Spiritofthegroove can get punters jiving

JUDGING by the varied selections published in local formguides, the betting would appear to be the punters best guide to the card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville today as there appears to be very little correlation. That a given, there should be opportunity for some decent dividends.

Hollywoodbets priced up early and have One More Trick at the top of their boards for the first at 15-10. Glen Kotzen’s gelding comes off a lay-off but made his debut in a feature where he made some late progress behind Bard Of Avon.

S’Manga Khumalo is in cracking form and from pole position draw he could well land the odds. Late starter Roy’s Command has drawn on the other side of the barrier but has shown up well in two sprints and the extra should suit.

Winter Royale is lightly raced and was not too far back on his poly debut. He should come on from that and can make the frame.

Lady Yusra

Lady Yusra is a short-priced favourite for the second as she has not been far back in all four starts. She was a beaten favourite last run and the Dean Kannemeyer yard is starting to find some form again.

Doug Campbell sends out Siege Of Orleans who has made good improvement since being sent over ground and although she switches to the poly she looks primed for this.

Chelsea Flower made a promising sprint debut and her pedigree suggests that she should be more at home over this trip.

The Green Gallant and Arumugam are vying for favouritism in the third. The Green Gallant has come good in blinkers but although his best recent form has been over shorter the extra should not trouble him from a good draw.

Arumugam has finished in the money in all five starts. He has drawn widest but this is a small field and the extra should also suit

From here on in, even the betting may not be of any conclusive help with punters faced with difficult handicaps.

In the fourth The Appeal is easy to back at around 61 but Alyson Wright’s gelding has not been far back at recent starts and goes well over course and distance and loves the poly. Sean Tarry makes a raid and Senescence arrives with some useful Highveld form. This is her first time on the poly but she does look capable. Shane Humby’s gelding Radames is a lukewarm favourite after showing up well first run out of the maidens.

Has gone well this course and distance. Maxiumus made a promising debut on the poly in a sprint and his form has been franked. He is a must for all exotics.

In the fifth, My Boy Reecy could be good value at 81 in the ante-post market. Glen Kotzen’s gelding was an easy PE winner on the poly last time out and appears to have taken to the synthetic surface. He has the best of the draw here and can follow up.

Caesura

Caesura has shown steady recent improvement and was narrowly beaten last while Brandenburg comes from a very much in form trainer and jockey combination. He won well last outing and can follow up.

In the sixth, six of the seven runners are quoted under 10-1 that gives some indication of what punters are up against.

Fate Of Fortune won well on debut in spite of racing green and the extra should suit. Anton Marcus replaces the apprentice and with a run under his girth and some expected improvement he may be the one to beat. However, Juan Carlos garnered a reputation in Cape Town but it was probably more because of his breeding that what he had produced on the track.

Although he has been off the course for over 200 days, his stable is in mustard form and any market moves need to be taken seriously. Cupid’s Song and Uncomplicated are others to consider.

The grey Spiritofthegroove was in the doldrums until showing signs of life at her last two. She has been taking on smart Highveld fields and although she has pulled a wide marble, she has come tumbling down in the ratings from a 107 to today’s 85 and with Lyle Hewitson in the saddle she can get back to winning ways in the seventh where 6-1 look tempting odds.

The last is a punter’s nightmare. Chatterton’s Keeper and Ralph The Rascal are joint 7-2 favourites in the ante-post market.

Chatterton’s Keeper was narrowly beaten from a wide draw last run while Ralph The Rascal is never far back but looks held by Chatterton’s Keeper given the turnaround in the weights but that may not prove significant.

Greenlighttoheaven finally got his act together when winning well last time out and can follow up while 40-1 could prove generous odds for Plymouth Rock. Doug Campbell’s runner has been off the course for over a year but is always game and the poly is his game.