The Pick 6 at Turffontein on Saturday is boosted by a R1-million carryover and the pool is expected to swell to R5 million. There are big and competitive fields in the two Grade 2 features in the Pick 6 and four other tricky races, which makes a five-figure dividend likely. Other highlights on a blockbuster racing weekend include Princess Calla’s debut in Canada, Muzi Yeni’s participation at the farewell meeting at Kranji, and top-tier action from Newmarket.
Trainers interviewed on Racing Today’s Track Talk (www.racingtoday.co.za) all agree that Gavin Smith’s high-class sprinter Cruise Control is virtually impossible to oppose in Race 5, the R200,000 Betway Cradock Place Stakes over 1200m. Smith confirmed his 12-time winner is in top shape: “He is flying, in a good space and doing really well, I’m expecting a big effort.” Cruise Control’s traditional rival Cliff Top has returned from an unsuccessful spell in KwaZulu-Natal. Trainer Alan Greeff’s runner defeated Cruise Control twice when they were three-year-olds, but Greeff suggested Cliff Top was short of his peak. “Cliff Top has taken longer to come to hand. We’ll be running to beat the favourite.”
On the strength of an eye-catching win in a strong handicap over 2800m at York in August, Tom Clover’s Table Talk looks best of five runners in Race 4, a Listed event for three-year-olds over the same distance. The son of Camelot will be partnered for the first time by in-form Tom Marquand, who is approaching 100 winners for the current flat season.
The Group 1 Grand Singapore Gold Cup over 2000m at Kranji brings the curtain down on 182 years of racing in Singapore. The race promises to be an exhilarating showdown among the top contenders, led by champion Lim’s Kosciuszko who has been in exceptional form this year with three Group 1 wins, including the Kranji Mile and QEII Cup. Despite carrying top weight, he is the one to beat, having previously triumphed in this feature under similar conditions. South Africa’s log-leading jockey Muzi Yeni has been invited to ride at the meeting and will be aboard outsider Smart Star for trainer David Kok. Yeni’s best hopes are in Race 1 over 1200m, in which he rides Sabah Star, and in Race 8 over 1600m aboard Frenetic. The meeting starts at 05:30.
The 2024 renewals of the Grade 2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge and the equivalent race for females, both over 1450m, have attracted full fields and top-quality runners. As always, they pit up-and-coming three-year-olds against older rivals and the weights make the younger horses competitive against their older and more accomplished rivals. Older runners have a better record, having won four of the last six renewals of both races.
There are several useful three-year-olds in both contests this time round, but it may pay to side with five-year-old mare Celtic Rumours in Race 6 and six-year-old William Robertson in Race 7. Gavin Lerena gets off well-performed Gimme A Shot to ride distance specialist Celtic Rumours, who will have to be at best to beat Grade 1-winning three-year-old VJ’s Angel, with Fiery Pegasus and Frozen Fantasy two other dangers among the bottom weights.
William Robertson, impressive in his comeback run to Dyce recently, won this race in 2022. He is a whopping 10.5kg better off with Main Defender for a 9.50-length beating in this race last year and looks in better form this time. There are other seasoned campaigners with chances, including Unzen, Gimmeanotherchance and Barbaresco, while the young guns are well represented by Grand Crescendo, Dantonfromsandton and Wild At War. Smith And Wesson is near his best winning mark in Race 9 and from a good draw appeals as a possible banker in a challenging Pick 6.
SUGGESTED PICK 6 PERM (R403.20 for 10%):
Starts in Race 4 @ 13:35
Leg 1: 1, 2, 5, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 14
Leg 4: 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12
Leg 5: 2, 4, 5
Leg 6: 8
Trainer Andre Nel’s runners usually improve markedly after their debuts. That’s worth noting because Nel charges Cork Bay (Race 2), Special Glamour (Race 3), Zeitz (Race 4) and Berry’s Boogie (Race 5) all made promising starts to their career and, with the experience of a run behind them, could go close in their respective races. Cork Bay had Fencing Captain just ahead of him when they were beaten by Peregrine Falcon, but was slowly away and green. Special Glamour was drawn wide on debut, but finished well ahead of Champagne Kisses who looks her main rival. Zeitz drifted in the betting when a good second to Boundless Energy and well-bred Berry’s Boogie tries further after a solid debut, which should be to her advantage.
This looks the trickiest of the Jackpot ONE carryovers this weekend and the best strategy will be to include the field in as many legs as possible. Three fields and a banker might do the trick and the one to gamble on is DJ Junior in the last leg, John and Thady Gosden’s Inspiral is looking for a repeat win in the Group 1 Virgin Bet Sun Chariot Stakes over 1600m on the Rowley Mile and showed in a recent preparation run she’s not far off her best form. She has a race on her hands against David Menuisier’s filly Tamfana, placed in the Group 1 Grand Prix De Paris at Longchamp before a facile Group 3 win at Sandown.
Former Equus Horse Of The Year Princess Calla makes her Canadian debut here and has been priced up favourite for Race 8, the Group 2 Dance Smartly Stakes over 1700m. She is being aimed at the Breeders Filly and Mare Turf at the Breeders Cup and is now in the care of Chad Brown.
Nine-year-old galloper First Bowl, who has scored twice since returning to his original stable from Singapore, looks ready to bounce back to winning form in Race 4 over 1020m at Kuala Lumpur. Trainer Lawson Moy’s runner was drawn wide and hanging in when second to Limitless Roar over the track and trip a fortnight ago.
Pierre Ng’s Irish-bred Ka Ying Generation goes on Sha Tin’s all-weather surface for the first time in Race 10 over 1650m. He was a Polytrack winner at Dundalk in Ireland and that may hold him in good stead here. Zac Purton rides him for the first time, which is an eye-catching booking. The meeting starts at 07:00.
A field of 16 will contest Sunday's Group 1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (15.20) after trainer Aidan O'Brien withdrew Auguste Rodin and Luxembourg from Europe’s glamour race at Thursday's final declaration stage. O'Brien will instead rely on Irish Derby and Great Voltigeur winner Los Angeles, as well as last year's fifth-placed Continuous, to provide him with a third win in the Arc. Los Angeles, who won the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud on his only previous start in France, would be the first Arc winner this century to break from stall No 10 should he oblige under Ryan Moore. Look De Vega and Sosie head the betting at 4-1 with Los Angeles at 5-1.
Paul Lafferty’s grey filly The Ghost was Grade 3-placed in the Strelitzia Stakes before she won her a Maiden Plate in exciting fashion at Scottsville recently. She’s improving with racing and could reverse the form with Spirit Of Levana in Race 7, the Beach Beauty Mile. Barend Botes has a useful sort in Care Forgot and Mike de Kock’s impressive debut winner Destiny Of Fire also come into the picture.