Lord Silverio on his way up

THE Turffontein Inside track stages a typically competitive August nine race meeting although the purists can look forward to a couple of good horses turning out, including Lord Silverio, who looks to be on the way to the top.

This four-year-old grey has a lovely big action and being a Silvano colt will be improving all the time.

Sean Tarry will be wanting to qualify him for the big summer features so will be keen to get his merit rating, which is currently a relatively lowly 86, up to a good mark.

This looks to be another step up the ladder for this quality R1,1 million colt.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Stormbourne Thunder went close in his penultimate start over this course and distance and is drawn in pole.

The top 2,5kg claimer Luke Ferraris looks to have some good rides on the day and this is one of them. However, this horse did disappoint last time so the pair Lana Turner and Lalia can be included in exotics as they have scope for improvement.

Barbie Doll

In the next leg Barbie Doll is rated as the value bet of the day as she has run well in her last two starts over 1700m and 1600m respectively and she will relish the step up to 2000m. The only concern is her wide draw. She did overcome a wide draw in her last win, over 1800m on the Vaal Inside, but that track has a straight which is a lot longer than this one. Pretty Ballerina went close over this trip at the Vaal last time and now has the advantage of the 2,5kg claim of Ferraris so should go close from a good draw of five. Spring Poetry has been dropped to a competitive mark and could also be in the mix. Noceur has always struck as a nice type and is difficult to ignore despite a tough draw and having a hard task with Pretty Ballerina at the weights. The latter beat her by 1,4 lengths last time and if apprentice claims are included is 2kg better off. Animal Lover will relish the step back to this trip and is another once who has to be considered from a plum draw of two.

Shogun

In the sixth race over 1600m Shogun is ideally distance suited and not only has pole position but also has Ferraris with his valuable claim up. He is the one to beat. Puget Sound has some eyecatching form over this trip including close up finishes to the like of Yakeen and Royal Crusade. He does have to overcome a three point raise for his win last win over 2000m but could be up to it.

D’Arrivee is a big scopey sort and perhaps didn’t stay 1800m last time when moving up and finishing no extra. However, he was beaten by a highly promising horse in Lord Silverio and could also enjoy the step down in trip, so should be given another chance.

Tammany Hall

In the seventh over 1450m Tammany Hall gets a chance to show how good she is. She looked to be promising early in her career and has not quite lived up to expectations but now being a four-year-old by Await The Dawn she should start coming into her own. She is drawn in pole with Ferraris up so can take full advantage over this ideal trip. Saragon is also a classy sort and the only thing against her is a wide draw of eight and it will also be difficult to beat Tammany Hall due to Ferraris’s claim. However, this Ideal World filly has shown a lot of promise and will also be coming into her own. Strawberry Pavlova is difficult to ignore due to her good comeback run over this course and distance, where she won going away, and she has only been given a two point raise.

The next race is difficult but young Ferraris is aboard a fouryear-old Silvano filly Amanika who will be improving so can build on her last two good runs. However, she has a tough draw of eight. Pearl Of Bahrain has shown promise in the past and can do better than recently as the merit rating has come down, the blinkers are off and he is drawn in pole. Gimme Hope Johanna is a progressive sort who has to be included.

Waity Katie also can’t be ignored as she has ability and give of her best. Kirconnel Lass can be included in wider permutations.In the last leg the front runner Beautiful Shay has everything in her favour.

She is in fair form, has come down to an attractive merit rating and is course and distance suited. However, it is a competitive fillies and mares handicap and as many as possible must be included.