Best Bet: EAGLE NEST (Race 6)
Value Bet: DEMIANA (Race 7)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
|
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
|
7 |
13 |
3 |
6 |
|
5 |
12 |
8 |
1 |
|
11 |
|
9 |
8 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 5
HUESCA has consistent formlines to his name and followed up his penultimate run victory over 1300M with a fourth-place finish next time out over 1100M, one and a half lengths behind the winner. He was returning from a lengthy 41-week break that day and showed plenty of toe, only to be run out of it late. From draw five, he should turn in another honest performance today.
ESSONNE is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she also won her penultimate outing, but in her case, over seven furlongs and then finished tenth next time out over the same journey, 10.7L adrift of the winner, but she had to be held up badly between the 400M and 100M mark and only got going far too late, so a line should be drawn through that effort. She is drawn one inside the top choice and with better luck in running, she should be right up there when they hit the line.
BARTOSELLI has finished third in his last two starts and tried to go from jump to wire last time out when ending up one length back from the winner over 1300M. He is drawn the widest of them all in gate eleven, but he is likely to attempt similar tactics today and could prove hard to reel in over the closing stages.
Race 6
Two 3yr old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but the day’s best bet, EAGLE NEST is taken to lead the field home. She put 4.8L between herself and the opposition when winning her maiden race last time out over 1100M at the fourth time of asking and the form of that race has been franked. She has her peak run after returning from a 23-week spell and a change of trainer and whilst taking on stronger, she has a handy draw four and may well be up to the task at hand to give jockey Tim Clark the first two legs of the day’s Jackpot.
GILMORE also won her maiden race last time out when victorious by a greater 5.3L over five furlongs, this despite jumping awkwardly and bumping another runner. She recovered quickly to take up the lead and record a comfortable win. She has her peak run after returning from a 39 week absence and is drawn wide in gate thirteen, but she is a speedy sort who should be able to work her way across without using up too much gas.
OVEREXTEND had to be steadied off the heels of other runners at the 500M pole and then come three wide approaching the home turn, before hitting the front at the 125M mark and then holding off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. The gelding will have to negotiate a wide draw 12, but nevertheless, he should be involved in the finish.
Race 7
The day’s value bet, DEMIANA won over this sprint trip three runs back, then finished second over the same c&d next time out, before ending up in seventh spot last time out over seven furlongs, just over two lengths behind the winner and the form of that race has been franked. She raced three wide without cover in that event, but still stayed on well over the latter stages. The filly will have to overcome a wide draw thirteen, but she gets the services of champion jockey James McDonald, so will get all the necessary assistance from the saddle.
PONCA is seldom far off the action, finishing sixth last time out over seven furlongs, 2.8L back from the winner, but she had to be held up at the 100M mark that day, so should have finished closer to the winners than she is officially recorded. The form of that race has also stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning and from a kinder draw five, she should be a big runner in this line-up.
BOWERY BREEZE has consistent formlines to her credit and was slow away, but made good late progress to end up in second place last time out over 1100M, just a half-length off the victor. She was returning from a 12-week rest that day and from one gate outside the latter, she should be included in all bets.
Race 8
KOKORO’S last three runs have yielded a win over seven furlongs, followed by two second-place finishes, the latest over 1500M, three and a half lengths behind the winner, but he finished strongly from some way back that day, suggesting that the extra ground on offer today will be to his liking. He is drawn wideish in gate eight, but he should produce another honest performance today.
SILENT AGENDA is drawn one outside the top pick. The gelding won his penultimate run over nine furlongs and then finished second over this c&d last time out, beaten just a short-head, but it should be pointed out that he hung in down the home stretch and was hampered at the 300M mark, so that effort was encouraging.
I’VE BEAN TRYIN’ also won his penultimate outing, but in his case over seven furlongs and then finished third next time out over seven furlongs, 2.2L back from the winner. He was however bumped at the start, finding himself towards the back of the field, but then stayed on well over the closing stages. He faces a wide draw twelve, but given his style of racing, he is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then start to pick off the front runners over the latter part of the race.
