WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 25 - 27 October

LIKELY R3-MILLION PICK 6 KICKS OFF WEEKEND OF THRILLS!

This weekend’s racing action is packed with excitement and headlined by Friday’s expected R3-million TAB Pick 6 pool at Fairview, where two reliable bankers make their bids on the Polytrack. Saturday’s Turffontein meeting sets the stage for upcoming Highveld feature races with the seasonal debuts of an established star and several classic contenders. At Durbanville, leading filly Rascova returns after a brief rest and international racing fans can look forward to Cheltenham’s jumps season kick-off, the Cox Plate in Australia and Aidan O’Brien’s quest for a record 12th William Hill Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. It's a weekend of racing not to be missed with betting opportunities galore!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW:  TWO POTENTIAL BANKERS ARE EFFECTIVE ON POLYTRACK

This meeting has been moved from turf to the Polytrack due to heavy rain, but Pick 6 punters have no reason for alarm. Potential bankers Luna Halo (Race 6) and Cruise Control (Race 9) are both well accomplished on the surface. Luna Halo has a big weight, but towers above her rivals on ratings. Cruise Control is at the peak of his powers with two emphatic recent wins over this distance. He remains in Pinnacle Stakes company and there is every reason to believe he’ll win again. The scratchings of Justin Snaith raiders make the Algoa Cup an easier race to win for Alan Greeff’s top staying filly Joy And Peace, but it may pay to include Brett Crawford’s handily-weighted Allez Moris.

SUGGESTED R264 PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 13:45):

Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 8

Leg 2: FIELD (1-11)

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4

Leg 5: 1, 12

Leg 6: 1

CHELTENHAM UK: GALE MAHLER AIMS FOR 7 IN A ROW

The UK jump racing feature season gets underway at Cheltenham, where the Grade 2 Sky Bet Novices' Hurdle over 3300m tops the card. Adrian Paul Keatley’s mare Gale Mahler, undefeated in her last six runs, makes an eagerly awaited return and will be hard to beat in a small field. There are also flat meetings at Newbury and Doncaster, where recent winner Altmore should follow up in Race 4. Trainer William Haggas’ charge looks really smart and rates a good bet.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

MOONEY VALLEY AUSTRALIA: JAPANESE RAIDER LOOKS THE PART

After three defeats behind global superstar Romantic Warrior in Hong Kong, Japanese raider Prognosis seeks his first Grade 1 success in the iconic Group 1 W.S Cox Plate over 2040m, for which he has been installed as favourite. His overall international form looks too strong for his local rivals, notably Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni.

SELANGOR MALAYSIA: BANK ON IMPROVING WITNESSIMPACT

Witnessimpact, unbeaten locally, targets his fifth consecutive victory in Race 6, the Metro A contest over 1200m at Kuala Lumpur. The former Australia-based gelding faces his toughest challenge to date, but looks a star on the rise after four convincing wins in Malaysia. Race 1 is at 07:45.

TURFFONTEIN: TOP RUNNERS GET READY FOR THE BIG ONES

Several major-race contenders make their seasonal debuts at an exciting meeting. Summer Cup entry Pure Predator has a warm-up run in Race 4 over 1160m, where star sprinter Lucky Lad re-emerges over his favourite course and distance. Trainer Mike de Kock steps out another Summer Cup hopeful Marauding Horde in Race 5 over 1800m and two classic prospects in Greaterix (Race 6) and Heather’s Boy (Race 9), who are out to confirm their early potential. Tony Peter’s 111-rated filly VJ’s Angel is set for a big run in Race 8, in which she drops from feature-race class into a handicap. It’s a meeting not to be missed so if you can’t get to the track catch it live on Racing 240 on DStv.

HOLLYWOODBETS DURBANVILLE:  RASCOVA SET FOR WINNING RETURN

With Royal Aussie and Hluhluwe withdrawn from Race 8, the R165,000 Klawervlei Stud A Stakes over 1400m, Grade 2 WSB Fillies Guineas winner Rascova could make a winning return to the track after a three-month rest. She hasn’t raced since finishing third behind Red Palace in the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet on Gold Cup Day, The form was franked when fourth-placed Beating Wings, won the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge and it held up again last week, when Red Palace defeated Double Grand Slam at Durbanville.

DONCASTER UK: O’BRIEN BIDS FOR 12 FUTURITY WIN

Trainer Aidan O’Brien is set to saddle Delacroix in his bid for an astounding 12th victory in the Group 1 William Hill Futurity Trophy over 1600m. O’Brien has dominated the British Flat Season’s final Group One contest for years with the likes of St Nicholas Abbey (2009), Camelot (2011) and Auguste Rodin (2022) among his many successes in a race renowned for pinpointing the next season’s classic contenders. “Delacroix is tough and has been taking his racing very well. He’s a hardy, strong horse and handles an ease in the ground,” said O’Brien.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

HAPPY VALLEY HK: COUNT ON ZACK FROM A LOW DRAW

Talented Copartner Prance returns to his best track and trip in Race 10, the Guangzhou Handicap over 1200m. The drop in grade, a low draw and the services of Zack Purton should bring him right into contention, but he has a tough rival in Lucky Encounter. The David Hayes-trained five-year-old needed his last run and poses a major threat from a more favourable draw. The meeting starts at 06:45.

SELANGOR: IN-FORM INFINITY GLORY SET FOR HAT-TRICK

Infinity Glory has found his niche under leading trainer Simon Dunderdale, achieving two wins from three Malaysian starts. He finished runner-up on 8 September after a six-month break and has not looked back, securing successive victories over 1200m and leading throughout on both occasions. He looks on target for a hat-trick bid in Race 8. The meeting starts at 07:30.

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: JAHAM WILL RUN AT THEM LATE

The Model Man Mile, named after South Africa’s 14-time winning Horse Of The Year of 1987, pits eight up-and-coming three-year-olds against each other at a time when they’re all maturing and there is little form to separate them on paper. There are two course-and-distance winners in Mike de Kock’s Artist’s Model and Paul Lafferty’s View Of The World. But De Kock, commenting in his Betway column, leaned towards Jaham, his other colt in the race. “It’s a touch on the short side, but I think he’s a horse with promise,” said the trainer. Jaham will be doing his best work late and could get up if there is a good pace.

FORTHCOMING ATTRACTION

TURRFONTEIN 2 NOVEMBER: ON A MISSION CHARITY MILE

TAB Pick 6 carryover of R1,000,000 to next weekend’s Charity Mile Day raceday Turffontein. Expect a total pool close to R5 million, so be sure to start working out your permutations early.