A competitive Pinnacle Stakes heads up the card on the turf at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday 28 February 2024, where Pray For Rain is back over his favourite course and distance and relatively well weighted.
He is the star of the Carl Hewitson stable and was close-up behind Captain Bombshell and the classy William Robertson in the Marula Sprint last time out but the switch to the minimum trip can see him turn the tables on Captain Bombshell who did drop a bomb by beating William Robertson at odds of 66-1.
A repeat performance from Garth Puller’s runner will make it hot for his rivals. Sun Blushed and Coin Spinner were also in the Marula Sprint where they finished third and sixth respectively but only a length separating them. However, Coin Spinner looks the more likely to enjoy the drop in trip as Sun Blushed’s form has generally been over further. Hithemhardsunshine made a winning debut for Alyson Wright. He had some patchy Highveld form but did show plenty of ability on occasion and the change of routine could see him in again. The form of his latest win has been franked.
There are many first timers in the card opener so keep an eye on the market but of those that have run, Mike Miller saddles four of the nine runners, best of which looks to be the filly Million Voices who made good improvement second time out behind the well fancied favourite. The Specialist raced green in a promising debut and should come on with the experience while Samuel Longsword was a beaten favourite in that race and obviously better than that run would suggest. Mister Nibbles also finished ahead of William Longsword and was friendless in the market. Of the first timers, Paul Lafferty is expecting a good effort first up from The Ghost.
Future Flo has been costly to follow after being a beaten favourite on a number of occasions but Michael Roberts has him back to a sprint and from a good draw, he could be worth one more chance in the second. Bomber Stream showed up well in his comeback run after a lengthy break. Darryl Moore fitted him with a compression mask for the first time which may well have been the answer to his problems. Bomber Stream finished ahead of both Magma Magic and race favourite Apex Predator. Both appear to be on the up and any significant market support could be telling.
Richard Fourie is in top form at present and he will again be on board Tony Rivalland’s charge Send Me who looks the best bet on the card in the opening leg of the Pick 6. The blinkers go on no doubt on Fourie’s advice and from pole position he rates the horse to beat. Of the balance, Summer Shade caught the eye in a competitive sprint last time out and Wayne Badenhorst steps him up to a mile for the first time. Specmagic was a close-up second on the poly last run in his best showing to date. Garth Puller’s gelding may have finally come to hand.
The fourth could result in a match race between Tannen Princess and Elegant Act. Tannen Princess is lightly raced but has improved with each outing and Gareth van Zyl’s filly looks primed for this. Elegant Act races off the same rating and has only been out of the money once in eight starts. She has the best of the draw and Dean Kannemeyer’s filly looks the most likely threat to the selection.
Manic Monday is never far back and although Paul Lafferty’s filly goes the trip for the first time in the fifth, she should see it out. Theappleofmyeye has her third run after returning from a lengthy break. She should strip at her peak and has the added bonus of Richard Fourie in the irons while Mysterious Girl has been in the money at her last three starts and will benefit from Rachel Vennikers 1.5kg allowance.
With four runners in the first and another four in the sixth, Mike Miller could have a champagne day. The best of his quartet in the sixth looks to be Skytrix the mount of stable rider Tristan Godden. She has been close-up in both starts since shedding her maiden on debut, all three runs in the soft. Epic View took on much stronger last outing when tried in blinkers for the first time. She should enjoy the extra and could upstage her stable companion. Miss Arlberg was in need of her last run after returning from a lengthy break. She has dropped rapidly in the ratings and looks to be off a more realistic mark. Veteran Stingray has come good at recent starts for Tienie Prinsloo. She was not far back from a tricky draw last run and should be in the shake-up.
There are plenty of runners in with a chance in the last. Stanley Park has come good since Garth Puller decided that he needed blinkers and he ran a smart race behind Pray For Rain last time out. He drops in class here but with the corresponding rise in the weights. Philispiel is something of a Scottsville specialist but has run well over course and distance. He is 1.5 kg better off with War Empress on their last meeting but Louis Goosen’s filly is in top form and there should not be much between the two. Super Fast has a tricky draw to contend with but is seldom far off them of late and along with Donquerari is not without a winning chance. Also in the running is Dontshootthebarman, visiting Clinton Binda’s only runner on the day. It could pay to load up in the exotics.
