Bank on Emerald Palace

Emerald Palace is one of those runners you don’t mind owning – as long as you don’t keep betting on her.

The three-year-old daughter of Potala Palace has raced seven times and has placed in six of them. That means she is continually earning money and is at least, paying her way. She has gone off as the favourite in four of her starts and that has made her quite costly to follow.

However, it is frustrating when your runner looks a winner, only to get caught late, as was the case last time. That was in a Maiden Plate over 1800m on the Greyville turf.

Today, trainer Natie Kotzen sends her out in Race 3, another Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1800m, but this time it is on the Polytrack.

She has raced twice on the surface and placed on both occasions, but those races were over 1400m. Based on her breeding, Emerald Palace should be better suited to 1800m as she is out of a Black Minnaloushe mare.

To add some impetus to her winning chances, Kotzen has engaged apprentice Thabiso Gumede for the ride and he will take 2.5kg off her back.

This 19-year-old has ridden 37 winners and just needs three to have his allowance reduced to 1.5kg.

This is a very difficult card, as is so often the case with Monday meetings on the Polytrack, as it is made up of three Maiden Plates and five low-level handicaps. It is often better to find a banker in Plate races and on this occasion, Emerald Palace could be the answer.

Her main danger looks to be Diamonds And Toads, who tries this distance for the first time and will be running in blinkers, also for the first time.