A wide open Pinnacle Stakes heads the Hollywoodbets Greyville card on the turf on Sunday. There are a number of runners coming back from a break as they warm up for the Highveld season, one of these being Winter Games with Mike Miller having his sights on races like the Gauteng Guineas and Dingaans in his planning. Winter Games was up there with the best of his year last season but Miller put him away after a close-up fifth behind champion Sandringham Summit in the Gr2 Golden Horseshoe on Hollywoodbets Durban July day. The three month break is a concern but he does have pole position with only 53kg to shoulder. He takes on a more than useful field but this race will be a plot on his chart.
Seeking The Stars looked a blinder at the weights last time out and he duly obliged although it was a tight call. It was only his second run for Alyson Wright and he can improve. Que Wing was a close-up second to Seeking The Stars and meets him on the same terms.
An interesting runner is Ricky Maingard’s Waterberry Lane. Bought out of the Dean Kannemeyer stable, the gelding has not been out since just over two lengths back to Jet Dark in the Cape Met in January. He is the class in the race but this is possibly another warm-up for the Highveld season with Maingard now mainly based in Cape Town. Royal Victory has lost his way a little for Nathan Kotzen after his Highveld campaign last season but his was in need of his last run behind Seeking The Stars. He is sure to have come on from that run and at best will be a big runner.
In the first Gary Rich-trained Fire Phoenix did not handle the soft last run after a much improved previous effort. Witchwood drifted off the boards when the blinkers were removed for her last start in the soft. Tienie Prinsloo has them on again and she should have a good chance with just a little improvement in a weak field. Pretti Victory is bred in the purple and a first timer to watch in the betting.
Glen Kotzen’s gelding Morning Chess has drawn wide and could start at good odds in the second after a forward showing last time out. He is lightly raced and with the blinkers off over the extra furlong he can run a big race. Freedom Square has the widest draw and takes on males which is not in her favour. However, the opposition is not strong and she can go close. Weiho Marwing saddles King Of Queen who made a promising local debut over the distance. This will only be his fourth start and further improvement is on the cards. Paul Lafferty sends out Beach Palace that has shown up well in both starts over shorter. This longer trip should be right up his alley.
Sugar Blast can get the Pick 6 off to w inning start. Prinsloo’s runner started at long odds last run when trying ground for the first time and finished a close-up second to the favourite. He obviously enjoyed the extra and can go one better. Billy Of Tea looks held by Sugar Blast on their last meeting but he stays well and has been consistent for Mike Miller. Triton is a long-time maiden but Carl Hewitson’s runner came in for strong market support last run. With a 4kg claimer up it could be worth another gamble.
The fifth is a tricky handicap but All The Time was touched off over course and distance last time out by Joshua Hotsnake with a short head between them. The latter got a penalty and Yogas Govender’s charge is now 1.5kg better off which should be enough to turn the tables. Both are in good form. Doug Campbell’s runner Crested Eagle found traffic at his last two starts and is better than that form would suggest and can deny his odds while Pongola is way better than his last effort and was not far off Joshua Hotsnake at his penultimate start.
Wayne Badenhorst appears to have picked the right race for Princekresh in the sixth. The gelding has been up against stronger at recent outings and not far back. He is down in class here and with a 4kg claimer aboard he makes a lot of appeal. Gimme A Rainbow is never far back and was close-up on the poly last time out. He is better over this trip and with a plum draw he can win again. Lucky Dollar has been dropping in the handicap and ran a cracker from a tough draw last time out. Clinton Binda has two runners in good form but both have shown their best recent form on the poly. That said, Dontshootthebarman, Esquevelle and Anotherdayinafrica also come into the equation.
The seventh is another difficult handicap. Apprentice Nirvan Nastili scored the first win of his career for Gareth van Zyl on a relatively fancied runner last week and the Mauritian gets another chance on the Van Zyl-trained Ancient Epic. She does come off a short break but never wins by far and the 4kg relief from the saddle and a good draw could see her go one better. Bomber Girl was touched off in a tight finish last run and has some useful form. Stable companion to Ancient Epic, La Pura Vida was a comfortable winner of her last start but was hammered eight-points in the handicap which could be her undoing although the yard’s first call rider Athandiwe Mgudlwa takes the mount.
In the last, Twinklelittlestar won second time out in what looked to be a competitive maiden for which she got a lofty handicap mark. However, she could still prove a little better than this field. Harley’s Fate has drawn wide but took on much stronger last run. She has been in good form of late and title-chasing Muzi Yeni will be in the saddle again. Aspoestertjie has been holding form well. With Rachel Venniker’s 1.5kg allowance she should be a big runner.
