Here’s a weekend packed with opportunities to win big cash on entertaining racing locally and abroad. Locally there are well-sized, competitive fields and internationally TAB customers can bet into the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool tote on two meetings - the Doomben fixture in Brisbane, Australia on Saturday morning and Newbury in the UK later in the day. Great stuff so start studying. It could be a weekend well worth remembering!
Trainer Alan Greeff’s hot streak is showing no sign of cooling. Fresh off a feature-race double last weekend and a bold Hollywoodbets Durban July supplementary entry in My Best Shot, Greeff has momentum on his side and three of his runners look worth following. Baie Mooi was backed into odds-on favourite on her debut and cruised in by almost nine lengths. She should continue her progress in Race 4. Heemstede, recently relocated from Cape Town, is set to exit the Maiden ranks in Race 6 and consistent Sharapova looks the part in Race 8.
YORK: REBEL’S ROMANCE CAN MAKE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN
Charlie Appleby-trained globetrotter Rebel’s Romance will face just four rivals in Race 4, the Group 2 Boodles Yorkshire Cup Stakes over 2800m. He hasn’t raced in England since finishing third in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes last year. But he did finish fourth at Meydan last month, when attempting to defend his Longines Dubai Sheema Classic crown, and could return to winning ways with regular partner William Buick back in the irons.
Get up early and enjoy some quality action. The Grade 1 Doomben 10,000 over 1200m heads the card and Sunshine in Paris looks the part, barring a wide draw. She will need luck to overcome that disadvantage and Jedibeel looks a better-value proposition. TAB Win, Place, Quinella and Swinger bets on Races 6 to 9 will be commingled into the World Pool.
Ultra-consistent six-year-old Outfit looks poised for a winning return in Race 9 at Kuala Lumpur. After opening his Malaysian campaign with back-to-back Class 5 victories this year, the Jason Ong-trained gelding has maintained solid form, notching up five consecutive placings at Class 4 level. He’s shown grit from wide draws in his last two runs and finally gets a kinder gate. He shapes as the one they’ll all have to beat. The meeting starts at 07:45.
Jockey Callan Murray, back in South Africa after a four-year stint in Australia, makes his return with seven promising rides for Mike and Mathew de Kock. “We’re hoping to give Callan a winning comeback,” commented Mat on Thursday. He reckons the stable’s three newcomers - Limerick Lace (Race 2), Schipole (Race 4) and Take No Prisoners (Race 5) - are all nice types with each-way chances. Of their raced runners, Emerald Forge (Race 1), Balule (Race 3) and Artist’s Model (Race 8) all have strong winning claims. The confidence in Artist’s Model is important because Race 8 is included in the Pick 6 and both Jackpots.
SUGGESTED R259.20 (10%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @13:00):
Leg 1: 2, 11, 13
Leg 2: 1, 7, 12, 13
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11
Leg 5: 5
Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Richard Hannon’s four-year-old Rosallion is set to make his long-awaited return to action in the Group 1 BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes over 1600m (Race 4). The colt finished second in the 2000 Guineas last year before winning the Irish equivalent and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. “With that turn of foot he’s got, Rosallion’s probably the fastest miler I’ve ridden,” said Swaziland-born Sean Levey, who has partnered the dual Group 1 winner in all four impressive career wins so far. TAB Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella, Swinger and Trifecta bets on all races will be commingled into the World Pool. You can count on huge pools and multiple chances to land a big win.
Definitive is an interesting runner in Race 10, the 1600m topliner at the meeting. From a speed map perspective, he looks likely to either find the front or park up on the pace without much pressure. He was sent out favourite at Happy Valley in his last start, but was used early and faded to finish over four lengths off in seventh place. He’ll need to improve on his Sha Tin record, but his effort here three starts ago was solid, so there’s reason to be forgiving. With Zac Purton up for the first time, he looks worth a bet. The first race is off at 06:45.
Craig Zackey holds a narrow lead over reigning champion jockey Richard Fourie on the national log and will be aiming to widen the gap aboard four well-bred and expensive first-timers. All four were given positive pre-race comments by their trainers in Computaform. Justin Snaith was the most upbeat, describing Late Bloomer (Race 2) as a “nice type who will go close on debut”. Usually more circumspect, Sean Tarry said he was “hoping for a good run” from Trajanus (Race 1), while Dean Kannemeyer suggested that both Aristocratic (Race 3) and Princess Averni (Race 4) are worth including in exotic bets.