Punters beware the ‘green top’
THE Highveld season may be in full swing but the big race days are interspersed with some ordinary fare that does not make things easy for punters.
Tomorrow’s Turffontein card is littered with pitfalls but many will look to Green Top to see them through the fifth, an assessment plate where she is rated lengths superior to the opposition.
Takingthepeace
Alec Laird’s filly took on the cream of the Highveld fillies last term and although never making it to the winner’s enclosure in the features that she contested, she was never far back either, running Takingthepeace to a short head in the Gr1 SA Fillies Classic.
She appeared to have had enough after a hard season when down the field in the SA Oaks and Laird put her away for a well-earned fivemonth break.
She made her seasonal debut in an assessment plate where she was running on nicely behind last season’s Garden Province winner Redberry Lane.
She should come on from that effort and given her rating will be a popular banker.
The balance of the card is tricky.
Apprentice Luke Ferraris has been given a flying start to his career from training legend and grandfather Ormond and it has not been only a case of nepotism.
Young Ferraris is driven to up his game and Ferraris senior does not entertain slackers, be they blood relations or not.
The family pair team up with Vivir in the opening leg of the Pick 6.
The filly was reported not to have ben striding out after her last effort in an assessment plate to the run is best ignored.
Prior to that she showed promise, beating the useful Railtrip on debut and last time over tomorrow’s course and distance finishing two lengths off Desert Rhythm.
She has a feather-weight to shoulder here and should at least be competitive.
Desert Sunset
Low-rated staying races are often difficult to predict by Weiho Marwing is a master at these marathon events and Desert Sunset ticks many of the boxes.
He looked to have run out of real estate when just failing to catch Brand New Cadillac at his last two and the extra furlong should be too his liking.
However, the shorter Turffontein inside straight could find him out so Mighty High and Kamakura may be worth including in Pick 6’s as insurance.
The last three races on the card are all tricky affairs. There were excuses for Kurt’s Approval last run after hitting his mouth in the gate.
He has come good in blinkers and although drawn badly he must have a chance in a difficult race.
Psychic has been taking on slightly stronger at recent outings and looks a threat.
Varimax nearly made all over course and distance last start. With a better draw and a stronger rider aboard, he could prove the pick ahead of O Lucky Man and Cumberland.
Perfect Tigress can round off proceedings.
In spite of only being a narrow winner last run she take a drop in class although also a corresponding rise in weight.