TAB WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 30 May - 1 June

THREE JACKPOT CARRYOVERS ON A CRACKER WEEKEND

Three Jackpot ONE carryovers and four blockbuster sprint races headline a super weekend of graded racing at home and abroad. Locally, there are TAB Jackpot ONE carryovers totalling R700,000 at Fairview on Friday, Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Saturday and Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday. The top-drawer sprint clashes comprise Jackpot ONE at Maritzburg’s Festival of Speed, where a pool of over R1.5 million is anticipated. With potential bankers in all three carryover pools, punters have prime opportunities to strike it big.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: BANK ON GOLDEN PALM IN CARRYOVER JACKPOT

Two-year-old Golden Palm returns to home turf in Race 7, the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes over 1400m. She turned heads with a commanding victory in the Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery on Champions Day at Turffontein, confirming the high regard in which she is held by her connections. That form has since been well franked and she looks a standout banker in a race that forms part of the Pick 6 and the R100,000 Jackpot ONE carryover pool, which should top well over R500,000!

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SHA TIN: HELIOS EXPRESS GETS HIS CHANCE TO SHINE

In the absence of Ka Ying Rising, Helios Express will be all the rage to make an overdue return to the winner’s enclosure Race 8, the Sha Tin Vase over 1200m. He has placed seven times behind the local star this season. Sunlight Power looks a value bet in the supporting feature, the Lion Rock Trophy over 1600m. He was a smashing third to Red Lion in the Champions Mile and, back under handicap conditions, looks well treated. The meeting starts at 06:30.

HOLLYWOODBETS SCOTTSVILLE: RACE-BY-RACE GUIDE TO CARRYOVER JACKPOT

Horseplayers are in for an amazing day’s racing with three Grade 1s and a Grade 2 contest, all over 1200m. They make up Jackpot ONE at the track’s annual Festival of Speed and a R500,000 carryover could see the total pool soar to about R2 million. Here’s how we see the four legs:

Leg 1 (13:30): Race 5 - G1 ALLAN ROBERTSON CHAMPIONSHIP: Five stakes winners line up in a high-quality renewal of this contest. Among them, unbeaten dual Nursery winner Direct Hit stands out as the only one with a victory over 1200m. Fluent Grade 3 Pretty Polly Stakes winner One Fine Winter brims with potential, while imposing Elegantrix beat the boys in the Grade 3 Godolphin Barb Stakes. Wild Wild Green is held on recent form, but could enter the picture if an inside draw bias comes into play. Comic Relief takes a step up, but from what we’ve seen so far, she cannot be dismissed outright. Following the scratching of Green Diamond from the Gold Medallion, punters may have to take a chance and rely on Direct Hit as a banker.

Leg 2 (14:05): Race 6 - G1 GOLD MEDALLION: With Green Diamond out of the picture, this race is wide open. SA Nursery-placed Charming Cheetah has the best exposed form, but there are unknown quantities including African Pride, who was green on his well-backed debut and could be a surprise package. The Spies stable reported: “At a staggering 615 kilograms, African Pride is believed to be one of the biggest thoroughbreds in South African racing today. And though he’s yet to shed his maiden tag, the gelding has been quietly progressing and his work at home has turned heads. His imposing frame and long stride could prove a surprise weapon if he gets into rhythm early.” Zalatoris, Military Command and I’m A Fireball are obvious inclusions in what now shapes as a leg to include the field.

Leg 3 (14:40): Race 7 - G1 SOUTH AFRICAN FILLIES SPRINT (Grade 1): Five-year-old mare Asiye Phambili is arguably the best sprinter in the line-up and she’s got the speed to prove it. But this is a deep and competitive field that could catch punters off guard. If you’re not going wide, Sean Tarry’s runners should be included first. He knows how to win this race, having taken five of the last 10 renewals, and his in-form filly Mia Moo could keep that run going. Stable companion Mrs Browning is also coming to hand nicely and could well reverse recent form with Chasing Happiness. Just Be Lekker looked a picture when winning last time out and is drawn on what could turn out to be the favoured side of the track. Double Grand Slam and Rascova are major stakes winners who should be respected, even over a trip short of their best.

Leg 4 (15:15): Race 8 - G2 GOLDEN HORSE SPRINT (Grade 2): A high-class line-up in a race stacked with speed and several runners hold legitimate winning claims. He may not be the obvious pick, but Gqeberha raider Fairy Knight is a 1200m specialist with a champion jockey in the saddle. His form suggests he has the edge over Cruise Control, who was narrowly denied in this race last year. Surjay is a proven force over 1200m and must be respected along with progressive Cape-based counterpart Tenango, who has taken recent class rises in his stride. Future Variety shapes as a better option than 1000m-specialist Ziyasha this time around, while talented young colt Winds Of Change continues to knock on the door of a major win, but has to overcome a field packed with seasoned campaigners here. Outlaw King loves the distance.

SUGGESTED R405 (50%) JACKPOT PERM:
Leg 1: 10
Leg 2:  1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10
Leg 3:  FIELD (1-15)
Leg 4:  1, 4, 5, 7, 15, 16

HAYDOCK: ALL EYES ON AUDIENCE IN GROUP 3 FEATURE

Two Group 3s and a Listed contest on this Premier Race Day include a 12-runner line-up in Race 5, the Group 3 Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes over 1400m. John and Thady Gosden, with five winners from their last 20 runners including last Saturday’s Irish 2000 Guineas, could be on the mark again with 2024 Group 2 Lennox Stakes winner Audience. He should have improved many lengths since his unplaced run in the Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night.

HAYDOCK: BREEDERS’ CUP HERO STARLUST RETURNS

Race 5, the Group 2 Betfred Temple Stakes over 1000m, is headed by last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust, who’ll be giving weight away all round on his comeback. This is his final season before going to stud in Australia and he is set to face off against some tough rivals including Palace House Stakes hero Rumstar, fast-improving American Affair and Mgheera, a French Group 3 winner.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS:

SELANGOR: CINNAMON BLAZE TO TURN UP THE HEAT

After Group 1 victories in the Stewards’ Cup and Hong Kong Gold Cup, star gelding Voyage Bubble runs in the Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup over 2400m and is expected to make a bold bid to become just the second Hong Kong Triple Crown winner. Voyage Bubble is yet to prove he has the stamina to win over this distance, but trainer Ricky Yiu said this week: “The closer to the race and the more I look at this horse, I think he can absolutely handle the trip.” With James McDonald on board from a good gate, Yiu may be right. The meeting starts at 06:30.

SELANGOR: DON’T FORGET BOSS SHOULD CALL THE SHOTS

Well-performed five-year-old Cinnamon Blaze appears ideally placed under handicap conditions to make a strong impact in Race 5, a Max Two Stakes over 1300m.  He comes off a solid fourth against tougher opposition in the Chairman’s Trophy a fortnight ago and has two wins and two seconds from seven starts. He’s the highest-rated runner and should use his early speed to good effect from barrier five. The meeting starts at 06:30.

HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH: BANK ON KING’S QUEST IN CARRYOVER JACKPOT

There should be good value to be had about Candice Bass-Robinson’s three-year-old King’s Quest in Race 6 over 1400m. His eight career starts include two excellent runs over this course and distance. King’s Quest should be cherry ripe and may prove a shrewd banker in the carryover Jackpot ONE pool, in which four competitive fields demand out-of-the-box thinking. Justin Snaith’s Absolutely Yes, an unlucky third in the Western Cape Nursery, should go close in the topliner, the Listed Somerset 1200.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS:

FIRST-TIMER RULE NOW APPLIES TO TAB BIPOT BETS

TAB customers should note that the first-timer rule for Pick 6 bets has been extended to include the Bipot. Thus in the event of first-timers finishing first and second, the first horse to finish of those to have run before also qualifies for the Bipot.

The purpose of applying the first-timer rule to the Bipot is to prevent customers from being disadvantaged by first-timers. Consequently, the first-timer rule does not apply in the BiPot if a raced horse finishes first or second. As with the Pick 6, the first-timer rule only applies to BiPots on South African race meetings. In QuickMix bets it applies to South African races only. Obviously the first-timer rule is of no effect if all runners are first-timers.