Andrew Harrison

SOME smart fillies line up in the Sea Cottage Graduation Plate that heads the card on the poly at Hollywoodbets Greyville today, the meeting swopped with Gauteng to accommodate the Two-Year-Old Sale at Gosforth Park.

Top of the list is Justin Snaith’s filly Keep The Lights On. Snaith has recently opened a satellite yard at Summerveld that houses many runners owned by his KZN-based owner Nick Jonsson. Keep The Lights On races in Jonsson’s silks and the one question punters will be asking is if Keep The Lights On is fit enough to win. She boasts some smart form in strong company from the worst draws and is well weighted here.

Her last start was in The Debutante on Gold Cup day where she jumped from the extreme outside gate and only found the top filly Ecstatic Green too strong for her.

Snaith gave her a break after that and she makes what officially amounts to her seasonal debut tomorrow but if not short of a run she should be hard to beat.

The year older Stella Act has done well in strong company but returns from an even longer break. But she does have a touch of class and should be competitive. Golden Slipper winner Love Bomb is another making her seasonal debut but was a touch disappoint at her last start after her previous win in the Golden Slipper. She is the highest rated filly in the race but could find it tough going at the weights. Sav’s Star also returns from a break but has shown promise. She had a tricky draw in feature company last time out but Nathan Kotzen keeps 2.5kg claimer Thabiso Gumede aboard that should see her more competitive at the weights.

Wendy Whitehead has been sending out winners on a regular basis of late and saddles African Sunrise in the Conditional Progress Plate. He is a gelding with his quirks but is more than just useful on his day. He drops in trip but has a good draw and if he brings his A game, he should be difficult to beat.

Should he fail, thinks get trickier. Colour Of My Fate has been consistent in useful company and comes in with a light weight. Williams Land steps up to a more suitable trip and he may just have needed his latest. Anton Marcus has jumped ship from Pearl Of Asia to ride African Sunrise but Robbie Hill’s gelding is no slouch and can do better than his last start.

The fifth is another handicap puzzle for punters but Cherry Road is top class and Gavin van Zyl’s filly has done well from bad draws at her last three. She has a plum draw this time around and can beat the weight. She will face plenty of opposition from Diamondsandpearls who is also smart but may need a touch further to show her best from a wide draw.  Eightfolds Lass has been in good form, her best recent effort over course and distance from a tough draw while Connect Me has not had much luck at recent outings. She has the best of the draw here and can make good improvement.

It takes a lot to make the genial Kom Naidoo lose his sense of humour but apprentice Gumede was on the receiving end after a less than inspiring ride on Fives Wild last time out. Gumede gets a chance to make amends in the last as Naidoo has kept him aboard in another difficult handicap. Five’s Wild has useful form on the poly and seems sure to improve. Jerry The Juggler has his second run for his new stable and the blinkers go on. He was not far back in his first run for the yard. Hammam took on stronger when back to a sprint last outing and his recent form is consistent.