Turffontein Thursday (inside track) Oct 13 Race Previews by David Thiselton

Race 1:

Preview: FISH RIVER CANYON has been knocking on the door and can get it right here over a suitable course and distance from a good draw. The well bred Silvano filly ORCHID ISLAND made a good debut over 1200 and should relish the step up in trip, but she does have a tough draw. WRITTEN made a good debut over 1200m and is another who will enjoy the step up in trip, so she has a chance from a fair draw with Gavin Lerena up. (David Thiselton 1-11-12)

Race 2:

Preview: SHIVERING SEA has been ultra consistent and with Gavin Lerena up has a chance, despite a tricky draw, as she is back in a handicap having run well in a Graduation Plate last time over 1200m. LEVI LADY is quick and from pole position looks capable of following up on her maiden win off a 74 merit rating. MOVIE SHOW is ideally course and distance suited and well drawn off a competitive merit rating. (David Thiselton 3-7-4)

Race 3:

Preview: SEEKING GOLD made a good debut when unfancied and showed pace in that 1450m event so should enjoy this trip from pole position. KANTARA QUEEN is by Elusive Fort and is a half-sister to Silk Road, who won his first two starts as a two-year-old at Kenilworth, so she is interesting on debut from a good draw. MALACHITE SUNBIRD had some fair Cape Town form and likely needed his Highveld debut, so Strydom is an interesting booking from a good draw. SISTINE CHAPEL made a fair debut and the form has been franked. BEING FABULOUS is an Australian-bred by High Chaparral and Gavin Lerena rides, albeit from a tough draw. (David Thiselton 10-8-1)

Race 4:

Preview: PISTOLERO is doing well off this mark and a wide draw should not be of much concern as he finishes strongly from off the pace. TOUR OF DUTY is well regarded and hasn’t been disgraced in his last two in plate events against fair opposition, so has a chance in his handicap debut. CAPTAINOFMYHEART has run well against fair opposition and can be involved provided a breathing noise he made last time does not affect his chances. (David Thiselton 11-4-3)

Race 5:

Preview: KINAAN is a useful stayer and should be involved here. He is officially 3,5kg under sufferance with Zafira, but has a recent run under his belt and beat Zafira in the Gold Cup at level weights by three lengths, which probably puts him slightly ahead here on paper. ZAFIRA is officially best in at the weights and comes from a yard known for their success over staying trips. She is unbeaten in two outings at this course and should enjoy the trip. KISSIMEE is 7kg better off with Zafira for a mere 0,8 length beating over 2450m in January. The weight for age scale has changed 4,5kg since then in Zafira’s favour, but that still puts Kissimee 2,5kg better off, so she must have a shout despite being officially 2,5kg under sufferance with Zafira. (David Thiselton 3-6-7)

Race 6:

Preview: NAVARRO should be coming into his own being by Silvano and can make amends for his last start, where he was a touch unlucky over 1600m. He likely need that last run and he will appreciate this step up in trip. STREAK appears to have his issues but is distance suited and has the ability to win this. BUBBLY REPLY won his maiden over course and distance from this same pole position draw two runs ago and ran a fair race first time out the maidens so has a chance in this uninspiring field. VICTORIOUS ROYAL has come into his own and goes well for this jockey so can go close over the course and distance of his last win. He runs on from behind so the wide draw is not much of a concern, although he is four points higher than his last win. There is not much between OLD OAK TREE and Navarro on formlines over shorter and being by Gimmethegrenlight he should also be improving. However, there might be a slight stamina question mark on pedigree. (David Thiselton 11-7-14)

Race 7:

Preview: ENDEARING, who was caught wide over 1200m against the boys last time, has dropped to an attractive merit rating and is drawn well over a suitable trip. She should be involved back against her own gender. MIGHT AS WELL made a bold bid from the front last time over this trip at the Vaal. She is now better drawn, is off a two point lower merit rating and she has run well in two starts over course and distance before, albeit both in the maidens.  MYTHICAL MAGIC ran a fair race at the end of July over 1400m from a tough draw the Vaal and could run on here into the money if dropped out from a wide draw. GOLD SHADES ran a fair race against a promising sort last time over 1400m at the Vaal and Strydom is an eye catching booking. LADIES CLUB ran on well last time over 1200m and is well dawn over a suitable trip. WARM NIGHT ALICE was backed to odds on second time out over 1200m at Scottsville and kept on well, but on pedigree and running style the trip might stretch her here especially from a wide draw after an 82 day layoff. (David Thiselton 2-8-1)

Race 8:

Preview: REFUGE showed a good turn of foot and found another gear to repel a challenge when winning over 1200m last time out. He will relish the step up in trip on pedigree and Strydom remains aboard. The high draw will make it tough but he does appear a type who can be switched on and off. DEALER’S CHARM is worth another chance dropping back to the trip of his eye catching maiden win and off a merit rating which has been lowered another two points. He has been disappointing since the maiden win so the fitting of blinkers is something else to not and he is also drawn well with Delpech up. ARPAD’s maiden win over 1400m has worked out well and he might also benefit from the drop back to this trip. He is also drawn well and has the very much in form Gavin Lerena up.  The improved KING AND EMPIRE has won well in his last two and has a chance from a good draw with stable jockey Fortune now up. Refuge comes out better than him if apprentice claims in the formlines are included,  but if they are ignored there is not much to separate them. ZEN MASTER can’t be ignored over a suitable course and distance from pole position. RAND CLUB made a fair comeback from a break of over a year when staying on well over 1200m at the beginning of last month and a repeat over this more suitable trip could see him involved. However, he has a very high draw to overcome and there is also the second run after a rest question mark. (David Thiselton 1-4-3)