RACE BY RACE PREVIEWS: TURFFONTEIN STANDSIDE@2024.07.27
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 1, Gallops, 1160m, Turf, R100.000, 12:20GMT+2
Race Summary: Debut winners KEY NEWS and TAXI TO THE MOON fluffed their lines last time but shouldn’t be hastily condemned. Riding arrangements suggest the former, who should fare better in 2yo company having finished unplaced in a handicap against older rivals, is the pick of Tony Peter’s runners. However, the latter isn’t taken lightly and he should appreciate this shorter trip after tiring from a handy position in a 2yo Grade 2 over 1400m in KZN on July day. Preferences, however, is for speedy filly KIA KAHA who will be hard to peg back in receipt of a 2.5kg sex allowance. TOWERS OF GOLD has claims too.
Selections:
#4 Kia Kaha, #8 Towers Of Gold, #1 Key News, #3 Taxi To The Moon
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 2, Gallops, 1160m, Turf, R100.000, 12:55GMT+2
Race Summary: Good race. FORCE EIGHT and POINTER have a score to settle and could fight out the finish – the latter got the better of their most recent meeting but doesn’t have the luxury of the 4kg apprentice claim she did last time. BOSUM BUDDY blotted her copybook when only 5th of 7 in an 1100m Grade 3 in April but she is open to improvement on her reappearance so shouldn’t be underestimated. The same can be said of ICONIC WINTER who caught the eye when a fast-finishing 3rd on debut over this track and trip. QUEEN OF FIRE appeals most of the remainder.
Selections:
#3 Pointer, #1 Force Eight, #6 Iconic Winter, #2 Bosum Buddy
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 3, Gallops, 1000m, Turf, R90.000, 13:30GMT+2
Race Summary: Well-related AUTUMN VAR made the expected improvement with the benefit of an introductory outing under her belt to finish 4th over this track and trip last time. She should have more to offer so will be a factor. Youngster BELLISSIVAR has the form and experience to make her presence felt too. Well-bred newcomer SALENIO PENINSULA is an interesting prospect. Both her Gimmethegreenlight half-brothers are stakes-placed performers rated above 100, so she is bred to be useful and could be worth siding with on debut. LINE IN THE SKY is another well-bred filly to keep an eye on. Watch the betting!
Selections:
#8 Salenio Peninsula, #5 Bellissivar, #4 Line In The Sky, #3 Autumn Var
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 4, Gallops, 1000m, Turf, R90.000, 14:05GMT+2
Race Summary: Tricky. SECRET CHORD sets the standard on all exposed form but hasn’t been seen since March when finishing 4th over 1160m. He needn’t be fully tuned to play a leading role on his reappearance in this modest lineup. Sparingly raced 4yo KING HARRY would’ve benefitted from a much-needed comeback outing and is open to improvement, so shouldn’t be taken lightly. GRAND OASIS may find this shorter trip more to his liking so is another to consider. Well-bred newcomer INSPECTOR JAMES won’t need to be special to feature prominently – the betting should guide.
Selections:
#1 Secret Chord, #9 Inspector James, #5 King Harry, #8 Grand Oasis
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 5, Gallops, 1000m, Turf, R110.000, 14:40GMT+2
Race Summary: Trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren saddles 4 of the 7 and his Wernars-owned runners should dominate. Riding arrangements suggest top-weight CHYAVANA is the pick of the stable’s quartet, though the gelding hasn’t won over this distance in 4 attempts. KARANGETANG and RAINBOW REWARD have won twice over this trip and have performed consistently/competitively off their current marks so will be up for the fight. DR FAUSTUS has displayed a breathing issue but is lightly raced and open to improvement after an 11-week freshen-up. SUPER AWESOME is dangerous to discount with first-time blinkers fitted. Good race!
Selections:
#1 Chyavana, #5 Rainbow Reward, #2 Karangetang, #7 Super Awesome
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 6, Gallops, 1000m, Turf, R85.000, 15:15GMT+2
Race Summary: Open. LOVEGRASS got back to winning ways over course and distance last time with pacifiers fitted (retained) and a 3-point penalty may not be enough to prevent her from following up with further progress on the cards. WHAT A TIGER appreciated the return to 1000m that day to finish 0.75 lengths adrift and will be more of a threat on 2kg better terms. BOB is 3,5kg better off for a 2.75-length beating and should make his presence felt too. LONGSWORD finished 2nd in his only start over this distance so warrants respect. KINSHIN SHA and hard-knockers MUNCHKIN and STORMY SEAS aren’t underestimated.
Selections:
#4 Lovegrass, #7 What A Tiger, #3 Longsword, #8 Kinshin Sha
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 7, Gallops, 1100m, Turf, R110.000, 15:50GMT+2
Race Summary: TIME FO ORCHIDS has thrived since relocating to the Highveld. She showed her form and well-being by finishing a commendable 4th in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint last time out and need only reproduce a similar performance to recapture the winning thread. ELEGANT ICE (2nd in both starts over 1100m) was just 1.80 lengths adrift that day and renews rivalry on 5kg better terms, so will fight for victory. She is the joint best-weighted runner in the race along with TROPPO VELOCE who had excuses for a disappointing last run. EXCHANGE STUDENT, SO SEDUCTIVE and THAT’S MY BABY complete the shortlist.
Selections:
#1 Time Fo Orchids, #4 Elegant Ice, #5 That’s My Baby, #7 So Seductive
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 8, Gallops, 1400m, Turf, R120.000, 16:25GMT+2
Race Summary: Crack 3yo and Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes winner MAIN DEFENDER looks hard to oppose. He boasts an unbeaten course-and-distance record and that should remain intact under these favourable conditions/weight terms. BINGWA has a bit to find on the form of their meeting in the Grade 1 Gold Challenge but ought to pose more of a threat on 1.5kg better terms. However, his effectiveness over 1400m is still to be proven so versatile UNZEN could emerge as a bigger danger to the selection. TAIL OF THE COMET and stablemate THE AFRICA HOUSE are useful and capable of getting into the picture.
Selections:
#1 Main Defender, #3 Unzen, #2 Bingwa, #6 The Africa House
Turffontein Standside, 27.07.2024, Race 9, Gallops, 1600m, Turf, R85.000, 17:03GMT+2
Race Summary: SHINTO SHRINE improved for the step up to this trip last time to open his account and wasn’t winning out of turn either, having finished 2nd in his 3 previous starts over shorter distances. He ran on from a long way back on the Inside track when shedding his maiden tag and switching to the galloping Standside course with its longer run-in should be more to his liking, so his opening mark could prove lenient. CLAW wasn’t disgraced in an 1800m 3yo Grade 3 last time and should be competitive at this level. CELTIC RUSH, MAJESTIC TOUCH, EIGER SANCTION and blinkered LEAO ALADO complete the shortlist.
Selections:
#9 Shinto Shrine, #1 Claw, #3 Celtic Rush, #4 Leao Alado
Best Win: #1 TIME FO ORCHIDS
Best Value Bet: #8 SALENIO PENINSULA
Best Longshot: #8 SALENIO PENINSULA
