Hollywoodbets Greyville in Durban takes centre stage on Saturday with a quality meeting featuring the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge and four other features. The Cup Trial (Race 5) and Gold Challenge (Race 7) have R250,000 Quartet carryovers and both should generate total pools of over R750,000. So pick the first four home in either or both and you are guaranteed an inflated payout. Plus, you can really go to town with TAB in the Gold Challenge in which Win, Place, Exacta, Quinella and Swinger bets will be commingled into the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool tote. Top horses, electrifying action - get involved!
Luna Halo, Gqeberha’s top three-year-old filly, returns to racing after a short rest in Race 6 over 1600m. She’s equally effective on turf and polytrack and trainer Alan Greeff, speaking on Racing Today’s Track Talk (www.racingtoday.co.za), expressed his confidence of another big run. Luna Halo should be a safe banker in exotic bets. Greeff also has high hopes for hard-knocking Maiden Hanging Rock in Race 4 and two-year-old Havana Grey in Race 8. “She’s definitely better than a one-time winner,” he said of this promising filly.
Tonight’s evening meeting at Bath looks the most interesting of the Friday fare in the UK. Trainer Andrew Balding’s Mr Mcgregor finished a good second on his Salisbury debut recently and could go one better in Race 2. Roger Teal’s Johnjay has posted two excellent places after a long layoff and looks ready to win again in Race 7.
This is the second of seven twilight meetings programmed over the next few weeks with racing only getting under way when temperatures have cooled. The topliner is Race 7, the Long Mun Road Handicap over 1200m, in which four-year-old Copartner Prance is chasing a fifth straight win. Trainer Francis Lui Kin-wai hopes that this talented galloper can handle the step up to Class Two company and said: “Copartner Prance is still fit and I don’t know how he’ll get on. He keeps improving but not big improvements - he takes it little by little. I think he will be okay at Sha-Tin.” Zac Purton, who has ridden the gelding in each of his four Happy Valley triumphs, retains the ride. The meeting starts at 10:00.
The Grade 1 Gold Challenge over 1600m (Race 7) tops the bill at this KZN Champions Season meeting and promises to be one of the best races this season. It brings together star three-year-olds Main Defender, Sandringham Summit, Lucky Lad and Snow Pilot with top-level older horses Dave The King, Royal Aussie and See It Again adding dollops more class to the line-up. On merit ratings, Main Defender and See It Again could fight it out, but don’t be surprised to see five or six runners up there in a close finish.
The ratings also favour Justin Snaith’s smart filly Double Grand Slam in the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes over 1400m, but Humdinger is also well in and is at her best over this distance. The Grade 3 Dolphins Cup Trial over 1800m could go to distance specialist Mucho Dinero, who encountered traffic problems in his last run and should be near his capable peak for this contest.
SUGGESTED R2,800 PICK 6 (R280 for 10%):
Leg 1: 6, 7, 9, 10, 12
Leg 2: 10, 11
Leg 3: 5, 8
Leg 4: 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11
Leg 5: 6, 7, 9, 10
Leg 6: 1 ,2, 3, 4, 7
SUGGESTED R840 QUARTET PERM Race 5 (R420 for 50%): Single floating banker 11 x 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12.
SUGGESTED R480 QUARTET PERM Race 7 (R120 for 25%): Single floating banker 3 x 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11.
There are two Grade 3 features at this Premier Race Day. Charlie Appleby’s Sapphire Seas, second in the Group 2 Ballanchine in Dubai this year, should take all the beating in Race 3, the Group 3 Lester Piggott Fillies Stakes over 2400m. Appleby could also land an open renewal of the Group 3 Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes with six-year-old Noble Dynasty, a four-time winner over this distance with good recent form.
Trainer Daniel Meagher has won most graded races in Singapore, but the Group 3 Silver Bowl over 1400m has eluded him. Lim’s Saltoro could rectify this for the Australian conditioner when the 2024 renewal of the race is contested on Sunday (Race 9). With a career record of six wins from seven starts, Lim’s Saltoro has a big chance to notch his first graded victory. “He’s a serious horse,” said Meagher. “He’s going great and seems to be improving every day.” The meeting starts at 06:30.
Trainer Robyn Klaasen would have left something to work on with Purple Pitcher, three weeks ahead of the 2024 Hollywoodbets Durban July. Nevertheless, he’ll be hard to beat in Sunday’s Grade 3 Jubilee Stakes over 1800m, his preparation run for the big race on 6 July. The dual Grade 1 winning three-year-old is formidable and consistent, and up against runners of lesser quality, most with patchy form.
Trainer Alec Laird’s new acquisition Greeting My Master brings good recent Cape feature form into the supporting feature, the Egoli Mile. He is drawn wide, but looks like one that will thrive in his new surroundings and could be good enough to win on his Highveld debut.
This Premier Race Day at Goodwood is headed by two Listed contests. Kevin Ryan’s Bolsena, placed at the same level at York last month, looks the right choice in the first of them in which she re-unites with top jockey Ryan Moore. Charlie Appleby’s King Of Conquest, second in the Group 3 Aston Park Stakes recently, seeks a repeat victory in the William Hill Festival Stakes over 2400m.