Amidst the festive cheer, TAB customers have ample opportunities to unwrap the excitement of betting at race meetings around the globe this weekend, including a local double-header on Saturday. Customers should note that TAB will be closed on Christmas Day, Monday 25 December, but it’s all systems go again from Tuesday 26 December. And there’s a Festive Season Jackpot carryover bonus on the last three days of 2023 with four R250,000 Jackpot ONE carryovers!
The Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint over 1000m is the topliner at Saturday’s meeting on the standside track at Turffontein with the Sun Chariot Handicap and TAB Sophomore 1000 heading the undercard. Tony Peter’s recently acquired sprinter Rulership was most impressive in winning two quality sprint handicaps for his new trainer. He was rumoured unbeatable and confirmed the stable’s confidence on both occasions. Rulership is handily weighted for a sprinter on the up and is the only runner in the contest who looks to be at the peak of his powers. Peter’s filly Golden Sickle makes strong appeal in the Sophomore 1000. She has a powerful rival, however, in Sean Tarry’s Rafeef filly Troppo Veloce, on the up with a runaway win at the Vaal last time and with the looks of one destined for the top. In the Sun Chariot, a 2400m marathon with not much in it on the handicap scale, all seven runners hold chances.
Trainer Lucky Houdalakis, an ace with staying fillies, and there will be plenty of support for his hard-knocking Namaqua Blossom. He’s one to take a chance if your Pick 6 perm is too expensive, Look to Mike de Kock’s Shoemaker for a strike bet. He made an eye-catching return to form in the G1 Summer Cup and looks the proverbial “shoo-in” in Race 4. With Shoemaker and Rulership as potential Pick 6 bankers, this is a meeting not to miss!
Trainer Gareth van Zyl, who relocated his main string to the Western Cape in September and is bringing his runners to the boil, runs four-year-old gelding Natyam in Race 7 over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday. Natyam is lightly raced and above average, and Van Zyl said on Thursday that he is close to his peak. There are a few dangers including Prevalence and Blackberry Malt, while Natyam’s stablemate King Pelles has the notable jockey booking of Richard Fourie and comes into the play. Van Zyl said this one is “not the finished product yet” and that he was a Cape Derby hopeful and needed more racing. He did add that he is a decent sort who is a better horse on the racetrack than at home. Best bet on the card looks to be Foudre (Race 4), the half-brother to Rainbow Bridge and Hawwaam and highly regarded.
Calvin Habib, fourth on the 2023-4 National Jockey table and riding with increased confidence, will be looking for a hat-trick of wins at Scottsville on Christmas Eve. Following an improved run from Railroad last time, Habib has retained the ride for Michael Roberts in Race 3 over 1000m, a weak Maiden contest in which Railroad gets his best-yet chance to break the ice. Glen Kotzen has booked Habib for Lady Heist in Race 6, where she returns to 1400m after a long spell of sprinting and is expected to relish the extra. In Race 7 over 1000m, Habib gets on talented sprinter Captain Bombshell for the first time. He has made some recent progress following a stable change to Garth Puller in September and can get back to winning ways. Trainer Mike Miller has several two-year-olds entered in the two juvenile races and should dominate both. Stable jockey Tristran Godden rides Fine One (Race 1) and Just Reckless (Race 2) and the two could get punters off to a winning start.
There are jumps meetings at Uttoxeter and Ascot in the UK on Friday afternoon, followed by a flat race meeting at Southwell. Course-specialist Urban Road is likely to start at attractive odds in Race 5 over 1600m. He has been knocking at the door and could have his consistency rewarded. There is another Ascot meeting on Saturday, as well as afternoon fixtures on the flat at Lingfield and Newcastle, and at Wolverhampton in the evening. South African-born Greg Cheyne rides well-bred newcomer for trainer William Haggas in Race 2 at Lingfield and could go close to winning in a small field.
The Group 2 Al Maktoum Mile is the highlight of a cracking nine-race card at Meydan this Friday. UAE champion trainer Doug Watson has a good record in the race, having won two of the last four renewals. His charge Isolate, owned by RRR Racing and reunited with jockey Tyler Gaffalione, will be asked to concede weight to his nine rivals, but has bags of early speed and is fancied to start his campaign with a bang. He will take plenty of beating. Charlie Appleby, who boasts a smart strike-rate at Meydan, fields a strong team in the Al Rashidiya, the Group 2 showpiece over 1800m on turf. The race has been dominated by Appleby in recent years with three of the last four editions to his name. It looks significant that William Buick has chosen to ride progressive Measured Time ahead of last season’s beaten-favourite Ottoman Fleet who finished third. The son of Frankel, winner of three of his four races, has the benefit of a recent run, having lost his unbeaten status when second to Lion’s Pride in the Listed Racing TV Floodlit Stakes at Kempton last month. He has more to offer and demands plenty of respect on his Meydan debut.
Hong Kong’s champion jockey Zack Purton is fancied to win the HK$3,1-million Yan Chai Trophy over 2000m at Sha Tin on Saturday aboard Five G Patch, trained by Tony Cruz. He was sixth in the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Gold Vase recently and should be hard to beat in weaker company. Purton, with 44 winners on the board this season, has another strong chance aboard Fighting Machine in Race 6 over 1400m. Our Hong Kong Kong correspondent Declan Schuster predicts a good day for South African Keagan De Melo, who has ridden six winners at the last 10 meetings. He has two good mounts in Happy Hero (Race 5) and Wings of War (Race 8). The meeting starts early at 07:00.