on Sunday after the connections of Golden Monkey reached out to the Sydney-based jockey to ride their runner in Race 11, the Group 3 Fortune Bowl over 1400m at Kranji. A winner of the Group 1 Singapore Derby over 1800m last July, Golden Monkey has been sparingly raced since. He flashed home for second in a prep run over 1200m recently and, stepping up to a more ideal trip, should put a second Group win to his name. Golden Monkey’s trainer, Tim Fitzsimmons, has also booked Schofield on Fire (Race 2), Mimosas (Race 4) and Mount Niseko (Race 12), all of whom hold good eachway chances.

SUNDAY: MUSCUTT, ZACKEY THE BUSINESS AT SCOTTSVILLE

In-form jockey Craig Zackey rides former Zimbabwe-based Down To Business for trainer Peter Muscutt in Sunday’s umThombothi Stakes over 1950m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, one of two minor features on the card. Zackey produced well-timed finishes to win three Graded races on Cape Met Day and his patient style is likely to suit this useful five-time winner. His dangers are Bella Sicome and Cape Eagle, who fought out the finish of the Michael Roberts Handicap at this course recently.

Rachel Venniker’s 1,5kg claim will play into the hands of Roberts’ versatile filly Kailene in Race 6. She needed her last run, looks well in at the weights with likely favourite Malcolm’s Dream and represents value in an open contest. Zackey’s mount Valeria’s Dream is not proven beyond 1400m, but her jockey’s good judgement of pace may come into play again and she is one to respect.

Click/tap here for the best bets and the views of five tipsters on Sunday's Hollywoodbets Scottsville meeting.