Owlinthetree is the best bet
THE Turffontein Standside track is one of the fairest in the country, so punters should be able to have a good time of it in tomorrow’s nine race day time meeting.
In the first race Vida Es Bella hasn’t raced since July 26 over 1200m at the Vaal. This Duke Of Marmalade filly started favourite that day and laboured at the 200m mark but then took off, although hanging inward cost her.
The form of that race has worked out quite well and she doesn’t face a strong field here unless there are some good ones among the first-timers. The layoff will have given her time to mature and she should get through on ability.
Her paternal half-sister Super Fine made a good debut when going close over 1200m. That was a weak race and she will need to improve to win this.
Miss Sabina makes the most appeal of the first-timers being a R525,000 Silvano filly out of the Sportsworld mare Sabina Park, who won the SA Filllies Nursery and SA Oaks.
In the second race over 2400m Orpheus has an easy task on paper over a trip he should stay as he found extra to repel a challenge over 2000m last time and ran out a cosy winner. Gift For The Gap ran a fair race in the Dingaans and will enjoy the step up in trip so could pick up the pieces if Orpheus fluffs his lines. He is 5kg under sufferance with Orpheus so has a hard task.
In the third over 2000m Elusive Butterfly is a scopey sort who has plenty of improvement still to come and she will relish the step up to this trip, having stayed on well against a useful sort last time in an Assessment Plate over 1800m. She has the advantage of a pole position draw. She is half-a-kilogram under sufferance on official merit ratings but has to carry only 52kg.
Sunshine Silk is a consistent sort and is a resolute galloper so will be course and distance suited and should go close, although she does have a tricky draw in the small field and can be headstrong occasionally in her customary blinkers.
In the next over 2000m Cardiff Castle has the eyecatching booking of Lyle Hewitson. This horse has good form in Cape Town in middle distance to staying races and tomorrow will be the first time he has cracked a draw on the Highveld. In his penultimate start he moved up well over 2200m but found no extra so with the blinkers on for the third time he might appreciate this step down in trip and will enjoy the galloping course.
Nuntius Oratorion has struck a one who will get better as he matures and he should be right there if able to overcome a tricky draw over an ideal trip as his recent form has been franked. Gone With The Wind is a progressive sort who went close to Orpheus over this trip last time despite being way out at the weights under the Assessment Plate conditions and now back in a handicap he must have a big shout. He did make a breathing noise in that race which could be a concern.
To The Regiment is an interesting runner as he has not been disgraced in his last two over 1700m and 1000m against fair sorts and on pedigree he should enjoy this trip. Highlander returns from a layoff but is capable of a strong finish from off the pace and can’t be ignored.
In the fifth over 1400m Aurora Australis has dropped to a competitive merit rating and sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight. He was well drawn when winning on debut over this course and distance and is drawn in pole here with Hewitson up.
He will need to get into the race quicker than in his last two starts but does pack a strong finish so is the one to beat. Bold Coast is distance suited and in hard knocking form and there is not much between him and Varimax. Those three should be enough to get punters through.
In the sixth over 1600m Green Haze is hard to oppose on paper after his Dingaans third but he had pole position that day and In Cahoots, who had to overcome a wide draw, could get a lot closer and even possibly reverse the form. Chijmes is an improving sort who is worth including to.
In the seventh over 1600m Master Magic moved up well over 1800m last time before finding no extra and he might be looking for this step down in trip. Kurt’s Approval is two points higher than his last win and is effective over this trip. Swing Vote ran well on his comeback from an 11 month layoff and if coming on from that run could be a threat with Strydom up over this trip.
In the next over 1800m Owlinthetree is the best bet on the card as he has been seen to stay on in his three runs to date up to 1400m and he should relish the step up in trip being by Dynasty out of a Giant’s Causeway maiden.
In the last race over 1800m Fly Thought by Philanthropist out of the Grade 1 Paddock Stakes winner Badger’s Gift is a big, rangy sort who stumbled at the start last time over this trip and was not suited to the tight Inside track. She will much prefer this galloping track and can get off the mark. Her wide draw is a concern and the well drawn Rubix can be incuded.
This filly has talent has but is immature so has likely benefitted from a layoff, although the yard did reckon she would need it.