ANDREW HARRISON
A top stable, a top jockey, an international owner, a blue-blood pedigree and a R2 million price tag do not necessarily make for a racing certainty but Blue School Baby ticks all those boxes and the gentlemen of the crossbar – named when they stood out in the weather under an umbrella – have taken no chances and 14-10 was about the best price on offer ante-post yesterday.
The opposition in the second at Hollywoodbets Greyville today does not look particularly strong although Lucy Lu has the benefit of a run and the experience. Slow out but finishing strongly, Lezeanne Forbes’s filly is sure to have made some improvement from that outing and should give Blue School Baby a run for her money.
Most punters took a pounding a Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday and they could be in for further punishment on what looks to be a decidedly difficult card where obvious bankers are in short supply.
There should not be much between Ticket To Cairo and Precious Love in the opening leg of the PA with just over a length separating the pair when last they met. The former is a short-priced joint favourite while Precious Love, who was making her local debut and having her first run in five months, is 14-1.
However, Johan Janse van Vuuren saddles two debutants in On A High Note and Wildeye, both short in the market.
Celtic Voyager, a smart winner on VDJ Day can back up that win in the first leg of the jackpot. With apprentice Jabu Jacobs claiming 2.5kg, his handicap penalty has been nullified. He is a possible banker but once you look past him, the field in this Pick 6 leg becomes an option.
Punters face a similar dilemma in the fifth although this time around there does not appear to be an obvious standout. The books are offering 5-1 the field which just about sums the race up.
Whizz Of Odds is slowly coming down in the handicap and gets 4kg off her back. Extravagant was narrowly beaten by Dice Captain last time out but the latter has a tougher draw while Clock Stopper took to the poly last run and can go one better.
Donald McDonald is unbeaten since being put over ground and will be a popular banker in the sixth but Pollard will be a threat after being touched off by the useful Christopher Robin in the KZN Breeders 1900 and the Rivalland stable is coming good.
Santa Vittoria is a tentative choice in the seventh but she is a little too short in the ante-post market at 2-1 as there are plenty among the opposition that will make her gallop, including Super Fluke and Pina Colada although both are hamstrung by a wide gate.
Corvette Captain is a weak favourite for the seventh, another open race, but he is lightly raced and may be looking for the extra furlong now that he is older.
Cliffie Miller has led the way for his fellow former Kimberley-based colleagues with three successes so far but it could be the turn of Sarel Von Willingh Smit in the last where he saddles Rock To The Music with Miller’s Mambo Lyric a likely threat.
