Download your South Africa racing information for FREE now:
RACE BY RACE PREVIEWS: TURFFONTEIN STANDSIDE@2025.01.26
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 1, Gallops, 1000m, Turf, R130.000, 12:00GMT+2
Race Summary: BINGO made an encouraging debut over 800m and should improve with that experience to count on. SYLVAN WARRIOR fits a similar profile but the newcomers could pose more of a threat, so follow the market moves for clues. DRAGONHEART, KING BLUETOOTH and READ ALL ABOUT IT are of particular interest given their pedigrees, while fillies POWER OF PEARLS and VEGAS GIRL receive a handy 2.5kg sex allowance. Watch the betting!
Selections: #1 Bingo, #5 Read All About It, #7 Power Of Pearls, #8 Vegas Girl
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 2, Gallops, 1400m, Turf, R120.000, 12:35GMT+2
Race Summary: DYLAN’S CHAMP is carded to run at an earlier meeting but will have every chance if taking his place in this lineup. Fillies GIMME A STORM and GREAT NOTION are closely matched on the form of a recent meeting. Both have shown enough to play leading roles and could improve for the step up to this trip with the benefit of their sex allowance. GREEN STREET fits a similar profile and shouldn’t be written off after a disappointing last start in a lucrative maiden over a shorter distance. HONG KONG LUCKY and ARTIC SILVER have scope so they aren’t underestimated returning from respective absences.
Selections: #5 Gimme A Storm, #6 Great Notion, #2 Dylan’s Champ, #8 Green Street
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 3, Gallops, 1400m, Turf, R105.000, 13:10GMT+2
Race Summary: ROAMING SPIRIT sets the standard and wouldn’t be winning out of turn after 4 encouraging sprints. She needn’t improve much over this extended trip to open her account. CAPE SAFFRON outran market expectations on debut over this distance and with natural improvement should threaten. LILAC SNOW and MESSALINA ought to make their presence felt too. TRAIL RUNNER was backed on debut and didn’t go unnoticed despite finishing unplaced. She would’ve benefitted from that experience so isn’t taken lightly.
Selections: #1 Roaming Spirit, #7 Cape Saffron, #9 Trail Runner, #2 Messalina
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 4, Gallops, 1400m, Turf, R160.000, 13:45GMT+2
Race Summary: Lightly raced CALANTHA is favourably treated by the conditions and open to improvement going this trip for the first time. Consistent CYMRIC was 2nd over track and trip last time and should have a say again off an unchanged mark. FIRE ‘N FLAMES and TRUTH are also weighted to be competitive. THE AFRICA HOUSE (carded to run on 23 January), RICHARD THE FIRST and THE PLAYBOY have solid form credentials and should acquit themselves competitively once more.
Selections: #7 Calantha, #5 Cymric, #3 Truth, #1 Fire ‘N Flames
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 5, Gallops, 1160m, Turf, R120.000, 14:20GMT+2
Race Summary: SECRET CHORD flew late from a long way back to finish 2nd over track and trip last time behind VIBE SA (3kg worse off). The latter copped a hefty 7-point penalty for that winning handicap debut but won well enough to suggest he can defy the weight turnaround and complete the hat-trick. SEA WOLF has a bit to find on that form but is weighted to get closer. Versatile CLARKSON and last-start runner-up VEGAS HI RISE complete the shortlist.
Selections: #2 Vibe Sa, #1 Secret Chord, #6 Vegas Hi Rise, #5 Sea Wolf
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 6, Gallops, 2400m, Turf, R225.000, 14:55GMT+2
Race Summary: UNITED COUNCIL impressed with a wide-margin course-and-distance victory last time and a 6-point penalty isn’t likely to prevent another competitive showing. Consistent EXPLOSIVE BOND is distance-suited but is held by that rival (1kg worse off). Preference, however, is for best-weighted MY SOUL MATE who was 2nd on this course over 2450m in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks as a 3yo and 4th in the Grade 2 KZN Oaks over this distance last season. LITTLEMARYSUNSHINE and FLAMBOYANT FLYER venture beyond 2000m for the first time but could improve stretching out to this trip.
Selections: #1 My Soul Mate, #2 United Council, #3 Explosive Bond, #4 Littlemarysunshine
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 7, Gallops, 1800m, Turf, R250.000, 15:30GMT+2
Race Summary: Cracking Listed contest. Vaal specialist MASTER CHRISTMAS and thriving RADICCHIO are closely matched on their Grand Heritage meeting and will be competitive if repeating those performances. SILENT WAR and STORM BRASCO made eye-catching late headway in a 1600m Listed race recently and this extended trip should be more to their liking. The same applies to MARAUDING HORDE, unbeaten in 2 course-and-distance appearances. Consistent ROYAL EDITION and class-dropper HOTARUBI aren’t underestimated and could make the exotics pay.
Selections: #7 Storm Brasco, #6 Radicchio, #5 Silent War, #4 Marauding Horde
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 8, Gallops, 1600m, Turf, R160.000, 16:05GMT+2
Race Summary: Improving CARE FORGOT carries a 6-point penalty for a last-start 1600m victory but that isn’t likely to halt her momentum. SLINKY MAPIMPI and CAPTAINOFTHEGREEN are closely matched on the form of their Grand Heritage meeting and both will appreciate stretching out to this distance. KEY ELEMENT and MARY’S GREENLIGHT are weighted to be competitive, and consistent JURY’S OUT also has earning potential.
Selections: #7 Care Forgot, #3 Slinky Mapimpi, #5 Captainofthegreen, #1 Mary’s Greenlight
Turffontein Standside, 26.01.2025, Race 9, Gallops, 1160m, Turf, R90.000, 16:45GMT+2
Race Summary: Many with chances in a big field but it could pay to follow the progress of last-start scorer KOMATI RIVER on the evidence of her comeback win in a course-and-distance maiden. Veteran hard-knockers SAMOA, TWICE AS WILD and SMELTING have the form and experience to challenge the top-weight, as do consistent PACIFIC and recent runners-up MARIACHI MADNESS and stablemate PRIZED PLATINUM.
Selections: #1 Komati River, #7 Pacific, #5 Samoa, #12 Twice As Wild
Best Win: #2 VIBE SA
Best Value Bet: #7 STORM BRASCO
Best Longshot: #7 STORM BRASCO
