WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 08 - 10 March

BACK WINNERS AROUND THE WORLD THIS WEEKEND

There is a nice, mixed bag of racing with betting opportunities around the world this weekend, including three Listed feature races at Turffontein on Saturday, a Grade 3 at Kranji on Saturday and a Grade 1 at Sha Tin on Sunday. On Saturday, Sandown hosts a Listed jumps feature ahead of next week’s exciting Cheltenham Festival over jumps. Build your betting kitties for next week’s world-class action!

FRIDAY: FOURIE SHOULD ADD A FEW MORE TO HIS TALLY AT FAIRVIEW

Richard Fourie has reached the 200-winner mark in his quest to better Anthony Delpech’s long-standing record of 334 winners in a single season. Fourie could add a few more to his tally on the turf track at Fairview on Friday, where his mount, Sun Spectacular (Race 3, 1600m), has the makings of a Pick 6 banker. He makes his debut for leading trainer Kelly Mitchley following a number of good runs in strong Maidens in Cape Town and shouldn’t go wrong in this. Heathcliff (Race 5, 2700m) is the only runner in a decent field of stayers to have won over the testing distance. He looks cherry ripe and hard to beat. Arturo, according to his trainer Alan Greeff, “has hit the sweet spot” and is a lively contender for Fourie in Race 8 over 1200m. Trainer interviews on Racing Today, here.

FRIDAY: WILD TIGER CAN POST A WELCOME WIN FOR BIN SUROOR

Saeed bin Suroor has not been in the limelight in Dubai this season, but Godolphin’s longest-serving trainer can enjoy a welcome and overdue winner at Meydan on Friday. He saddles Wild Tiger in the finale, a 1400m handicap on turf. The son of Frankel made an encouraging comeback on his Meydan debut when narrowly denied by Mountbatten in a competitive handicap over 1600m and should go one better. Vespasian (Race 7, 1200m on turf) is fancied to continue the good run of Simon and Ed Crisford, who are operating at an impressive strike-rate this season. He has blossomed since arriving in the Emirates.

SATURDAY: GOLDEN MONKEY WON’T BE EASILY CAGED AT KRANJI

Golden Monkey is tasked to carry 58.5kg at the handicap conditions in Race 11, the $110,000 Group 3 Committee’s Prize over 1600m at Kranji on Saturday but has the class to win despite that burden. A seven-time winner, including five at Group level, Golden Monkey comes into the race in the best form of his career. He carried 58kg to a 1.25-length victory in the recent Group 3 Fortune Bowl over 1400m and in Jaden Lloyd has a young rider hungry for winners. The meeting starts at 6am.

SATURDAY: DE KOCK’S FILLY TO SHOW NO MERCY AT TURFFONTEIN

Mike de Kock’s Forgiveness, a low-flying second to her highly rated stablemate East Coast over 2000m at the Vaal last month, could be the one to beat in Saturday’s Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial over the same distance, one of three Listed races on a nine-race card at Turffontein. The improving daughter of Silvano is back in fillies’ company and in-form jockey Ray Danielson has been booked to negate her wide draw. The very same East Coast has a winning chance in the Aquanaut Handicap over 2400m, but, at the weights, a case can be made for every runner in the race. At the bottom end, Prime Example, who has run exceptionally well in two starts for new trainer Tyrone Zackey, comes into the fray alongside filly Indian Ocean. She steps up in class but is lightly raced and has the makings of a quality type. Lucky Houdalakis has scratched Viva Brazil from the TAB Hawwaam Stakes over 2000m but his other runner, Hawkbill, has good prospects, once again on a line of form through older galloper East Coast. Include De Kock’s up-and-coming three-year-olds, Dubai Hills and Marauding Horde.

SATURDAY: CRAWFORD’S PAIR COULD FIGHT OUT NEWLANDS STAKES AT KENILWORTH

The scratching of Solomons Seal has left only six runners to contest Race 3, the Newlands Stakes over 1400m, which tops the bill at Kenilworth on Saturday. He was the potential pace setter, a task for which none of the others seems suitable and makes this an even trickier contest. Highest-rated Zil Moris has the best course-and-distance form and with Fourie on board is probably the right choice, but if his big weight tells, this race could fall to any of his rivals. For a safe start to another tough Cape Place Accumulator, it may be wise to include in-form Lindbergh and talented My Golly Molly, who should improve in his second run after having been gelded. There are no obvious bankers on the card, spread wide in all the exotics.

SUNDAY: LUCKY SWEYNESSE CAN DEFY TOP WEIGHT IN GRADE 1 CONTEST AT SHA TIN

Second season trainer Pierre Ng, who leads the Hong Kong championship by 12 wins, is optimistic of securing a first Group 1 when Taj Dragon and Galaxy Patch take aim at the world’s best sprinter, Lucky Sweynesse, in the HK$13 million Grade 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup over 1400m at Sha Tin on Sunday. Taj Dragon is a five-time winner over 1400m at Sha Tin who holds an entry to the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai, while Galaxy Patch is a rising champion with four wins from seven starts to his credit and likely to love the extra 200m under regular rider Karis Teetan. But Lucky Sweynesse, a 15-time winner, remains the horse to beat. He won both his 1400m starts and only his big weight stands in the way of another feature success. The meeting gets under way at 7am.

SUNDAY: FOLLOW PETER AND HABIB AT GREYVILLE

Trainer Tony Peter and stable jockey Calvin Habib, four times successful on Classic Day at Turffontein last week, will be looking for a hat-trick of wins away from home at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday. Golden Chandelier (Race 2, 1000m), a well-backed winner of her last start, is likely to be pressed to go handy from a wide draw and looks to have the pace to get the partnership off the mark. Trippis Tune (Race 4, 1400m), is improving steadily and judged on her last two runs will enjoy this distance. Agamemnon (Race 5, 2300m) ran a much-improved race for Peter over 2600m last time. He is likely to employ front-running tactics, stays all day and should get it right in a moderate field.

THE UK WEEKEND

Archie Watson’s runner, Absolute Star, beaten into second on his well-backed debut over 1400m on the all-weather at Newcastle in January, should get out of the blocks in Race 4 over the same course and distance on Friday evening. This meeting is backed by racing over the jumps at Ayr, Exeter and Leicester. Saturday’s highlight is the Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Mares' Standard Open National Hunt over 3200m on Premier Raceday at Sandown, in which Dan Skelton’s Honky Tonk Highway has drawn strong early support. Saturday’s flat meetings take place on the all-weather tracks at Wolverhampton and Chelmsford. Southwell hosts a seven-race card on the all-weather track on Sunday.