WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 26 - 28 July

STAR-STUDDED RACING AND A HUGE PICK 6 CARRY-OVER!

Sunday’s star-studded card for World Pool Gold Cup Day at Hollywoodbets Greyville features four mouthwatering Grade 1 races, three Grade 2s, one Grade 3 and two Listed races. To top it all, there is a Pick 6 carryover of R2-million to boost what is expected to be a R15-million pool, and a Quartet carryover to Race 7 of R1-million, expected to grow to R5-million. There is a possible Pick 6 banker in the HKJC Champions Cup, and a chance to win the big Quartet with a small perm. An exciting Juvenile feature starts the weekend of racing on Friday, followed by a competitive and well-supported meeting at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday (weather permitting). The international highlight is Saturday’s Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot. This is also a Hong Kong World Pool meeting. As racing weekends go, they don’t come much better than this.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: CAPE RAIDERS COULD FIGHT OUT JUVENILE CUP

Justin Snaith and Brett Crawford have entered a pair of well-performed, up-and-coming two-year-old colts to take on Gqeberha’s leading juveniles in the Listed Champion Juvenile Cup. Snaith’s Makazole finished second in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes and wasn’t disgraced when beaten under five lengths in the Grade 2 Durban Golden Horseshoe at Hollywoodbets Greyville. He looks course and distance suited and will jump from an inside draw. Crawford’s Mauritius Kestrel was third in the Grade 3 Langerman at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, arguably the best form pointer in the race, but his wide draw is a concern. Best of a strong local brigade could be Gavin Smith’s Kingdundee, winner of the Listed Dahlia Plate, but he’ll be racing around the Fairview bend for the first time.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH: WINTER COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS GO DOWN TO THE WIRE

The Winter Country Championships for lower-division runners draw to a close with the final legs of the respective series, Race 6 (1000m), Race 7 (1400m) and Race 8 (1600m). Points have been accumulated by all contenders over the last six months and the finals carry stakes of R200,000 each. Palo Queen goes into the 1000m race a few points clear of veteran runner Wordsworth, but they’ll both have to beat Swift Action, who ran a cracker in a stronger contest last time. Old rivals Kebonalesedi and Kelp Forest are ahead on points coming into the 1400m race, but they too can expect strong opposition. Wugug and Go Like Flo are both down in class and have strong claims. There are only a few points between Master Of Paris and Radicchio for the 1600m prize. They have useful opposition in the form of Steinbeck and Fly Futura. Captain West (Race 5) looks ready to win and has the makings of an exotic banker.

ASCOT: AUGUSTE RODIN SPEARHEADS O’BRIEN’S KING GEORGE ATTACK

Aidan O'Brien saddles three of the nine runners in Race 5, the Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes over 2400m following Monday's confirmation stage, with Ryan Moore’s mount, Auguste Rodin, set to lead the Ballydoyle team into battle. “He's probably less complicated now,” said O’Brien about Auguste Rodin, who disappointed when he finished last of 10 in this race last year. “He’s in good form and everything has been good with him since Ascot.”

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

KRANJI: LIM’S KOSCIUSZKO BIDS FOR LION CITY CUP HAT-TRICK

Local star Lim’s Kosciuszko is looking to make it three straight victories in the Group 1 Lion City Cup over 1000m. He won this race with authority last year and is undefeated so far this term. He hasn’t raced since his dominant win the Group 1 Kranji Mile in May but has been kept on the boil and impressed in a recent trial. He should be able to slot into a comfortable position from barrier five. The two-time Singapore Horse of the Year is said to be tuned for the race. “’Kosi’ is fit and ready. He is the best horse in the race,” said trainer Daniel Meagher. The meeting starts at 6.30.

HOLLYWOODBETS GREYVILLE: SEE IT AGAIN LOOKS A BANKER; TARRY BRINGS BIG GUNS

Trainer Sean Tarry is roughly R1.5-million in gross stake earnings behind log-leader Justin Snaith in the 2023/4 title race. He is bringing his A-team to this meeting for a powerful hand in all eight Graded races on this exceptional 10-race programme. Champion jockey in-waiting Richard Fourie has been booked to ride most of the Tarry runners. They include up-and-coming Rodeo Drive in Race 2, the Group 2 World Pool With Gold Circle Debutante Stakes over 1200m, promising Legend Of Arthur in the Grade 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes over 1600m, star colt Lucky Lad in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m and champion stayer Future Pearl in Race 7, the Grade 3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m. While Tarry is likely to have a number of winners, Michael Roberts-trained See It Again will be hard to beat in the topliner, the Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m. He is perfectly course and distance suited in his third run after a rest and following a close and decidedly unlucky fifth place in the Hollywoodbets Durban July. He finished second to Princess Calla in the Champions Cup last year and should go one better this time. He is the closest to a Pick 6 banker on the programme.

SUGGESTED R1080 PICK 6 (R360 for 33%)
Starts @13:50

Leg 1: 2, 7, 12

Leg 2: 3, 9, 11, 12, 13

Leg 3: 3, 5, 13

Leg 4: 5, 6, 9, 12

Leg 5: 10

Leg 6: 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 15

SUGGESTED QUARTET PERM (R288):
Race 7 @ 16:10
Triple Float 6, 9 and 12, with the field.