WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 23 - 25 August

A BUSY LOCAL WEEKEND AND SOME GOOD INTERNATIONAL FARE

With Saturday’s meeting originally planned for HWB Kenilworth having been moved to next Wednesday at HWB Durbanville, the meeting on the inside track at Turffontein is now a standalone and likely to attract good betting pools. There are two in-form jockeys to structure your bets around. Another confident rider has a standout book of rides at HWB Scottsville on Sunday. The weekend starts with a busy Friday programme – nine races at the catch-up meeting planned for HWB Durbanville and eight on the Polytrack at Fairview. The local action is backed by decent Group and Listed races from the York Ebor Festival in the UK on Friday and Saturday. There are any number of opportunities to win!

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: STRUCTURE YOUR BETS AROUND MONTELENA

The trainers interviewed for Racing Today’s Track Talk all suggested Gavin Smith’s runner Montelena is the filly to beat in Race 3 over 1400m, the first leg of the Pick 6. In addition, auctioneer Steve Davis, who sold Montelena’s half-sister at the Two-Year-Sale on Thursday, noted from the podium that he felt Montelena would be worth a good bet. “I know something,” he quipped. Assistant trainer Dean Smith said: “Montelena is working very well and the 1400m on the Polytrack will suit her.” The stable’s Slim Jannie is expected to be involved in the finish in Race 7 over 1200m, the first leg of the Nelson Mandela Bay Poly Challenge. Glen Kotzen’s Cape raider King Regent is the one to beat on his good most recent run to We’re Jamming. King Regent performed well in his only previous run on this track and Kotzen told interviewer Nadine Low Ah Kee: “He just needed his last start and has come on for the run.”

HWB DURBANVILLE: SNAITH’S NEVADA KING IS NICELY WEIGHTED

Brett Crawford has a powerful hand with five of eight runners in the R135 000 Cape Turf Club Syndicates Class 3 over 1600m. Every Crawford entry has a chance on exposed form and while riding arrangements suggest Future Prince is the Phillipi trainer’s stable elect, he is drawn a bit wide and hasn’t won a race in 914 days. Stablemate Willie John, whose only win came over the course and distance, looks a live wire after a short break, but Justin Snaith’s handily weighted Nevada King could be the one to beat from barrier No 1. With earlier lines of good form through multiple winner Sugar Mountain, and a swing at the weights with Lindbergh, Nevada King looks the right choice.

YORK: IT’S A REGIONAL THING FOR BETHELL’S SPEEDY SIX-YEAR-OLD

There are some whispers about Edward Bethell’s six-year-old gelding Regional, who opened at 10-1 in the ante-post market for the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes over 1000m, traditionally one of the UK’s great sprinting contests. He has made steady improvement since winning last season’s York Handicap over the course and distance, bagged the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup last September and is expected to deliver his best on his return to 1000m, following a good 1200m run in a Group 3 at Newbury last month.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

HWB DURBANVILLE: CANDICE LOOKS HARD TO BEAT IN THE FIRST TWO

Candice Bass-Robinson and Aldo Domeyer should have a flying start with From A Distance (Race 1, 1000m) and King’s Quest (Race 2, 1000m). Both have shown winning form in respective recent runs and King’s Quest, especially, should be hard to beat from his inside draw. Bass-Robinson said that another fair form runner, Plus Four (Race 3, 1400m), is likely to need her run after a break, which will play into the hands of Vaughan Marshall’s overdue Cumbre Vieja, who has been knocking at the door and comes into the race with the benefit of two good recent seconds. Glen Kotzen’s highly regarded Holding Thumbs (Race 5, 1600m) has improved after being gelded. He was impressive in a pillar-to-post win over 1600m at Kenilworth a fortnight ago and looks well placed for a similar performance on a track that favours front-running tactics.

SUGGESTED R1440 PICK 6 (R28 for 20%):

Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 3

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 5

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12

Leg 6: 4, 8

NEWBURY: DISTANCE FAVOURS ENGLISH OAK AT NEWBURY

The Group 2 BetVictor Hungerford Stakes over the straight 1400m (Race 4) tops the bill at the afternoon’s Premier race meeting. The distance should be ideal for English Oak who won two of his last three races over that trip. Ed Walker’s runner disappointed in stronger company last time but jockey James Doyle stays with him, and the four-year-old colt could bounce back to his best on this occasion.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

TURFFONTEIN: LERENA AND KHUMALO SHOULD DOMINATE

Gavin Lerena has ridden 13 winners in the first three weeks of the new racing season at a strike rate of 30% of winners to rides. He has another good book at this meeting, with strong form runners in Race 3 over 1450m (Accept Cookies), Race 4 over 1450m (Busstopinhounslow) and Race 9 over 1800m (Ariel’s Jet). The first two look especially hard to beat as they are ready to exit the maidens, and you’ll get a good run for your cash with a TAB All To Come Win bet. S’manga Khumalo has also started the season in hot form with nine early winners on the board. He has big chances to win Race 1 over 1600m on hard-knocking Far Reaching, Race 6 over 1200m on promising sprinter Lead To Charge and Race 8 over 1800m on the improving King’s Express. Consider an All-To-Come Place Bet.

SUGGESTED R480 PICK 6 (R240 for 50%):

Leg 1: 4, 9

Leg 2: 1, 3, 6, 7

Leg 3: 6

Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 5: 3, 6, 8

Leg 6: 2, 6, 8, 10

YORK: LAKE FOREST COULD EXPOSE HIS TALENT OVER 1400m

A field of eight runners go to post in the Group 2 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes over 1400m and while John and Thady Gosden’s Audience will get the bulk of betting support, William Haggas’ Lake Forest looks the best value proposition in the 6-1 range. He was runner-up to Inisherin in the Commonwealth Cup over 1200m and then ran another big race in second to Elite Status in the Hackwood Stakes over 1200m. He is likely to appreciate the extra 200m and emerges as a strong contender.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

KRANJI: BURRIDGE BELIEVES GHALID’S CLASS GIVES HIM THE EGDE

Trainer Steven Burridge takes a two-pronged attack to Race 8, the $100,000 Kranji Stakes over 1200m. Burridge will be hoping that either Ghalib or Asif can beat a field that includes progressive Pacific Vampire. Manoel Nunes’ mount, Ghalib, looks like he is capable of extending his good run of recent form which includes a third in the Group 1 Lion City Cup over this distance at the end of July. He has a stiff task under 58kg but with his edge of class could well be up to it. “Ghalib is jumping out of his skin. We beat Pacific Empire with Ejaz a few starts back, so Ghalib certainly warrants carrying top weight given his race record. You just have to look at the horses Ghalib has been racing against of late to know he is top class. He should show his best.” The meeting starts at 6:30.

HWB SCOTTSVILLE: VENNIKER HAS FOUR RIDES WITH WINNING CHANCES

Trainer Steven Burridge takes a two-pronged attack to Race 8, the $100,000 Kranji Stakes over 1200m. Burridge will be hoping that either Ghalib or Asif can beat a field that includes progressive Pacific Vampire. Manoel Nunes’ mount, Ghalib, There are a few tricky heats to unravel on this eight-race card, but Rachel Venniker could be the jockey to follow. Still on cloud nine following her Shergar Cup success at Ascot, the popular rider has four choice mounts, starting with mentor Michael Roberts’ well-bred Ladyofdistinction in Race 1 over 1200m. This one made a good start to her career over this track and trip last month and looks set for good progress. Another Roberts-runner, Grand Occasion, could land the spoils in Race 4 over 1600m by taking advantage in a race with generally weak exposed form. Venniker’s 1.5kg claim is likely to be a factor in Race 5 over 2400m, in which top-weight Zakho is the beneficiary and looks distance suited. Mike de Kock’s lightly raced Beamonesque (Race 7, 1200m), is a whole lot better than his only two runs this year suggest. The stable has persisted with him and if anywhere near his best, he’ll take a power of beating.