It Is Written, Border Control should win
Wild Brier a worthy Pick 6 banker
Race 2, a MR 86 Handicap over 1900m appears a two-horse race between It Is Written and Border Control at Fairview today, but it could pay to side with the latter, who has done very little wrong since setting his hooves on the Polytrack.
Border Control, Grant Paddock’s charge, showed no signs of ring-rustiness in his Port Elizabeth debut, cruising to a 5.25-length victory, disappointed in his penultimate start when a beaten 9-10 favourite, and then made up for the defeat in his latest – overcoming the worst of draws to outclass Rosslyn Chapel by 2.50 lengths despite giving him a mammoth 5kg.
“That’s what he can do over the Poly-mile, he’s quite good,” said Paddock on Tellytrack. “This horse is not bad at all. He’s very good on the Poly, we’ll have a lot of fun with him.”
All of those efforts were over 1600m. The manner in which he finished them suggests this five-year-old gelding is yearning for the extra ground. His case is further strengthened by the fact he is drawn No 3, and that last form line has produced two winners.
He is also 2.5kg better off with the eightyear-old It Is Written, who like wine, has got better with time.
Tara Laing’-trained It Is Written was a shock winner over 1800m in his latest appearance over 1800m, paying a healthy 22-1 a win, a price we’re unlikely to get today. He produced a devastating turn of foot under Chase Maujean to win by an extending 1.25 lengths, and if he can reproduce that performance will be a massive contender.
For the Quartet, I suggest you float Border Control and It Is Written with the remaining four runners.
Pick 6 players can banker Gavin Smithtrained Wild Brier, who ran his socks off in the Algoa Cup, beaten by the whisker margin of 0.05 lengths by six-time winner Magnificent Seven. The only chink in Wild Brier’s armour is the No 7 draw he jumps from in this eight-horse field. Other than that, he is well in, shouldering 59kg and getting the services of champion jockey Lyle Hewitson.
The late scratching of State Capture makes the Laing-trained Fujin very hard to oppose when he lines up in Race 4, a Maiden Plate over 1900m. He has had two runs on the Polytrack, and can be forgiven for his penultimate start considering he was drawn worst of all, forcing jockey Greg Cheyne to drop anchor and run on in the dying stages, beaten a diminishing 3.50 lengths by Cape Leopard over 2200m. This Windrush gelding then hung in in his follow-up over this course and distance, finishing 2.75 lengths behind Call The Chief – he will not find a better opportunity to leave the maiden ranks than today.