This weekend’s global racing calendar contains top-tier action in South Africa and several highlights in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. At Turffontein, trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren is expected to dominate with a host of good-form runners, including a standout Pick 6 banker. The action starts with a quality feature at Fairview on Friday. Top up your TAB account so you don’t miss out on your chance for a big win!
Trainer Justin Snaith has entered well-performed Pacaya for a classy renewal of the Friendly City Stakes over 1800m. He takes on two of Gqeberha’s top performers in Fairy Knight and Joy And Peace in what should be a thrilling contest. Racing240 presenter Nadine Low Ah Kee, a member of the syndicate that owns both Alan Greeff runners, said rain may affect the outcome of the race. “If the race is run on turf, I think Joy And Peace will be the greatest threat to Pacaya. She likes to unwind and enjoys the long straight. If it is moved to the Polytrack, Richard Fourie’s choice, Fairy Knight, will be better suited. But Pacaya will take some beating.”
Lake Forest was taken out of the Group 2 City Of York Stakes last month due to unsuitable track conditions, but is considered good enough to join William Haggas’ raiding party to Australia in November. He has a good chance to book his place to Sydney in the Listed Dubai Duty Free Cup Stakes for three-year-olds over 1400m today. “I’d like to run him in Sydney on 2 November,” said Haggas of his Group 1 Commonwealth Cup runner-up.
Talented sprinter Gamestonks is poised to chalk up his 11th Malaysian victory in Race 7 over 1200m at Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. He produced a career-best performance when defeating smart Antipodean last month, leading throughout to win by 0.50 lengths. Gamestonks is rated the third-best galloper in Malaysia, has scored twice in three starts over the course and distance and is on target for back-to-back victories. The meeting starts at 06:15.
Big Hearted makes his comeback after an eight-month layoff in Race 4 over 1400m. The eight-year-old is being aimed at his fifth run in the Group 1 Singapore Cup over 2000m, a race he won in 2020. Big Hearted had to undergo knee chip surgery after winning last January and trainer James Peters commented: “Big Hearted is very well in himself and we would always have another crack at the Gold Cup if all things went well, and they have. He’s had two good trials and we want him to work home strongly. I wouldn’t mind some rain on Saturday as he is a better horse on a wet track.” The meeting starts at 06:30.
There are two course specialists in the line-up for the Listed Settlers Trophy over 2000m. While both are a notch up in class, they are competitively weighted in a small field and could dispute the finish. Trainer Dean Kannemeyer’s sparingly raced five-year-old Pas De Nom has a habit of starting slowly, but his powerful finish has helped him to three wins from four starts at the tight country track. Brett Crawford’s Allez Moris is two from two over shorter, but there are no stamina doubts as he went down by just a neck to Love Is A Rose in his only start over 2200m. He is 5kg better off with his conqueror in that contest.
Trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren looks set to dominate this meeting on the inside track with six strong runners among his 11 entries. They include a potential Pick 6 banker in Barbaresco, who returns to the track in Race 8 over 1600m. He drew inspired betting support in the Hollywoodbets Durban July last season, but found 2200m beyond his reach. His participation in the July is a class indicator which puts him a league above his rivals in this Progress Plate. He won his only start over 1600m with impressive ease and should win this one too, even if ring rusty. Stablemate Obsidian is set for big improvement in Race 5 and is the first of Janse van Vuuren’s Pick 6 runners with a clear winning chance. Chasing Happiness looks the pick of his pair in Race 6 and the stable’s Nettleton will be hard to beat in Race 7.
SUGGESTED R384 PICK 6
Starts in Race 4@13:50
Leg 1: 1, 5
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 7
Leg 3: 2, 5
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: FIELD (1-8)
Powerful Glory tops the boards for the Group 2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes for two-year-olds over 1200m. He looks set to give trainer Richard Fahey his first win in the race since Ribchester successfully used the same sprint in 2015 as a stepping stone to a top career. Powerful Glory showed his potential when running out a 5.50-length winner on debut at Pontefract last month and his connections are keen to let him do the talking. “He's a big, scopey horse. You know you've got a good one when his work companions now are all older horses. You know you are dealing with something special,” said Fahey.
Bernard Pinheiro’s mount Military Flag looks a value bet in Race 8. This promising four-year-old found the competition too tough in the Group 1 Selangor Gold Cup last time out, when forced to race wide. With a drop in class, he is weighted to score in a field that appears weaker than the one he beat in a Class 3 race two starts ago. The meeting starts at 07:15.
Manfred Man Ka-leung's Chiu Chow Spirit is fast on the upgrade and could secure his third successive victory in Race 7, the Group 3 Celebration Cup Handicap over 1400m. He is in career-best form and made it two Class 2 victories on the bounce when he surged home from midfield to win a race devoid of early pace on 8 September. He looks the one to side with despite having the widest draw in a seven-horse field. The meeting starts at 07:00.
There is enough collateral form in Race 5 over 1800m on turf to suggest that in-form trainer Gareth van Zyl holds the strongest hand with Natyam. This five-year-old has finished ahead of Zakho, Trois Trois Quatre, Etiquette, and Blackberry Malt in recent races and there are no significant weight swings to impact that form. In his latest run Natyam was stubborn at the start when finishing just behind Tienie Prinsloo’s runner Kyomai. He’s now 0.5kg better off and enjoys a more favourable draw. Of the others Prince Of Taranto seems better suited to shorter distances, while Natyam’s stablemate Vihaan’s Bomb prefers further.