WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 5 - 7 April

MASSIVE PICK 6 POOL ON CHAMPIONS DAY EXTRAVAGANZA

Sit back and enjoy world-class racing from noon to dusk on Champions Day at Turffontein this Saturday. This is Joburg’s biggest raceday and nine of the 10 races are features with eight graded events and a Listed contest. They include the final legs of the TAB SA Triple Crown and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara and there’s more, much more. A massive R2-million carryover is expected to generate an R8-million Pick 6 pool and punters can bet with TAB into Hong Kong’s mammoth World Pool tote on the four Grade 1 events. Riveting stuff loaded with good betting opportunities!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHT

FAIRVIEW: FOURIE WILL KEEP MEDLER’S TART IN HIS SIGHTS

Trainer Alan Greeff’s four-year-old stayer Bournemouth looks the right choice in the Glenair Trophy over 2800m. He is re-united with Richard Fourie following a defeat by filly Medler’s Tart over 2700m here last month, when jockey Louis Mxothwa was allowed to control the pace on the winner. They went almost 15 lengths clear and it is unlikely that Fourie will allow the same scenario to play out. Plus Bournemouth is 0.5kg better off, not an insignificant factor over this marathon trip.

UK: HAGGAS RUNNER’S FITNESS MAY BE KEY AT KEMPTON

Stormy weather is rolling across parts of the UK and could ravage the racing programme this weekend, although all-weather fixtures like Lingfield today should go ahead. The 2024 flat racing season is now in full swing as the curtain starts to descend on jump races and there are Premier Racedays scheduled at Kempton and Kelso (jumps) on Saturday and Bath on Sunday. William Haggas-trained Mystic Pearl, fourth in the Group 2 Ballanchine at Meydan in February, will be one of the fittest fillies in Race 2 at Kempton and could win at good odds.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

RANDWICK: SET YOUR ALARM AND HAVE A GO IN SYDNEY

Doncaster Mile Day at Randwick in Sydney is the before-dawn opening act on a blockbuster Saturday and you could win a bundle of loot with TAB before the sun rises. Hong Kong’s World Pool tote will be in operation on Races 3 to 9, which comprise four Grade 1 clashes and three other graded events. All Win, Place and Trifecta bets taken with TAB will go directly into the Hong Kong pools so have a dip. Race 3, the Carbine Club Stakes, runs at 04:35 and Kintyre could get your day off to a flying start. Early birds are said to get the worms so set your alarm.

KRANJI: LE GRANGE HOLDS THE ACES IN GROUP 3 SPRINT AT KRANJI

South African-born trainer Ricky Le Grange believes both Ace Of Diamonds and Strike Gold have chances of winning Saturday’s Group 3 Singapore Three-Year-Old Sprint over 1200m at Kranji. Le Grange’s charges are the highest-rated runners in a nine-strong field and could fight out the finish. Le Grange leans towards Ace Of Diamonds. “I was very happy with their trials last Tuesday (Ace Of Diamonds won the trial and Strike Gold ran third). Ace Of Diamonds is an easy horse to ride, while Strike Gold has got a lot of ability, but he’s mentally not 100% right yet.” The meeting starts at 6.30am.

TURFFONTEIN: COUNT ON GIMME A NOTHER FOR 7 FROM 7

The R2-million World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m headlines an all-quality card at Turffontein and it’s the most competitive race of the day. In a Pick 6 structured around obvious banker Gimme A Nother (Race 6), this last leg is the one in which many will target an upset and we’ve put the field in the suggested permutation below. Here’s a brief guide to the eight graded events (Races 2 to 9) and remember the Pick 6 (Races 4 to 9) closes at 13:45.

Race 2 (Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery 1160m): Almond Sea has won three of three by a collective margin of just under 20 lengths. In the unlikely event that her winning run ends, Cape Sales race winner Little Ballerina may cause the upset.

Race 3 (Grade 2 TAB SA Nursery 1160m): Pistol Pete, another with three wins to his name and yet to be extended, looks impossible to oppose on what we’ve seen so far.

Race 4 (Grade 2 TAB Hawaii Stakes 1400m): If you’re going to look beyond top three-year-old colts Sandringham Summit and Lucky Lad, this becomes a minefield start to the Pick 6. There are several capable 1400m runners against the young pair - take the field to ensure survival.

Race 5 (Grade 2 Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks 2450m): Trainer Mike de Kock said this week that Silver Sanctuary is talented and was unlucky to have been born in the same year as Gimme A Nother. He has every confidence that she will stay the trip and win, but on ratings you may want to add Let’s Go Now. Up-and-coming Oaks Trial winner Frances Ethel is the best of the rest.

Race 6 (Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes 1600m): Star filly Gimme A Nother will carry the hopes of most Pick 6 players as she goes for seven in a row. Don’t oppose.

Race 7 (Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint 1000m): Ace sprinter Thunderstruck’s consistency may give him the edge over sometimes erratic Dyce, but it doesn’t stop there. Speedy Golden Sickle is unbeaten in four runs over the course and distance. Include them and in-form speedster Mover and Shaker.

Race 8 (Grade 1 TAB SA Derby 2450m): There are no obvious reasons to doubt SA Classic hero Purple Pitcher’s ability to see out the testing trip and win it on class alone, but up-and-coming Marauding Horde looks a dangerous rival.

Race 9 (Grade 1 World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge 2000m): A case can be made for every runner. Perhaps you can ignore stayers like Aragosta and Future Pearl and leave out off-form Safe Passage, but do that at your peril. Improving Meridius makes plenty of value appeal at his current odds of 33-1.

SUGGESTED R2,800 PICK 6 (R560 for 20%):

Leg 1: FIELD (1-10)

Leg 2: 1, 3

Leg 3: 6

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 12

Leg 5: 1, 6

Leg 6: FIELD (1-14)

KENILWORTH: 1600M A WORRY FOR FAVOURITE RASCALLION

Cape Town Met runner-up Rascallion has been priced up a short favourite for the Grade 3 Variety Club Mile, but it has to be noted that he has only won once over 1600m in eight previous attempts. Montien, in turn, won the Grade 3 Cape Mile from well-performed Royal Aussie, while capable but unreliable Pacaya defeated Quasiforsure in the Listed Jet Stakes over 1600m. Both have claims and should be included alongside the favourite.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SHA TIN: MEDIA RECKON MAN ASKING TOO MUCH OF HIS STAR

The South China Morning Post this week fiercely criticised trainer Manfred Man for over-racing Lucky Swaynesse, the world’s highest-rated sprinter. The racing media generally seem to agree that Lucky Swaynesse deserves a rest and is therefore vulnerable in Sunday’s Group 2 Sprint Cup over 1200m at Sha Tin. The one most likely to win if Lucky Swaynesse runs below best is John Size-trained Howdeepisyourlove, a serious galloper on the rise. The meeting gets underway at 06:45.

SCOTTSVILLE: KING OF THE GAULS CAN RULE THE ROOST

Highly regarded King Of The Gauls returns to the course and distance of his impressive first career win at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday. He lines up in Race 7 over 1000m, having returned from a spell in the Cape that yielded a 1200m win and a narrow defeat over 1000m. He is a bit temperamental and still learning about racing, but is expected to mature and improve significantly this winter. With Fourie aboard, he should outgun this field.