WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 9 - 11 August

SEVERAL GOOD STRIKE BETS ON A FUN RACING WEEKEND

There are a number of potential strike bets around the country this racing weekend, starting with a three-year-old labelled as “hard to beat” at Fairview on Friday. Former champion jockey Keagan de Melo pays a rare visit to Turffontein on Saturday and should boot home at least a double. Rachel Venniker will represent South Africa for the first time at the Shergar Cup at Ascot on the same day. Serino Moodley has two good rides at HWB Greyville on Sunday. Three fun days, all round, with many chances to cash in. Come prepared!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT WITH GREEFF’S THREE-YEAR-OLD

Alan Greeff, who won his 16^th Eastern Cape Trainers title last season, could provide the banker at the Women’s Day meeting in My Best Shot, who will go to post in Race 8 over 1400m on the Polytrack . My Best Shot was beaten just 0.30-lengths by Makazole in the recent Listed Champion Juvenile Cup. Three-year-olds traditionally have a tough time against older horses in this early part of the season, but Greeff noted: “My Best Shot is rated 96 by the handicapper and we are taking advantage of this because he ran to a 105 rating when beaten by Makazole. I think he will be hard to beat in this line-up.”

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

TURFFONTEIN: FOLLOW DE MELO THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Keagan de Melo, on his seasonal break from Hong Kong, has a good book of rides for various stables. He could start on a winning note for Johan Janse van Vuuren on well-bred first-timer Bakwena (Gimmethegreenlight) in Race 1 over 1000m. This filly opened as joint-favourite in the ante-post market and has already found support. De Melo partners Clinton Binda’s fast-improving four-year-old gelding High Queue in Race 3 over 1600m. He is well drawn and looks ready to win. Janse van Vuuren’s Strewn Sky (Race 5, 1800m), narrowly beaten over the course and distance at the end of June, should be cherry ripe. Brave Viking will have blinkers and a tongue-tie fitted in Race 8 over 1400m and off the right handicapping mark, could run the type of race of which he is capable.

SUGGESTED PICK 6 (Starts @14.10)

R1760 (R440 for 25%)

Leg 1: 1,3, 4, 8

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 1, 5

Leg 4: FIELD (1-11)

Leg 5: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7

Leg 6: 1, 2, 6, 9

ASCOT: VENNIKER HAS A FEW GOOD MOUNTS IN SHERGAR CUP

The 2024 renewal of the popular Shergar Cup will see the teams split evenly between male and female jockeys for the first time, with six of each involved in the showdown. South Africa’s ace female rider Rachel Venniker will represent the Rest Of The World Team alongside Rachel King and Nanako Fujita. They will compete against a European team (Bauryrzhan Murzabaye, Jose-Luis Borrego, Alberto Sanna), Great Britain and Ireland (Tadhg O’Shea, Seamie Heffernan and Billy Loughnane) and last year’s winners, the Ladies Team, comprising Hayley Turner, Marie Velon and Saffie Osborne. Venniker’s rides include good form runner Fox Journey for Sir Michael Stoute in Race 2 over 3200m, and Michael Bell’s Carrytheone (Race 6, 1600m), a useful seven-year-old who raced at Royal Ascot earlier this year.

HWB KENILWORTH: ABANDONED

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

KRANJI: LIM’S KOSCIUSZKO LOOKS AS GOOD AS HOME AND DRY

Singapore’s champion Lim’s Kosciuszko posted a dominant win in the Group 1 Lion City Cup and, following a break of two weeks, should extend his winning run in Race 9 over 1600m, the $300,000 Group 1 Raffles Cup over 1600m. He’s enjoyed the same preparation as last year, has won this contest the last twice and hasn’t changed his routine. Very fit, he should get a great run from barrier four and is without a doubt the horse to beat.

HWB GREYVILLE: MOODLEY LOOKS GOOD FOR A DOUBLE

Jockey Serino Moodley enjoyed his career best season riding 81 winners in the 2023/24 season, and he could get off the mark for the new season with a double riding Trusova in Race 5 over 2000m and Ladybug in Race 6 over 1400m. Trusova’s trainer, Peter Muscutt, has decided to put blinkers back on this four-year-old gelding who has been unlucky in a number of starts due to his shifting about. He drops in class and his wide draw should not affect his winning chance over this journey. He looks well placed in this handicap and is set to go close. Lightly raced Ladybug has a weight-for-age advantage over well-performed three-year-old Golden Moment and could fight it out with another four-year-old, Lady Elliot.