Weekend Mailer

Despite the absence of any feature races on the local racing calendar over the next three days, the opportunity to win big with TAB remains at the four local meetings. 

GO WITH MUZI AND QUANTUM THEORY

Muzi Yeni is in brilliant form and he teams up with Quantum Theory in Race 8, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1450m at Turffontein on Saturday. 

This four-year-old son of Querari will be having his third race after having been gelded and looks ripe to notch up his third victory. 

While he is not the best weighted runner, he is just 1kg off that position which is held jointly by four runners – Taikonaut, Danilo Danilovitch, Cabinet Shuffle and Team Gold.

However, on the form of his last run behind Eye Of The Prophet, he holds Danilo Danilovitch and Team Gold. 

The main threat is likely to come from Tizona who has finished runner-up in his last three starts.  

SUGGESTED PICK 6
R960 
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 6
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4
Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 5
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 6
Leg 1: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 1: 1

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS ABOARD KAAPSE KLOPSE 

Even after relinquishing the sought-after role as stable jockey to Justin Snaith's powerful operation, Richard Fourie has not found winners hard to come by. He often rides good horses and remains an in-demand rider for a number of trainers in Cape Town, particularly aboard a promising prospect.

Eric Sands-trained Kaapse Klopse (Race 2) and Piet Steyn's runner in Race 3, Greeting My Master, fall into that category and both are worth a punt on the nose at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday. With natural improvement expected, both three-year-olds ought to confirm the promise they showed on debut.

TEAM UP WITH TARRY - TAKE THE TREBLE 

With Sean Tarry, Fourie is no stranger to success. The pair teamed up to win three of the four Grade 1 sprints at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last season and, although not at that level, will probably repeat that feat with another three winners together in KZN's capital on Sunday.

After second-place finishes in her two starts, it should be third time lucky for Querari filly Cue The Rebel in Race 2 with Fourie taking over the reins from S'manga Khumalo. It's a similar case aboard Tarry's daughter of Vercingetorix, Midnight Crystal, who Fourie rides for the first time in Race 4 after she, too, finished second last time under JP van der Merwe.

The Fourie-Tarry treble is completed by National Star who is well placed in Race 7, with just 56kg to carry back against her own sex, to gain a reward for her consistency.

JUMP FOR JOY WITH JUMBY

Defending champion Jumby will be bidding for a back-to-back success in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes on Saturday at Newbury, where last year's winner will line up against nine rivals for the 2023 renewal of the £110,000 contest.

He won the 2022 edition of this straight 1400m event in convincing fashion, by 1.75 lengths from Dubai Poet, and will be reunited with jockey Charlie Bishop who steered him to victory in his sole success since this race 12 months ago, winning the Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock earlier this year.

Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton has been pleased with how her charges' preparations have gone: “Jumby is in fine form at home ahead of his bid to win the Hungerford Stakes back-to-back. He'll need quick ground, so we'll be keeping an eye on the weather."

HAT-TRICK BECKONS FOR BRANSOM

After two impressive wins in as many starts on the Polytrack, Bransom looks well on his way to completing a hat-trick of wins on his reappearance in the $50,000 Class 4 Handicap over 1000m at Kranji on Sunday.

The son of Brazen Beau defeated a quality Novice field when switched to the all-weather surface for the first time and confirmed his liking for the Poly by leading all the way to in his last start over the course and distance on his Class 4 debut.