WEEKEND RACING HIGHLIGHTS: 14 - 16 Mar 2025

PRIME BETTING OPPORTUNITIES ON A ROYAL WEEKEND

This racing weekend kicks off with a thrilling Listed sprint for juveniles at Fairview this Friday. Later all eyes will turn to Cheltenham for the blue riband of jump racing and the grand finale of the 2025 Festival. One of the greatest jumpers of modern times will bid for Gold Cup immortality - a third successive victory will etch his name alongside the legends of the sport. Saturday sees racing at Turffontein where Pick 6 players have one strong banker to rely on. Sunday’s action at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth’s Royal Race Day features another rock-solid banker in his final local run before he steps onto the world stage. Top up your TAB account and take advantage of some prime betting opportunities.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

FAIRVIEW: SNAITH SET TO MAINTAIN HIS HIGH STRIKE RATE

Champion trainer Justin Snaith raids with five runners and should get among the winners. The stable has a 32% strike rate in the Eastern Cape this season. Blown Away (Race 2), Lady Springfield (Race 3) and Without Question (Race 6) all look hard to beat. Computaform has also opted for Snaith’s promising two-year-old Music Of The Night in Race 7, the Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery over 1200m. But there is plenty of confidence from local trainers Alan Greeff (Anotherdanceforme) and Gavin Smith (Instaworthy), which makes this an interesting contest.

CHELTENHAM: GALOPIN DES CHAMPS AIMS FOR IMMORTALITY

Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs bids to join jump-racing legends Arkle, Best Mate, Cottage Rake and Golden Miller as a three-time winner of Race 5, the Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase over 5300m. “He has to be the best I’ve trained,” said Mullins this week. “He goes out and takes it from the front and grabs races by the scruff of the neck - and he battles off everyone.”

MEYDAN: MARKAKOL IS BANG IN FORM AND THAT’S THE KEY

Dubai Racing Carnival punters face a challenging card on the penultimate night of the 2025 term at Meydan. The best bet of the evening is Markakol in Race 7, a 1000m handicap. The Julio Olascoaga-trained gelding should follow up on a recent course-and-distance win. He races off a career-high mark, but this looks a good opportunity as many of his rivals are struggling for form. The grand finale of the Carnival is the famous Dubai World Cup meeting on 5 April.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

TURFFONTEIN: MARY’S GREENLIGHT LOOKS THE PART

Mike and Mathew de Kock delivered last week’s Pick 6 banker as Immediate Edge secured victory in the Listed Hawwaam Stakes. This week, their runner Mary’s Greenlight in Race 8 looks poised to do the same. She’s already a Listed winner of the Flamboyant Stakes and Mike de Kock has noted that she would have more wins to her name if she hadn’t encountered wide draws in several starts. Mary’s Greenlight has an inside draw here in a race considerably weaker than Listed quality. She should go close in the capable hands of Andrew Fortune. Pomodoro’s Jet (Race 6) has twice won impressively in cheek pieces and should complete a hat-trick. He has the makings of another banker.

SUGGESTED R216 (25%) PICK 6 PERM (Leg 1 Race 4 @ 14:05):

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 11
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5
Leg 3:  1, 2, 6
Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 14
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: 1, 3, 4, 5

HOLLYWOODBETS SCOTTSVILLE: POSTPONED TO WEDNESDAY

This meeting has been postponed to Wednesday 19 March following overnight rain coupled with the likelihood of more rain on Friday and Saturday. It’s a trappy card, but there’s good money to be made by punters who can separate the wheat from the chaff. Malshana Mou (Race 2), who found betting support on her debut, well-bred Limelight Legend (Race 4) and well-weighted All The Time (Race 8) look ideal candidates for an TAB all-to-come Place wager.

SUNDAY HIGHLIGHTS

SELANGOR: TOP SPRINTERS CLASH IN TUNKU GOLD CUP

Malaysia’s premier sprinters will assemble for Race 9, the Grade 1 Tunku Gold Cup over 1200m in Kuala Lumpur. This should be closely contested among last season's top galloper and defending champion Cheval Blanc, Antipodean and progressive Witnessimpact. Pacesetter Pacific Vampire and versatile Golden Pegasus are others with chances. The best bet is consistent five-year-old galloper Volcanic, who looks the part in Race 3 over 1275m. He needed his last run. The meeting starts at 06:10.

SHA TIN: KOWLOON TROPHY LOOKS RIGHT FOR SUNLIGHT POWER

Hugh Bowman’s ride Sunlight Power was narrowly denied back-to-back victories last time when edged out late into third behind Johannes Brahms. That form has held up subsequently with Johannes Brahms closing strongly for third in the Classic Cup. Sunlight Power contests Race 7, the Kowloon Tong Club Trophy over 1600m, in which he has the advantage of the inside barrier. He could be too good for Nimble Nimbus and Voyage Samurai. Race 1 is at 07:00.

HOLLYWOODBETS KENILWORTH: ONE STRIPE CAN CASH IN ON SA EXIT

Star colt One Stripe, who is about to depart our shores for an overseas career, is also for a massive payday in his SA swansong, the R5-million HSH Princess Charlene Big Cap over 1400m (Race 8). One Stripe cannot be opposed on form and looks a banker bet as he aims to take his local earnings to well over R7 million. There are two other features on a quality 10-race card. Military Command and Black Cheetah face off in Race 2, the R1.5-million Cape Racing Sales Cape Slipper over 1200m. Holding Thumbs is fancied to win his third stayers’ feature this season in Race 7, the Monaco Sport Of Kings Kenilworth Cup over 2400m. He is in top form and possibly still one step ahead of the handicapper.