Cathedral County is a good bet
TURFFONTEIN standside has an eight race meeting tomorrow and owing to the many first-timers appearing there is a situation where the suggested Pick 6 costs less than the suggested Jackpot.
The first and last legs of the Pick 6 both look to have potential bankers.
The first of these, Carmalita, is a less confident banker because another horse in this 1 000m Maiden Plate for three-year-old fillies, Kutamba, has some useful form and now wears cheek pieces for the first time.
Carmalita, is an Australian-bred by Commands, whose progeny tend to improve with age, so she should build on her good debut when a narrow second to the promising Mohallela.
Last week the higher draws tended to be favourable down the straight, although The Thinker proved it was possible to win from a low draw.
Carmalita has a fair draw of eight in the 13 horse field, but Kutamba has a more attractive draw of ten.
Carmalita
Carmalita moved up on debut from a favourable draw over 1 200m on the Vaal inside draw to strike the front close to home and looked the winner.
However, Mohallela then came back at her to get up and this suggests Carmalita could appreciate the 1 000m trip here at this stage of her career.
Kutamba tends to show good pace, but then doesn’t go through with it so is an interesting runner with the headgear on and it could be worth halving the percentage of the Pick 6 taken to include her.
Ilha Da Var is held by Kutamba on their last two meetings, but could still improve, so is an outside threat from a nice high draw with Gavin Lerena now taking the ride.
In the last leg of the Pick 6 Great Shaka is a solid sort who showed fine pace over 1 000m on the inside track last time before being run out of it late.
She has an attractive draw of 15 and doesn’t have a lot to beat among the raced horses.
The seventh race is the highest rated race on the card and Cathedral County is a banker consideration as he looks to be going places.
However, beyond him it is open and All Night Flight, Magic, Moshav, Manx Park and Fidelio are all capable of picking up the pieces.
In the second leg of the Pick 6 there are three raced horses worth including, but for the Jackpot there are two first-timers who warrant inclusion too.
Of course the first-timer rule only applies to the Pick 6.
King Of The Delta did not have the best of passages last time out over this 1160m trip but after working his way to the outside rail he stayed on nicely for second to the promising first-timer Yamoto.
This time he jumps from a lower draw so it is going to be tough, but on form he is the one to beat.
Flying Winger
Flying Winger caught the eye running in in the same race and should improve, but he has the potentially tough number one draw.
Torio Lake showed some pace on debut on the Greyville poly and Gavin Lerena is now up from a fair draw of six.
Torio Lake is well bred being by Oratorio out of the twice Grade 3-winning sprinter Purple Lake, who is by the sprinter Lake Coniston.
However, Purple Lake has only produced a moderate 1 000m winner to date, although that was her first runner.
The two-first-timers who make appeal are Come The Day and Cyrus.
Come The Day has the standside draw of ten in the ten horse field.
He is by Await The Dawn and is a half-brother to the Gr3-winning and Gr1 Mercury Sprint thirdplaced sprinter Showmetheway.
Cyrus is by Right Approach out of an unplaced Model Man mare who is a half-sister to the Gr1placed Infinite Spirit.
None of Sean Tarry’s first call jockeys are aboard here, but it is never wise to ignore a Tarry yard firsttimer.
The fifth race is an important event as there will be a few horses out to qualify for the Grand Heritage.
Starret City looks like a fair sort and can put his disappointing last run, where the saddle slipped, behind him from a plum draw of two over the suitable 1600m trip. Pilou is progressive and Nephrite has become consistent, so both will also be players over an ideal trip.
Mambo Symphony showed he is up to his high merit rating last time, but has been raised a further two points and has to overcome a wide draw.
Querari Viking has dropped to a competitive merit rating and can’t be ignored, while bigger budgets can include the like of National Key and Shogun.
In the sixth race Chapati’s form has worked out well, while Penny From Heaven looks to have potential but does have to overcome a merit rating of 83 in her first handicap start in just her third career outing. Fish River Canyon looks like an under achiever who has a chance with a light weight and Braxton and Polar Secret can also be considered.