Jack Milner
Following the same pattern when preparing a horse for a feature race often leads to success and trainer Corne Spies is doing just that with William Robertson.
The five-year-old son of Rafeef won last year’s Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m and Spies is clearly getting his charge ready to defend his title at Turffontein on the Inside track and that will begin on Saturday when he lines up in Race 4, a Pinnacle Stakes over the same course and distance.
Incidentally, this is the same race he ran in last year as he prepared for the Grade 2 event on the first Saturday in October, also over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track.
As was the case last year, William Robertson has been allocated 62kg, but he did not win the race. Although he went off as favourite, he found one too good in Mike de Kock-trained Forever Mine.
He did, nonetheless, go on to win the Spring Challenge and whatever happens on Saturday, that race, now sponsored by Betway, will be his main mission.
He has only won once this year and that was in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1160m in February. However, Spies has not been reluctant to race his charge against the best in the land. In fact, his last five races have comprised three Grade 1 events and two Grade 2 races.
His last outing came in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville and on that occasion he ran on stoutly to finish fifth, going down just 1.80 lengths to Equus Champion Sprinter Isivunguvungu.
He takes a major drop in class at Turffontein and from No 3 draw with S’manga Khumalo in the irons, he is undoubtedly the runner to beat.
Running Rifles has been a revelation since joining Tony Peter’s Highveld yard and has established a record of three wins and a second place in his four races for the stable.
He beat Quantum Theory last time and that runner has franked the form when winning at Turffontein last Saturday.
The Vercingetorix gelding has been carded to carry just 50kg although jockey Muzi Yeni will have to put up 0.5kg overweight. That should not be of any concern because Yeni is riding at the top of his game right now and his excellent form will easily counteract the disadvantage, especially as he will jump from No 2 draw.
The other runner who must be considered is last season’s Gauteng Guineas winner Eye Of The Prophet. The Paul Matchett-trained gelding is reunited with apprentice Rachel Venniker who has established an excellent rapport with the four-year-old son of Gimmethegreenlight.
She has ridden him 10 times for five wins, two seconds and a fourth place and will also take 1.5kg off his back.
Sean Tarry-trained Marigold Hotel has come back to form and has run some decent races over the last year. This five-year-old Querari mare is the best weighted runner and comes in with just 52kg on her back, which means she will be getting 10kg from William Robertson.
She runs her best races at this course with three wins and a second place in her four starts on the Inside track. She is also unbeaten in both her starts over the course and distance.
Kabelo Matsunyane takes the ride, but they are drawn a little wide in barrier No 9.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 1 Zoom Lady, 7 Chasing Happiness, 3 Best Intentions, 4 Gotcha Buzz
Race 2: 9 My Lady Soul, 1 Call To Glory, 3 Shampimpi, 8 Lady Lennox
Race 3: 2 Moola Man, 6 Dungeons, 5 Sage King, 3 Spring Will Come
Race 4: 1 William Robertson, 9 Running Rifles, 3 Eye Of The Prophet, 5 Marigold Hotel
Race 5: 6 Arividicio, 11 Emporium, 5 Mo Jive, 3 Fostinovo
Race 6: 6 American Grayson, 2 Breeze Over, 7 Absolute Value, 1 Battleground
Race 7: 2 Black Lightning, 3 Romeo's Magic, 1 Pewter Sky, 7 Inner Sense
Race 8: 3 Ampersand, 5 Law Of Success, 1 Turbo Power, 4 Lulu's Boy
Race 9: 2 Tuscan Gold, 1 Kalahari Blue, 4 Galla Vanting, 8 Inventrix
BEST BET
Race 2 No 9 My Lady Soul
VALUE BET
Race 5 No 6 Arividicio
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 1x9
BIPOT
R243
Leg 1: 9
Leg 2: 2, 5, 6
Leg 3: 1, 3, 9
Leg 4: 5, 6, 11
Leg 5: 2, 6, 7
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 2, 5, 6
Leg 2: 1, 3, 9
Leg 3: 5, 6, 11
Leg 4: 2, 6
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3
Leg 6: 3, 5
Leg 7: 2
PICK 6
R960
Leg 1: 1, 3, 9
Leg 2: 3, 5, 6, 10, 11
Leg 3: 1, 2, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 5: 1, 3, 4, 5
Leg 6: 2
JACKPOT 1
R320
Leg 1: 3, 5, 6, 10, 11
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 4: 1, 3, 4, 5
JACKPOT 2
R64
Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 7
Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 5
Leg 4: 2