WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 14 - 16 June

GOOD POINTERS ON A RACING WEEKEND FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES

There are clues from connections and good form pointers at race meetings around the world this weekend, starting at Fairview on Friday, where trainers Alan Greeff and Gavin Smith have pinpointed their best runners. Record-setting Richard Fourie rides most of the ace runners carded on Friday and in Saturday’s TABGold Derby and TABGold Oaks at Hollywoodbets Greyville. He also has a good book of rides at Turffontein on Sunday. UK trainer David Meniusier expects to win the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on Sunday. With good information at hand, it’s easier to win. Make sure your TAB accounts are topped up so you can have a say in the winning action!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: GREEFF AND SMITH TO DOMINATE WITH FORM RUNNERS

Leading trainers Alan Greeff and Gavin Smith identified their best runners on the day in Racing Today’s Track Talk (www.racingtoday.co.za). Greeff reckoned Central City (Race 5, 2000m) was unlucky not to have won his last start and, with his ability proven on the Polytrack, is expected to win over the same distance. He said St Cloud (Race 6, 2000m) will be right in the thick of things if she gets away on terms and Si Gioca (Race 8, 1300m) will be “a tough nut to crack”. Smith suggested that Queen Of Jazz (Race 1, 1200m) has only inexperience to blame for her narrow defeats so far, but this could be her day. Best Intentions (Race 3, 1200m) is “fresh and happy” and Smith is hoping she can exit the maiden ranks in a small field.

SANDOWN: MURPHY COULD EXTEND HIS LEAD ON JOCKEYS’ LOG

Oisin Murphy, who leads Rossa Ryan by 14 winners in the UK’s 2024 Flat Jockeys Championship, has a few quality rides, including Tom Clover’s Rajeteriat in Race 1 over 1000m. He’s a progressive colt who has two good places to show from two outings and has the best exposed form in the race. John and Thady Gosden’s Attack is one of only three raced runners in Race 3 over 1400m. He finished a good second on his York debut last month and should go close if Charlie Appleby’s first-timer, Royal Officer, arrives at the track unfancied.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SHA TIN: IN-FORM VICTORY MOMENTS COULD STRIKE AGAIN

Trainer Frankie Lor’s Australian-bred four-year-old, Victory Moments, is a class act who has only missed the frame once in seven starts this season. He comes into Race 8, the Grass Island Handicap over 1200m, at the top of his game. He should confirm the form of his most recent win with main rival, Hong Kong Hall. Call Me Glorious seeks back-to-back wins in the supporting feature, the Clear Water Bay Handicap over 1200m (Race 6). He was super impressive winning his last start and with a repeat of that effort will be hard to beat. This is the fourth of seven twilight meetings at Sha Tin and it starts at 10:00, SA time.

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: FUTURE PEARL HAS THE SCOPE TO WIN TABGOLD DERBY

Richard Fourie has elected to ride Sean Tarry’s Future Pearl in Race 6, the Grade 3 TABGold Derby over 2400m ahead of Justin Snaith’s well-performed stayers One Way Traffic and Without Question, and Mike de Kock’s Aragosta, on which he has won Grade 1 and Grade 3 stayer’s features. Future Pearl was awarded the 2023 Equus Champion Stayers Award on the strength of three wins over 3200m. While he has yet to win over 2400m, his earlier career wins over 1600m and 1700m suggest that this Derby trip is within his range of effectiveness. My Soul Mate, beaten under two lengths in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000, should fight out the finish of Race 7, the TABGold Oaks over 2400m, with Saartjie, the other top-level performer in the race. At the ratings, 2024 Grade 1 Cape Met winner Double Superlative looks home and dry in Race 4 over 1600m, the first leg of the Pick 6.

SUGGESTED R1,440 PICK 6 (R144 for 10%):

Leg 1: 5

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 6

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5, 10

Leg 4: 1, 4, 8

Leg 5: 4, 5, 7, 13

Leg 6: 1 ,4, 5, 6, 7, 11

YORK: RELENTLESS VOYAGER PACKS THE CLASS IN A SMALL, LISTED LINE-UP

The Listed Ebor Grand Cup stakes over 2800m tops the bill on a seven-race card at this Premier race meeting. Andrew Balding’s four-year-old gelding Relentless Voyager, third in last season’s Group 2 Italian Derby and a good winner of the recent Northern Dancer Handicap, should be too good for a small field of stayers.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

KRANJI: GOLDEN MONKEY SHOULD DODDLE THE KRANJI STAKES

The Tim Fitzsimmons-trained Golden Monkey, considered among the top five runners in Singapore, shoulders top weight in Race 5, the $100,000 Kranji Stakes over 1600m, but is the one to beat in a six-horse field. He drops in class following his third place in the Group 1 Kranji Mile, races from the inside draw and looks perfectly lined up for the eighth win of his career. Take a double with Ricky le Grange’s Longevity in Race 6 over 1700m. He is near the top of his form, handily weighted and well drawn.

TURFFONTEIN: FOLLOW FOURIE ON A TRICKY CARD

Richard Fourie has a number of rides worth following on a tricky card. He should go close in Race 1 over 1600m aboard I Belong, who finished on the heels of subsequently Listed-placed Waheed in April and, on his pedigree, is likely to enjoy the extra. Gimmefabulous (Race 2, 1160m), is back against her own sex after a fair run in an open handicap against colts at the Vaal in May. Trois Trois Quatre (Race 6, 1800m), is overdue his fourth career win and, with a good record at the Standside track, looks to be in the right race. Raiseahallelujah was well fancied when second in the recent Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup and has strong claims despite having to shoulder top weight in Race 8 over 2400m.

CHANTILLY: TRAINER EXPECTS TAMFANA TO WIN THE PRIX DE DIANE

Sunday’s European topliner is the 175th running of the Group 1 Prix de Diane Longines for three-year-old fillies over 2100m boasts a competitive 14-strong field. It’s never easy to beat the French on their home turf, but UK-based David Menuisier is confident that his German-bred filly Tamfana has the quality to do it. She was a very creditable fourth to Elmalka in the Group 1, 1000 Guineas at Newmarket early in May. A Group 2 winner at Chantilly last season, Tamfana is no stranger to French racing conditions and Menuisuir commented: “Tamfana is the best filly I've ever trained, and sometimes I'm right! She’s exceptional. She’s capable of biding her time from off the pace, but also able to travel very easily during the race, before unleashing a lethal turn of foot. I think she will hold her own.”