The eight-race card at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday 14 October is highlighted by the reappearance of last season’s Cape Racing star two-year-old filly Winter Cloud, who makes her comeback in Race 8 over 1250m.
But the meeting also features several other attractive betting propositions including a potential hat-trick of Justin Snaith winners that are worth including in a TAB Pick 3, as well as an Andre Nel double early on the card.
As Noon Day Gun and Tyrion Lannister are reserve runners in Race 1, Nel-trained Nordic Chief could be good value to win the opener over 1250m. This son of Vercingetorix was an encouraging fifth on debut over this course and distance, beaten just 2.15 lengths, and although slightly disappointing over the same track and trip next time out, was not disgraced in finishing fifth just 3.40 lengths behind the winner who was making his debut.
Nel’s charge has subsequently been gelded so is open to any amount of improvement, though needs only to bounce back to the promise of his introduction to make amends under Corne Orffer.
If successful there, that trainer-jockey combination ought to complete a race-to-race double with William Longsword filly Tequila Sky in Race 2 over the same trip. She finished a close-up second over 1250m at the country course in her second start before coming unstuck late over 1400m last time out having been used up early to overcome a deep No 10 (of 12 runners) draw. Both the return to 1250m and an inside No 2 gate will better serve her interests and, even if Orffer does elect to ride her positively once more, he should steer her to victory at the fourth attempt.
Pick 3 bettors need only include three runners in the first leg of the bets in Race 3, with Oliver and very well-related Foudre the only two capable of thwarting Snaith’s Get Impressed. The latter has improved markedly having been gelded with two close-up finishes in both starts after the unkindest cut.
He got going late to finish third over 1400m in his first start as a gelding and went even closer next/last time out when finishing second over 1250m, the same distance over which he makes his peak outing under Grant van Niekerk. He is again drawn in gate No 1 and should get the run of the race, so looks worth a confident bet on the nose and is a confident Place Accumulator banker.
Snaith has a strong hand in Race 4 with five of the 10 runners and while riding arrangements suggest Van Niekerk’s mount, One Way Traffic, is the pick of the quintet, it could pay to side with Somerset Maugham who was not at his best last time but may have needed that outing returning from a break.
This maturing six-year-old gelding, who is a full brother to star colt and recent Matchem Stakes (Grade 3) winner Charles Dickens, is held on recent form by re-opposing rivals The Futurist and last-start conqueror Senso Unico, who won the Listed Settlers Trophy over 2000m recently, but is better off at the weights with both of them and will also have improved fitness on his side, so is worth a significant bet at what could prove to be generous eachway value.
Stablemates Mucho Dinero and game frontrunner Machete Man are two lively winning chances in Race 5 for the Snaith outfit also represented by Cosmic Event. The latter is likely to be in need of the outing, though, following a layoff whereas his stable companions are race fit.
Progressive last-start winner Mucho Dinero is likely to start favourite with Van Niekerk again aboard, but Machete Man, with blinkers refitted, will prove a different proposition back at this course given that the profile of that track suits his racing style. Furthermore, Louie Mxothwa, who rode this four-year-old gelding to his last career win, will be reunited with the chestnut son of Act Of War.
Exciting and undefeated three-year-old colt Green With Envy is en-route to the Grade 1 Cape Guineas and will be all the rage in Race 6 as Dean Kannemeyer’s charge is likely to improve any amount going 1600m. However, Snaith has two useful strings to his bow in Futura geldings Future Swing, unbeaten over course and distance, as well as Future Turn.
The consistent latter is the pick of stable jockey Van Niekerk from gate No 3 and also receives 1kg from his talented stablemate, who should make significant progress after a much-needed comeback run.
Including both in Pick 3 permutations, along with Kwa-Zulu Natal raider Natyam and Green With Envy, is probably the safer route to take although boxed Trifecta bets with those four runners is an aggressive play that could reap rich rewards!
In Race 8, Winter Cloud is hard to oppose despite shouldering 60kg on her return to action against older rivals. She finished second to unbeaten Equus Champion Mrs Geriatrix in the two-year-old Grade 1 Allan Robertson Championship last season and she needn’t run anywhere near that level of form to make a winning reappearance.
Clive Robinson
