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Best Bet: GALLANT STAR (Race 10)
Value Bet: OSTRAKA (Race 8)
Jackpot (race 7 – 10)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
6 | 1 | 9 | 16 |
2 | 11 | 10 | 2 |
16 | 7 | 15 | |
Cost: R54.00
Race 7
SOFT LOVE has cracked pole position and is three for three, winning his last start over 1200M by 1.8L despite being slow away and coming five wide into the home straight. She finished powerfully that day and with her having her peak run after returning from an 18 week break, she will be hoping to chalk up her fourth straight victory.
SHOHISHA followed up her penultimate run victory over 1200M with a fifth place finish next time out over 1200M, 3.2L back from the winner. She stayed on well that day and now returns from a 13 week rest, but she did finish fourth in her only barrier trial to showcase her well-being. The filly is drawn one outside the top pick and is trained by ex-SA jockey/trainer David Payne. SUMMER FLAME won over 1200M three runs back, finished second in her penultimate start over the same sprint trip and then third in her latest outing over 1300M, just over a length behind the winner, this after striking the front at the 200M mark, only to be grabbed late. She in turn is drawn in gate three and should be included in all bets.
Race 8
The day’s value bet, OSTRAKA is seldom far off the action and although recorded as finishing sixth last time out over 1200M, he was just two lengths back from the winner. He jumped awkwardly in that event bumping another runner and was hampered in the closing stages, so he had his excuses. The gelding will have to negotiate a wideish draw eight, but he should turn in another honest performance here.
CABALLUS was slow away and his jockey dropped the reins as well as putting up 0.5kgs overweight, when ending up in seventh place last tike out over 1100M, 2.8L back from the winner. He returns from a 24 week break, but has finished second and third in his two barrier trials and he is sure to put his pole position to good use. The gelding gets the blinkers removed for the first time and if this move has the desired effect, he should be a big runner here.
GRAND IMPACT goes for his hat-trick after victories over 1300M and the latest over 1200M by a half length, this after kicking clear of the 250M mark and then holding off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. He has his first run after a 15 week break, but did win his only barrier trial and from a handy draw four, he could complete the trifecta.
Race 9
WRITTEN IN CODE missed out on her quartet when finishing fourth last time out over 1300M (G3), 2.3L behind the winner, but she did come the widest of them all into the home straight on that occasion, before battling all the way down to the wire. She has pulled a useful gate three and will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways here.
WATCH MY GIRL won over 1400M three runs back, finished fifth in her penultimate start over 1300M and then fifth again in her latest outing over 1400M, 1.3L behind the winner, but the form of that race has stood up well with three runners out of that contest subsequently winning. She on the other hand faces a wide draw fourteen, but she will be having her peak run after returning from a 14 week rest.
ZEITUNG had to be held up at the top of the home straight, but then chased hard all the way down to the line when ending up in third spot last time out over 1400M, one and a half lengths off the victor. She will have to deal with a wide draw eleven, but she should be doing her best work late.
Race 10
GALLANT STAR has consistent formlines to his name and finished strongly to just fail to overhaul the winner when second in his latest outing over 1400M, just a head back from the winner. The gelding is drawn in gate five and will be hoping to go one better here and is made the best bet on the day’s card.
BRUDENELL put his disappointing penultimate start over 1200M behind him when finishing second next time out over the same sprint trip, beaten just a short-head. The gelding showed plenty of toe that day, gets an even better gate three and could prove difficult to reel in over the closing stages. He could emerge as the biggest threat to the top pick.
CHRYSAOR finished well from some way back when ending up in third spot last time out over 1400M, just over three lengths behind the winner. The gelding jumps from a wideish draw seven, but nevertheless, he should be involved in the finish.
