Jack Milner: Muzi Yeni can get his season off to a strong start with some promising rides at Greyville on Wednesday.
The start of a new season levels the playing fields once again and the starting gates open for the chase for the jockeys’ championship.
Muzi Yeni is one jockey who can put himself in the hunt for his first title and he has some decent enough rides on the Polytrack at Greyville on Wednesday to get his nose in front early in the year.
He teams up with his old boss Duncan Howells, for whom he rides Aquae Sulis and Irish Belle.
Aquae Sulis, who runs in Race 6, a FM 78 Handicap over 2000m, had patchy form earlier but did impress in her maiden win. However, it was when the blinkers were removed that she really showed her true potential.
In her last two, she travelled well and got the job done, but with a narrow winning margin in both, she has not been heavily penalised for her victories and has only gone up 2.5kg after two close wins.
She tends to race handily and that suggests she could be a lot better than her unplaced run in her lone race on the Polytrack.
Her biggest challenge could come from Ingakara and Integrity.
Irish Belle contests Race 7, a FM 78 Handicap over 1200m. She is very speedy and has the ability to maintain the pace, especially on the poly. While she is equally adept to racing on the turf, she has won her last two starts on the Polytrack, both over this distance, and one of them with Yeni in the irons.
Her last race was in much stronger company so she will also benefit from a drop in class.
She could be considered as a banker in smaller permutations but if one needs to back her up then look at Star Choice and Flaming Lass as the main dangers.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 7 Finding Freedom, 12 Ethiopian Queen, 4 High Born, 6 Indomavel
Race 2: 1 Accolade, 3 Airways Law, 5 Mamma’s Boy, 8 Story Book
Race 3: 1 The Green Gallant, 7 Sanctity, 9 Fists Of Fire, 5 Resolute
Race 4: 6 Golden Grove, 7 Cordobesa, 5 Red Rising, 4 Sparkling Flame
Race 5: 9 To The Max, 3 Maidens Prayer, 2 Alfonse Baby, 6 Lundy Island
Race 6: 4 Aquae Sulis, 6 Ingakara, 7 Integrity, 1 Abbey Wood
Race 7: 4 Irish Belle, 2 Star Choice, 1 Flaming Lass, 6 Umzinduzi
Race 8: 2 Varistocracy, 4 Canadian Bolt, 9 So Var, 12 Transonic
BEST BET
Race 8 No 2 Varistocracy
VALUE BET
Race 5 No 9 To The Max
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 7×12
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 7, 12
Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 8
Leg 3: 1, 7, 9
Leg 4: 6, 7
Leg 5: 2, 3, 9
Leg 6: 4, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1, 3, 5
Leg 2: 1, 7, 9
Leg 3: 6, 7
Leg 4: 2, 3, 9
Leg 5: 4, 6
Leg 6: 2, 4
Leg 7: 2
PICK 6
R1500
Leg 1: 1, 5, 7, 9, 12
Leg 2: 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
Leg 5: 1, 2, 4
Leg 6: 2
JACKPOT 1
R300
Leg 1: 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4
JACKPOT 2
R75
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4
Leg 4: 2