The nine-race card at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday 18 May, followers of jockeys Corne Orffer and Richard Fourie are likely to be smiling all the way to the bank.
Both have a strong book of rides including two attractive betting propositions apiece.
Orffer should be in the money from the get-go aboard Greg Ennion-trained Late December in Race 1 over 1200m. This two-year-old Rafeef gelding, owned by golf legend Gary Player, has shown enough in his two starts – both over the same course and distance – to suggest he will play a leading role in the finish. There are, however, several well-bred newcomers in the lineup and the betting market ought to provide a guide to their chances on debut.
Fourie rides Express Yourself for former boss Justin Snaith and this Trippi colt, who cost prominent owner Nic Jonsson a cool R1.8 million, is certainly worth keeping an eye on.
The Fourie-Snaith-Jonsson triumvirate will be seen to the fore in Race 2 as Eight On Eighteen is expected to open his account over 1200m. He finished second on debut over the track and trip before returning a beaten odds-on favorite last time when only third in open company.
With the benefit of that experience, this two-year-old Lancaster Bomber colt should make amends by repaying his supporters.
The same could be said of Ennion’s Dixieland Band with whom Orffer is reunited in Race 3 over 1400m. This daughter of The United States finished second under Orffer over 1200m on 6 April and confirmed that improvement by filling the runners-up berth again over 1400m with Fourie in the irons on 24 April.
In that penultimate 1200m outing, Dixieland Band was 0.60 lengths ahead of Vaughan Marshall’s runner, White Waters, so she is good value to confirm her superiority over the latter who Fourie rides for the first time.
Gaynor Rupert’s Drakenstein Stud enjoyed a fruitful Cape Summer season, winning both the Grade 1 Cape Guineas (Snow Pilot) and Grade 1 Cape Fillies Guineas (Beach Bomb) with progeny of ill-fated Lancaster Bomber, both Snaith-trained, and Be Merry is another promising daughter of the ill-fated War Front stallion. She runs in Race 4 over 1200m after two promising introductory outings and is good value to shed her maiden tag under record-chasing Fourie.
Be Merry is one of the better bets on the card in Leg 1 of the Pick 6 and represents the first leg of a potential race-to-race double for the Fourie-Snaith combination, with stablemate Greenland likely to break his duck with an overdue success in Race 5 over 1600m.
This well-bred Gimmethegreenlight gelding, whose half-sister is none other than multiple Equus Award-winning champion Celtic Sea (Captain Al), caught the eye when staying on well over 1400m to finish fifth last time on his comeback from a rest during which he was gelded. Greenland would have come appreciably with the benefit of that outing and should have more to offer.
Progressive Plum Pudding has impressed in winning consecutive starts under Orffer, including her post-maiden debut over 1800m five weeks ago. This rapidly improving Silvano filly returns to the scene of that success in Race 8 and Andre Nel’s charge can be confidently backed to complete her hat-trick with further improvement on the cards.
Adam Marcus-trained Hampstead Heath, Fourie’s ride in the race, beat Plum Pudding in the maidens and is 1kg better off so. She is making her first start beyond 1600m but is likely to pose a threat if as effective over the extra 200m. She represents an obvious Swinger and Exacta bet inclusion.
Clive Robinson
