Race Previews Turffontein Saturday Sep 17 by David Thiselton

Race 1:

Preview: BOLD COAST made a smart debut and will be hard to beat from a good draw here. TILBURY FORT is by Horse Chestnut and is a half-brother to a few winners. ROCK AND ROLL finished 4,7 lengths behind Bold Coast in a fair come back from a year’s layoff and should have benefitted from the run (David Thiselton 5-10-4).

Race 2:

Preview: END GAME is by Silvano out of an Argentinian-bred mare and Strydom is up from pole position. She wouldn’t have to be a champion to win this race. A WOMAN’S WILL returns to a trip she has done well over before. QUI TANGO is improving and should enjoy the step up in trip. NINE ‘O CLOCK NEWS could earn although her wide draw makes it tough. WRITTEN is by Western Winter and is a half-sister to two or three winners. HURRICANE BERTHA is by Western Winter and is a half-sister to South Atlantic, who in his second start beat Runalong by 3,5 lengths and the latter followed up by winning four in a row. ANGEL ON A MISSION is by Philanthropist out of a National Assembly mare who won once in only two starts. (David Thiselton 8-1-5)

Race 3:

Preview: APPLE CRUMBLE is lightly raced for a six-year-old and as a handy type who builds up to top gear the number three draw over this trip will be ideal. AWESOME ADAM has a high draw to overcome but should enjoy the trip as he won going away over 1450m last time, which also suggested he could handle the four point merit rating raise he was given. VEE MAN has always struck as one who is better than his current 71 merit rating and he has his third run after a rest over the trip of his last win and Strydom is up from a fair draw. ANALYSE THIS might set the pace but will stay on. SEVEN SINGLE is a handy or front running type and draw one is this ideal while he should enjoy this trip running fresh after a three month layoff.  (David Thiselton 10-1-11)

Race 4:

Preview: Not much between a number of horses with winning chances. ROSE WATER has been knocking on the door for a long time and being by Silvano should now be coming into her own, while being a full sister to Rudi Rocks, a Listed winner over 1900m, she should relish the step up in trip. FISH RIVER CANYON represents the in from Gary Alexander yard and she should enjoy the step up to 1600m being by Mullins Bay and having stayed on over 1450m last time. STRUT YOUR STUFF, who is bred to stay, made a reasonable debut over this trip at the Vaal considering she had to be switched from the back into the unfavourable going and with expected improvement she could go close here, although her wide draw is a concern. RUBYBAY has been knocking on the door and is distance suited but has a wide draw to overcome. OVER STATED ran a fair race with first time blinkers on last time and from draw two is another one who could go close over a trip which should suit. COSMO RUSSE returns from a six month layoff but has shown enough ability to have a chance here and she should enjoy the trip. (David Thiselton 2-9-8)

Race 5:

Preview: NERO has a good draw over this suitable course and distance and with the blinkers off again will appreciate the step up in trip from his last race over 1400m where he was a touch unlucky as he was bumped in the closing stages and subsequently had to switch inward. TRIP TO TROY won his maiden over course and distance in facile fashion and has dropped to a competitive merit rating so should go close from a good draw. ARPAD is well drawn for a change and can go close over an ideal course and distance off a competitive merit rating. DUZI MOON’s latest two attempts at 1600m were fair efforts and in his last race he was hampered so could have got closer. Strydom is up, albeit from a tough draw. TRIPLE BEAT has a shout over an ideal trip with second time blinkers on, but has a tricky draw to overcome again. CIAO-CIAO represents an in form yard and showed last time he is coming to hand. ZEN MASTER has a chance over a suitable trip if able to overcome the draw. KING GERARD enjoys this course and has dropped to a competitive merit rating, but the trip from a wide draw might stretch him. IMPERIAL PARTY stayed on over 1000m in her penultimate and might be looking for further now. She still has a stamina doubt, although the blinkers off will help. PRIVATE RULER can’t be ignored and CAPUCHE will be involved if able to get as good a spot in a held up position as he did last time. (David Thiselton 5-3-1-2-4)

Race 6:

Preview: SHAH’S STORM won a very weak maiden over 1400m last time, but before that ran a good race in a 1200m maiden which has worked out quite well so off a mere 61 merit rating she could do well here from pole position draw with Strydom up. ALLORA ran on well to win her maiden second time out after a slow start and should relish the step up in trip. Gavin Lerena is up from a fair draw. MONARCH AIR runs off a competitive merit from a fair draw over an ideal trip. Andrew Fortune was up for her maiden win in January and is back aboard for the first time since. SPRING DANCE did well over course and distance last time off this merit rating with first time blinkers on and from a good draw could be involved again. SAVE THE DAY could earn from a good draw over a suitable trip. (David Thiselton (6-4-2)

Race 7:

Preview: SHE’S A DRAGON is reasonably treated at the weights and has won well fresh before so has a chance from pole position over a suitable course and distance. INTERGALACTIC is best in at the weights on official merit ratings and should be effective running fresh over too sharp a trip. Gr 1 SA Classic and Gr 2 SA Oaks winner JUXTAPOSE will find this too sharp but running fresh from a good draw her class could pull her through. JOAN RANGER tends to over race over this trip so a wide draw in her first run for three-and-a-half months doesn’t augur well for her chances. However, although her best form has been over sprints, she is officially second best in at the weights and her class has pulled her into some decent placed efforts over this sort of distance before. PERSIAN RUG should start coming into her own being by Ideal World and is tried in blinkers over too sharp a trip in her second run after a rest. She has a wide draw to overcome. SHEPARD ONE and DRIFTING DUSK could pick up the pieces if the classier sorts all prove in need of it, while LAZER STAR could do well if bouncing back to her best over a suitable trip from a good draw with Delpech up. (David Thiselton 6-11-3)

Race 8:

Preview: FIELDMARSHAL FENIX won well on debut and can rise above a 67 merit rating so has a chance from a good draw over a step up in trip he should relish. ARTEMISIA should be coming into her own being by Silvano and has pole position over  a suitable course and distance. ONE YESTERDAY loves the course and distance and has been dropped to a competitive merit rating. INTANDOKAZI is drawn well and can produce a good finish if relaxing well in a held up position. DIVAR is three points higher for his win over this trip last time out at the Vaal and he won his maiden over course and distance from a similarly wide draw. (David Thiselton 2-6-4)

Race 9:

Preview: ARCTICA is distance suited and well drawn and although officially 3kg under sufferance is unbeaten as a gelding and could have more to come. WILL PAYS is officially second best in at the weights but his merit rating is likely capped as he won a Pinnacle over course and distance last time by four lengths. He was drawn in pole then and is now drawn ten but he was relaxed in the running and with a repeat this improved horse could make it a hattrick. ST, TROPEZ is classy and could still rise above his 99 merit rating. His fine turn of foot makes him suited to this course and although he would prefer further he should do well fresh over this trip from a good draw. CAPTAIN ALDO is best in at the weights and is course and distance suited but has a tough draw o overcome. FINCHATTON and MACDUFF can’t be ignored. (David Thiselton 11-2-9)