Pick six of the best

THE Pick 6 is expected to reach a pool of R6 million at the Sansui Summer Cup meeting on Saturday and looks gettable. The first leg is the Grade 3 Fillies Miles. San Fermin showed an electric turn of foot from the back half of the field on debut over 1 400m and won by seven lengths without raising a sweat.

She looks top class and can afford to be dropped out from a tricky draw.

Folk Dance went for home early last time over 1 400m in her reappearance and made a bold bid to hang on.

She has had enough time to recover from that hard race and Gavin Lerena can be in a handy position for free from a good draw and use her telling kick to good effect.

Witch Of The West ran on well to finish 1,35 lengths behind Folk Dance last time. She is 2kg worse off, but is well drawn and should relish the step up in trip.

Coming from the Lucky Houdalakis yard she will be improving all the time too. Cashel Palace is up with Folk Dance on paper and is progressive.

However, a wide draw might warrant her being excluded.

KZN raider Roy’s Riviera ran on well in the KZN Fillies Guineas Trial and the form has worked out well.

In the Grade 2 Merchants over 1 160m Bull Valley is worthy of topweight; Talktothestars will have to bounce back; Kangaroo Jack is brilliant on his day and could run well fresh; Rivarine should go close having run a cracker last time despite being forced to switch to the unfavourable inside going; Graduation Day has problems but has won six out of ten and his late rattle to win the Golden Loom was impressive; Naafer, who is officially 1kg under sufferance, is on the up, but his number one draw might, or might not, be a problem. The Thinker is under sufferance but is coming into his own.

In the Investec Dingaans Big Bear and Pietro Mascagni stand out. The only concern for the former is the current below par form of the yard, while the latter is having only his second career start.

Like A Panther

Alwahsh and Alshibaa can pick up the pieces. Others who warrant consideration are the progressive Vacquero and Like A Panther.

The lattter would prefer further, but will be running on strongly.

In the Summer Cup Geoff Woodruff’s charges, Pagoda, Banner Hill and Master Switch, have all had good preparations. Woodruff had made this race his own, so those three might be enough.

Abashiri ran an eye-catching preparation and Liege, Hermoso Mundo, Wind Chill and Orchid Island make most appeal of the rest. In the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Stakes over 1 600m the brilliant Nother Russia will be the meeting banker for many. However, Bella Sonata was not herself last time and was headstrong.

She could be a threat if back to herself, although she has a difficult draw. Bi Pot is suited to the standside track and she and her stablemate Guns And Roses have the Woodruff factor. Secret Star, who has a fine turn of foot, and Sylvan On Fire, who goes for five-in-a-row, are upset material.

The last leg is tough as it is over 3200m. Weiho Marwing has a fine record in staying races, so Cool Chardonnay has to be included.

Gone Baby Gone

Gone Baby Gone should be cherry ripe. Run Rhino Run won an incredible race at Greyville over 3 000m last time. Fortissima, last year’s winner, loves this trip but has a big weight. Royal Honour has had a good preparation.

Lion’s Emblem, Ilitshe and Supertube will be fitter than their last starts and could bounce back.