There is a full weekend of local racing to look forward to with the rescheduled meeting at Hollywoodbets Durbanville now forming part of a Saturday double-header that also includes a nine-race card at Turffontein.
This follows Friday's competitive value-to-be-had nine-event Polytrack meeting at Fairview with Sunday's eight races at Hollywoodbets Scottsville bringing the curtain down on an action-packed weekend of local racing.
And with Richard Fourie confirming he is “100% committed” to winning the jockeys' championship this season, it could pay to pay to follow the big-race rider over the three days.
He has struck up a potent partnership with Alan Greeff in the Eastern Cape and that should bear more fruit with Central City expected to deliver the goods in Race 5 over 1600m and Arturo, who is fancied to make a winning three-year-old and handicap debut in Race 8.
FOURIE AND DE KOCK TEAM UP AT TURFFONTEIN
Richard Fourie's decision to vacate his position as stable jockey to Justin Snaith sees him head north on Saturday with three of his Highveld rides of particular interest and worth a punt on the
nose.
He rides Tyrconnell for Mike de Kock in Race 2 on the four-year-old gelding's reappearance, 45 weeks on from a promising debut second in the BSA Sales Cup behind Unzen. If not in need of the outing, this son of The United States should prove too good for his rivals.
A return to 1400m and Turffontein's Standside track for Race 6 should stand Lucky Houdalakis-trained Queen Of Camelot in good stead. Fourie's ride jumps from gate No 1 with just 54.5kg on her back so could represent generous each-way value in an otherwise competitive handicap.
Sean Tarry-trained Maboneng has been kept on the boil recently but is maintaining her form and consistency. She has the widest No 10 draw to negotiate in Race 8 but, given their recent success together, if there's one rider Tarry would want aboard his charge, Fourie is more than
capable of overcoming the wide gate to give weight and a beating to his rivals.
Suggested Pick 6
R1050
Leg 1: 4, 6, 8, 9, 10
Leg 2: 1, 5, 6
Leg 3: 5, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 9
Leg 5: 2
Leg 6: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
VAN NIEKERK, SNAITH TO DOUBLE UP
Grant van Niekerk has assumed the role of the Snaith's No 1 rider, and he should make the most of the opportunity by winning aboard Triptothewoods (Race 1) and Night Ruler (Race 7) in Cape Town on Saturday.
TARRY TO STRIKE AT SCOTTSVILLE
Richard Fourie and Sean Tarry are likely to be at it again in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday with Freedom Square, who will probably prove popular with punters in Race 4.
Progressive Aurora Storm has won and finished second twice in his last three starts and that good run of form ought to continue with Peter Muscutt's charge strongly fancied to return to winning ways with Fourie aboard in Race 7.
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOUR TOUCHES DOWN AT ASCOT
The 2023 renewal of the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup at Ascot headlines the International action over the weekend with a star-studded line-up of 12 jockeys engaged to ride at the meeting making up the four teams that will do battle.
The Shergar Cup is one of the world’s premier jockeys’ competition where three riders in each of four teams - Great Britain & Ireland, Rest of the World, Ladies and Europe - battle against one another.
Subject to full fields, each jockey has five rides across the afternoon.
Points are awarded on a 15, 10, 7, 5, 3 basis to the first five horses home. If there is a non-runner which cannot be replaced by a reserve, 4 points will be awarded both to the team and jockey missing out on the ride. If a dead-heat occurs in a race, the points for the two places are
added together, divided by two and shared between the two jockeys/teams.
The team with the highest total after race six lifts the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup, while the jockey amassing the most individual points will take home an additional £3,000 plus the Alistair Haggis Silver Saddle trophy.
One jockey will receive the Dubai Duty Free Ride-Of-The-Day Award.
GENERAL BACK IN COMMAND
Singapore racing continues on Sunday with a 12-race turf and dirt fixture at Kranji Racecourse, where talented sprinter General Command looks set to return to winning ways when he lines up in the $85,000 Class 2 Handicap over 1100m on the Polytrack. General Command, with Manoel Nunes up, boasts an impressive record of four wins and three places from seven local starts. The gelding was defeated for the first time on the Polytrack two starts ago when he endured a wide trip but still stuck on well for a gallant second behind The August.
General Command was last seen finishing third to Mr Malek in a Class 1 race over 1200m on turf, of which the form has since held up.
This week, General Command is highly suited by switching back to the Polytrack, where he is four from five, and he is clearly the one to beat.