Author Archives: Yegan Kander

Mccartney can keep the lights on

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Andrew Harrison

With the national power grid under pressure one hopes that the lights stay on at Hollywoodbets Greyville tonight where punters are faced with a turf card that could be trick or treat.

The treats could come in the first three races. In the first, Tony Rivalland’s charge Mccartney has improved with each outing and got going just too late when a close-up second last run and should enjoy the extra furlong. At his penultimate start he was a close-up third to the highly rated Kichakal on the Scottsville turf. Main danger could be Caramel Fudge who has put in two smart efforts to date and was narrowly beaten last time out. Ashton Arries has taken the ride in preference to His Master’s Voice who make marked improvement at long odds in a Qualified Maiden over course and distance last time out. Grande Lupo is coming along the right way and has put in two improved efforts over course and distance in recent outings and comes from an in-form stable. 

In the second, Chelsea Blue raced green in a promising debut over course and distance and can make the required improvement to turn the tables on the more experienced Edvige who was runner-up last time out and two lengths clear of Chelsea Blue. Can’t Catch Me has done well on this course over shorter. She had a tough draw last time out and is drawn one off the paint here while French Princess shows good pace on the poly and has improved in Maiden Handicaps. She takes on stronger here but has a 4kg claimer up and is not out of it. 

The third should be a ‘boat race’ between Take To War and The Green Gallant, the only two runners with any serious form. Take To War is lightly raced but has come into his own since being tried over ground and finished runner up over 2400m at his last two. That form looks strong enough for him to triumph here. The Green Gallant comes from an in form stable and showed up well first run back from a lengthy break without blinkers. He has been unlucky on occasion but stays well and should be right there. 

With Pleasure is due another win as he hardly ever runs a bad race. He is now 1.5kg better off with Queue Wing and should be good enough to turn the tables in the fourth. Sunday Island has been doing most of his recent racing on the poly but has been in good form. Rachel Venniker’s 1.5kg claim could be invaluable and she is riding with plenty of confidence. 

The fifth is a tricky handicap but Capetown Beauty had her first run back after a nearly five-month break over a distance short of her best in strong company. She has some fair feature form to her credit and if anywhere near her best she should make a bold showing. Greengrowsthelilacs needed her last run. Dean Kannemeyer’s filly has a touch of class and has improved in blinkers. Bella Siccome bids for a hat-trick of wins and Paul Lafferty has booked a 4kg claimer to negate her rise in the handicap. Her best recent form has been on the turf and she must have a strong chance again. 

Wendy Whitehead sends out Boundless Bash in the sixth who is an improving three-year-old and has been taking on stronger since his maiden win. The stable is in form and with log-leading rider Keagan de Melo aboard he looks to be the right one here. Cape Eagle trotted up at his last start but got an eight-point hit in the handicap for his troubles. But he is a lightly raced older horse and the extra furlong could be in his favour. Captain Who has something of a disappointing record if one looks at his blue-blood pedigree but recently has been restricted to racing over shorter and the step up in trip may bring out the best. 

The seventh is a wide open handicap. Michael Roberts has three runners in the race and although stable rider Rachel Venniker would appear to be on the stable choice, she would not have been able to make the weight on Philispiel, the ride going to the 2.5kg claiming apprentice who has won on the horse before and will only carry 50.5kg. Philispiel as an out-and-out 1000m specialist who goes best on turf and from a good draw should be right there. Hooves Of Troy is long overdue another win and from the best of the draw and De Melo up, he should at least make his presence felt. Iron Bark has come good in blinkers but all of his recent form has been on the poly. Valiente has come good of late but all his form has been on the poly and the handicapper is catching up but he goes well for his apprentice rider. Chara Sands has good form on the poly and his rider is in supreme form at present. 

The last is another difficult handicap with much of the recent form on the synthetic track. Winter Journey goes great guns on the poly and is over her best trip from a good draw. The switch in surface should hopefully not trouble her. Girl Of Tregunter is back on her favoured surface but does have a wide draw to overcome. She showed plenty of promise in her first two starts and back on turf she could prove value. Morgan La Fay has drawn one inside of Girl Of Tregunter but has been in cracking form on the poly since her maiden win and she can go one better. Troubadix is a recent maiden winner on the turf where the form has held up. Her last effort on the poly may be best ignored but exotic players will do well to go wide in this race. 

Quiz Master to ask the right question

Posted on by

Andrew Harrison

Punters are faced with a tricky card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville today with the programme peppered with low-grade handicaps, the first of which kicks off proceedings.

But where there is uncertainty, there are profits to be made and Quiz Master can get the ball rolling in a tricky opening sprint. Lorenzo Karriem’s gelding raced wide from a tough draw last start but was making progress in a race won by the well-thought-off Diani. Quiz Master has at least been consistent and with a better draw and a very much in form Keagan de Melo aboard, he has the right credentials. Grey Ocean tried to make all last run in an apprentice race but was caught in the last few strides. Under a more judicial ride from Muzi Yeni he could go all the way. Veteran galloper Leslies Pathtofame got up close home to edge out Grey Ocean in that race and there should not be much between them again. Dark horse is Bugsy Malone. He has been rested but comes from a very much in form stable and significantly has dropped substantially in the handicap from a 74 to a 61 in his last five starts

In the second, New Orleans has a handy galloping weight and is 1.5kg better off with Dunyaa since their last meeting. The blinkers go on and De Melo stays aboard. Magicallee showed her customary pace last run but was still not able to match the end-to-end winner. She is now 2 kg better off with Dunyaa on their last meeting and should be able to turn the tables. Mark Dixon sends out Get In The Q who was a comfortable maiden winner and had consistent form prior to that. Her win was on the turf but she has gone well on the poly. Capriana is another better off at the weights with Dunyaa for less than a length beating. She now has the best of the draw and only 49.5kg to shoulder. 

Best bet on the card could be the Glen Kotzen runner Such A Cracker in the third. She is the stable’s only runner on the day and has run her two best races on the poly. She gets first-time blinkers and may prove to be the one to beat.  If You Say So was much improved in blinkers last run when starting at long odds but she is still improving and can go close in this line-up. French Princess made a promising poly debut when trying to make all and was only caught late. She has a strong chance off a light weight. 

Pedro heads a tough handicap in the fourth although he has another wide draw to contend with. He was doing his best work late last run after finding traffic and with some luck in running he can finish closer. Fleet Commander has improved since switching to the poly. He was a recent maiden winner in spite of racing green but did not get a penalty for that effort and could be well in at the weights. One Shot Wonder has been improving slowly and was not far back over course and distance last outing. He comes from an in-form stable. 

The fifth is a wide-open fillies handicap and it may be a good plan to go wide in the exotics. Garth Puller saddles Miss Lialah who ran a cracker from a wide draw last outing and with her 4kg claimer still aboard she could get it right. Fashionigma was a recent maiden winner but was not far back in her handicap debut. She is consistent and should be a big runner. There should be very little between the consistent Bell Starbuster and Roy’s Rocker, a length separating the pair when last they met.

If things go according to plan, Karriem could be looking at a treble as he sends out Juan Carlos in the sixth. The entire may have found his last start too far as prior to that he was close-up on the poly and he appears to have improved with the blinkers removed. Exceeder surprised last run but that was only his third local start and he appears to have come to hand while Cherokee shed his maiden at third time of asking for Robbie Hill and took to the poly. He got a hefty rating for that win but he does look progressive. 

In the seventh, Maxiumus is holding form and can go one better over an ideal course and distance for Dean Kannemeyer but Botz has been threatening for some time now and Sean Veale, Dennis Drier’s stable rider, has flown up from Cape Town for the mount. Botz failed narrowly last run and can go one better. Three-year-old Parmenion has dropped in the handicap and only has 50kg to shoulder. He could prove more effective over this shorter trip while Captain Who is seldom too far back and goes well this trip. 

Royal Kitty looks the part in the last as she goes very well over course and distance and was narrowly beaten last start. Kom Naidoo sends out Badrah who has a wide draw to contend with but loves the poly and did well first run back from PE. The extra should suit. Weiho Marwing makes the trip from Gauteng with Angel’s Wish who has some useful Highveld from in strong fields. She makes her poly debut but looks competitive while Venturous has run her best recent races on the poly. She has a fair weight to shoulder but should be right there.