David Thiselton

Turffontein Inside stages an intriguing nine race meeting today, which will offer opportunities for both exotic and on the nose punters.

The highest rated race at the meeting is the seventh, a MR 94 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m, and Andi’s Girl is a stand out selection on form. She has run over this course and distance in her last two starts and finished a 2,25 lengths second to Back In Business and a head second to Fiery Pegasus. Both of the latter are looking to be top class and she actually gave the year younger, but 12 point higher rated Fiery Pegasus 3kg in the latter race. She also has pole position and in form Gavin Lerena aboard. The progressive Across The Pond represents the in form combination of St. John Gray and Muzi Yeni and jumps from a good draw of five. Gray has had 15 wins this season at a strike rate of 16.48%, but Yeni has been aboard for every single one of those 15 wins so their strike rate together is very high indeed. Across The Pond will be a threat and the risk averse should include him in the Pick 6. Duenna loves this course and distance and could also have a say from a fair draw of six.

In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1000m Basingstoke won her maiden over 1000m from start to finish in fluent fashion and from pole position could follow up. She is a banker possibility, although giving the in form seven-year-old mare Twice As Wild 7kg won’t be easy and the latter has a low enough draw of six to make her good early pace effective. Smelting beat Twice As Wild last time, albeit with a 4kg claimer up, and she is only two points higher so could make her presence felt.

The second leg is over 1000m too and Arilena is on the up and tipped to make it three successive turf wins. She did have a run on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly in between those two wins that can be ignored as she won with ease on either side of that run over 1000m and 1200m respectively. However, she does have a tricky draw of seven and a merit rating raise of five to overcome. Therefore, Autumn Var and Stroopsoet might be worth including. Autumn Var will enjoy the step back to 1000m and has a plum draw and Stroopsoet showed big improvement last time to win her maiden, but she does have a tricky draw to overcome.

In the sixth race over 1000m Poblano looks to be promising after running on strongly down the wrong side of the track to win on debut, but she does have an 87 merit rating to deal with. Bosum Buddy has run some fine races against decent opposition and should be in the shake up from a plum draw. Nettleton has a six point raise to deal with, but might have come on a bit from that last win, although her draw of five out of eight is tricky. Valieva has not been disgraced against top sorts and won her maiden with authority, so can also be considered despite a tricky draw of six. Green Flash has ability and is suited to the minimum trip so also has to be considered from draw three with Lerena up.

In the eighth race over 1450m Alphabetty is well drawn and off a competitive merit rating might make her presence felt over this step down in trip. Queen Of Love hasn’t run since winning her maiden easily back in May but is drawn well over a suitable trip, albeit off a tough 88 merit rating. Future Date should be in the shake up if repeating her last run. She has a tricky draw but Yeni is up. Shampimpi is capable of earning here. Say It Loud could also improve and from pole position has to be considered.

In the last race over 1450m Palace Dancer has some good form and should take to the step up in trip from a good draw under Gavin Lerena. Oxalis Gold disappointed first time out the maidens over this course and distance but she was returning from a layoff and drifted significantly in the betting. The form of that race has been franked and she is now drawn in pole. Princess Lola has shown ability and should now have a chance of staying this trip. Princess Iliara is consistent and well draw and has a definite form chance. Courageous has always been well regarded and could pop up.

In the first leg of the PA Birthright is a big, scopey sort and from a good draw has a good chance over a suitable 1800m trip. Hazlo Grande showed the potential he had always promised last time and Eiger Sanction has been in devastating form since the blinkers have been removed and might make it five in a row.

In the first leg of the Bipot Guy Alexander and Callaburn could fight it out.

In the first race Panning Gold will need to bounce back from a below par run. He runs over a step up in trip that he should easily get on pedigree, but he has not been tried over it before and fading over 1600m last time does not augur well, although he was caught wide without cover which probably explains it. The Merciful ran well last time but it was a maiden handicap and this will be tougher. Yojimbo has the form to be a contender but it is his first run for three-and-a-half months.

RACE 1     

4 PANNING GOLD 2 THE MERCIFUL 9 YOJIMBO 5 CLIFFIE CLAVIN

Preview: 4 PANNING GOLD is worth giving another chance too over this trip as he was caught without cover last time and could do better plus there is not much to beat here. 2 THE MERCIFUL ran a cracker last time after a layoff of close to two years and could be in the shake up. 9 YOJIMBO ran second time out and has The Merciful beat on form-lines and also has Lerena up but he does comes off a three-and-a-half month layoff and gelding. 5 CLIFFIE CLAVIN has run two moderate fourths and could so again here. (4-2-9-5)

RACE 2  

 2 GUY ALEXANDER 1 CALLABURN  3 ZOOMBOMBER 5 RAINY SEASON    

Preview: 2 GUY ALEXANDER won a nice race last time and is only 2kg worse off with Callaburn having beaten him by three lengths, so he can go in again. 1 CALLABURN has been in consistent form and might appreciate the 200m step down in trip and he has a plum draw. 3 ZOOMBOMBER won on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly last time out so will not have an easy task off a higher merit rating. 5 RAINY SEASON might enjoy the step down in trip after being a well beaten third over 2600m last time. (2-1-3-5)

RACE 3     

2 BIRTHRIGHT 6 HAZLO GRANDE 4 EIGER SANCTION 12 THE OCTAGON

Preview: 2 BIRTHRIGHT is a progressive sort who should enjoy this trip and he is well drawn. 6 HAZLO GRANDE has always struck as one with ability and won easily last time but does now have a seven point raise to overcome. 4 EIGER SANCTION has been in devastating form and the only question is whether the handicapper has caught up with him. 12 THE OCTAGON has always been promising and after his maiden win starts off handicapping off a reasonable 71 merit rating. (2-6-4-12)

RACE 4     

1 BASINGSTOKE 9 TWICE AS WILD 10 SMELTING 7 JUST VAR

Preview: 1 BASINGSTOKE won his maiden in eye-catching style and starts off handicapping off a reasonable 81 merit rating and he is drawn in pole. 9 TWICE AS WILD has been in good form and has a fair draw. 10 SMELTING is capable and could be in the shake up from a fair draw. 7 JUST VAR is drawn well and has dropped to a competitive mark. (1-9-10-7)

RACE 5     

3 ARILENA 1 AUTUMN VAR 7 STROOPSOET 10 SAMOA

Preview: 3 ARILENA is in fine form and is distances suited and could follow up on her last win. 1 AUTUMN VAR should enjoy the step down in trip. 7 STROOPSOET enjoyed the step down to 1200m last time and won her maiden cosily and she might enjoy another step down.  10 SAMOA is capable of a strong finish even at the age of ten. (3-1-7-10)

RACE 6     

8 POBLANO 4 BOSUM BUDDY 1 NETTLETON 5 VALIEVA

Preview: 8 POBLANO looks to be promising but does have an 87 merit rating to deal with. 4 BOSUM BUDDY has run some fine races and should be in the shake up. 1 NETTLETON has a six point raise to deal with but might have come on a bit from that last win. 5 VALIEVA has not been disgraced against top sort and won her maiden with authority. (8-4-1-5)

RACE 7     

5 ANDI’S GIRL 8 ACROSS THE POND 1 DUENNA 2 DONNA MO

Preview: 5 ANDI’S GIRL’s recent form has worked out superbly and she is drawn in pole. 8 ACROSS THE POND is a promisingly progressive sort and has a chance. 1 DUENNA has the form to be in the shake up. 2 DONNA MO steps down in trip after a layof but is capable. (5-8-1-2) 

RACE 8     

1 ALPHABETTY 4 QUEEN OF LOVE 7 FUTURE DATE 6 SHAMPIMPI

Preview: 1 ALPHABETTY is drawn well and will appreciate the step down in trip. 4 QUEEN OF LOVE hasn’t run since winning her maiden easily back in May but is drawn well over a suitable trip, albeit off a tough 88 merit rating. 7 FUTURE DATE should be in the shake up if repeating her last run and has a tricky draw but Yeni is up. 6 SHAMPIMPI is capable of earning here. (1-4-7-6)

RACE 9     

7 PALACE DANCER 5 OXALIS GOLD 4 PRINCESS LOLA 3 PRINCESS ILARIA

Preview: 7 PALACE DANCER has good form and a good draw and will appreciate the step up in trip. 5 OXALIS GOLD should have benefited from her last run and could be in the shake up. 4 PRINCESS LOLA should now start enjoy this trip, a step up from sprints. 3 PRINCESS ILARIA is drawn well over a suitable trip and should be involved. (7-5-4-3)

Please note, Hollywoodbets Greyville has received over 100mm of rain and forecast of further showers over the next 2 days. The Hollywoodbets Greyville race meeting Sunday, 20 October 2024 has been abandoned.

Johannesburg, 15 October 2024 – 4Racing in conjunction with the Handicappers have published the first log for the 2024 R6 million Gr1 Betway Summer Cup to be run at Turffontein on Saturday 30 November.

Second entries close at 11am on Tuesday 05 November, and final entries at 9am on Monday, 18 November 2024, after which weights will be announced. Declarations must be in by 11am on Wednesday, 20 November 2024 and barrier draws will be conducted at a Betway event on 20 November 2024. The final log will be published on Tuesday 05 November 2024.

TABGOLD have added a Pick 6 to their daily menu of QuickMix bets, which are popular with many customers because they combine races from different local and international meetings, and are completed much quicker than multi-race bets on single meetings.

The addition of the Pick 6 brings the number of QuickMix pools offered most days to six – three Jackpot QuickMixes and a QuickMix BiPot, Place Accumulator and Pick 6. Until further notice, the QuickMix Pick 6 will always be the last six legs of the Place Accumulator QuickMix.

To play the Pick 6 QuickMix, TABGOLD retail customers must mark VENUE SPM and RACE 2 on the betting form.

It must be noted that the Pick 6 first-timer rule will apply to South African races in the bet if these races form part of a South African Pick 6. The first-timer rule will not apply to all other races, including South African races that are not part of a local Pick 6.