Pacaya (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Pacaya Fully Fit And Ready To Run Huge Race

The four-year-old Justin Snaith-trained Trippi gelding Pacaya has shown signs this season of fulfilling the potential he displayed as a three-year-old and he is the joint favourite for Saturday’s Grade 2 WSB 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

He came back from a layoff of close to eight months in January to run a promising third from a wide draw over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

He then finished strongly next time out to win the Listed Gordon’s Gin Jet Master Stakes over 1600m, although he was the beneficiary of an error of judgement by a jockey who eased his mount, Quasiforsure, well before the line, thinking he had the race wrapped up.

The target for Pacaya was always the Grade 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July and he now faces his acid test on Saturday in the WSB 1900, which he will need to win to book his place in the big race.

The winner of the 1900 is not guaranteed a place, but does get preferential consideration for inclusion in the final field.

Jonathan Snaith said earlier today, “Pacaya is fully fit and will run a huge race from the decent draw. His preparation for the Hollywoodbets Durban July has gone perfectly so far.”

He is drawn four out of the 12 runners and Richard Fourie rides.

The Snaith yard also run five-year-old Dynasty gelding One Way Traffic, whose Cape Town form in three runs has not come close to emulating his scintillating victory on July day last year in the Grade 3 Vodacom 2200, which he won by three lengths in a time 0,79 seconds quicker than the July time.

Jonathan said, “One Way Traffic is coming off a rest but is a horse that thrives in KZN. He could surprise from the wide draw as his form at Hollywoodbets Greyville is phenomenal. Our plan would be to get him into the HWB July with bottom weight.”

Do It Again is on target to set a new July record by becoming the first horse in history to run in the big race six times and he also, of course, has the chance to become the first to win it three times.

He runs in a Pinnacle Stakes event over 1600m and is drawn six under Richard Fourie and carries 62kg.

However, Jonathan said, “Do it Again is just having a prep for the Hollywoodbets Durban July. He is effective over further but should run a fairly competitive race.”

They are bullish about the chances of their other runner on the day, Kingdom Of Heaven, who runs in a MR 81 Handicap over 1400m.

His form might be a bit mis-leading because in his first two post maiden runs he was up against Charles Dickens and then Without Question.

He did run way below par last time out in his fifth career start, his first as a gelding, but had displayed his ability in his second career start when winning a special weights maiden, despite carrying topweight of 60kg.

Jonathan said about this Dynasty gelding, who is out of a Bernadini half-sister to Equus Horse Of The Year Oh Susanna, “Kingdom of Heaven is producing excellent work and should run a massive race. He’s better than his recent forms suggests.”

Isivunguvungu (JC Photos)

Narrow Creek Stud Working From A Strengthening Base

Narrow Creek Stud had their second Grade 1 winner recently when the Peter Muscutt-trained What A Winter gelding Isivunguvungu won the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint and John Everett has been planning matings for this sprinter’s dam and for a half-sister or two.

Isivunguvungu’s Tiger Ridge dam Miss Tweedy, who won four times from 1400m to 1600m, unfortunately lost her last foal, who was by Rafeef.

She had produced two fillies by Rafeef before that, but one is on her way back to Narrow Creek after suffering a setback, whilst the other one is an unraced two-year-old.

Isivunguvungu was Miss Tweedy’s second foal.

Her first foal by Querari was the twice-winning filly Bat Out Of Hell.

John now plans to send Miss Tweedy to Hawwaam (Silvano).

He might send one of Isivunguvungu’s sisters to What A Winter.

Narrow Creek, for a still developing farm, had a phenomenal black type return last season, with nine individual stakes winners of 12 races, including their first Grade 1 winner Red Saxon.

They have only had one individual stakes winner this season.

However, those black type successes would have strengthened their base and this was shown at the BSA National Yearling Sale where their eleven lots averaged R359,051.

John is obviously a fan of Rafeef as can be seen by his support of him with Miss Tweedy.

His reasoning is he is by the speed influence Redoute’s Choice and he believes South African bloodstock needs an injection of speed.

He said although everybody dreamt of winning the Met and the July, at the Sales buyers’ chief interest generally was whether the horse would be able to run as a two-year-old.

One stallion John was thus predicting big things for was the son of Redoute’s Choice, Buffalo Bill Cody, who will be getting some Narrow Creek mares.

Malmoos (Captain Al) and New Predator (New Approach) are two other young stallions he mentioned.

John’s admiration of Malmoos is not surprising as he was the nemesis of the Narrow Creek-bred Elusive Fort gelding Catch Twentytwo.

John said the latter had had to endure a journey of some 18 months just to get overseas so it was hardly surprising he had been battling, first in the U.K. and now in Australia.

One of Narrow Creek’s best performers form last season, Sprinkles, will be on her way to stud soon.

John also believed the useful sprinter Big Burn was nearing the end of the road.

He will be watching another one of his stakes winners from last season, Homely Girl, running in the Listed Syringa Handicap at Turffontein on Saturday. She will likely be defending her Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes crown next up.

Joe Soma gave Narrow Creek their first Grade 1 winner, Red Saxon (Red Ray), and John is looking forward to following the Soma-trained three-year-old filly Avoontoast, who is a Twice Over half-sister to Red Saxon. She has already shown a lot of ability in three starts, including winning her maiden by 5,50 lengths, and it was only the tightness of the Turffontein Inside track which caught her out last time as she was flying at the finish.

Ramiro Restrepo posted the above picture on Twitter today with the simple word “Cruising”. Of course the focal point of the picture is the famed blanket of 554 red roses which the Kentucky Derby winner is draped with after the race. Ramiro is the owner of Mage, the winner of the Derby.

Mage core owner Ramiro Restrepo ‘over the moon’ after Kentucky Derby victory

Clark Spencer (Lexington Herald-Leader)

The battery on Ramiro Restrepo’s phone went dead Saturday in the time it took him to work his way through the crowd from the grandstand to the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs.

That’s how quickly the deluge of congratulatory calls and text messages started coming after Mage won the Kentucky Derby. Restrepo is one of the colt’s core owners, and the well-wishers were plenty.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez texted. So did Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago, actor John Ortiz, most of Restrepo’s former Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity brothers at the University of Miami, where he graduated in 2000, and pretty much anyone else with whom Restrepo ever came in contact. Or so it seemed.

Friends. Relatives. Some close. Some distant. Some familiar. Some not. By his own estimate, Restrepo figured he had received more than 2,000 texts and calls by the time he was finally able to resuscitate his phone.

“Nothing prepares you,” Restrepo said.

Mage’s victory resonated in South America and South Florida, in particular. Restrepo’s family roots trace to Colombia, and he grew up a racing fan in South Florida, attending races at Gulfstream Park and Hialeah, even as a small child.

Winning trainer Gustavo Delgado hails originally from Venezuela, and he and his son Gustavo Delgado Jr. — another of the core owners — now live in Aventura. Yet another primary owner, Sam Herzberg, is a real estate investor from Sunny Isles.

Jockey Javier Castellano won his first U.S. race at Calder Race Course in the summer of 1997, shortly after arriving from Venezuela, and spent the first few years of his career riding primarily in South Florida.

Even Mage, a Kentucky-bred whom Restrepo and Delgado Jr. partnered to buy out of a Maryland auction for $290,000 this time a year ago, has local roots.

As shoppers at nearby Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel stores were purchasing decorative pillows, scented candles, leather furniture and whatnot this past winter, Mage (unbeknownst to them) was being housed and trained only a few hundred yards away at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach.

It was at Gulfstream in late January where Mage made his racing debut — and won — and there in April where he finished second to Forte in the Florida Derby.

Now all signs are pointing for Mage to make his next start in the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore on May 20.

Restrepo will be there, of course.

“I don’t think anything I’ve ever done could have prepared me for the root down the stretch,” Restrepo said of the colt’s come-from-behind victory in the Derby. “The feeling of crossing the wire first. And then the explosion of things that comes after …”

The Derby victory was worth $1.8 million to Mage’s owners. His value as future stallion is potentially worth many times that. But all that Restrepo wished to savor — at least for now — was Mage’s Derby.

Restrepo described the immediate aftermath as a “bedlam of hugging and kissing.”

“I was getting tackled by buddies like it was a rugby match, mosh-pitting and whooping and hollering,” he said of the trek to the winner’s circle. “Then the horse comes over, he’s got the roses, Javy (Castellano) is throwing roses in the air. People are screaming. People are crying.

“You’re thinking, ‘Where am I?’ It’s like you’re floating out of body. It’s like you’re Mick Jagger. We’re being feted like we’re celebrities. I’ve never had that happen to me.”

Restrepo remained in Louisville after the Derby, checking on the horse and responding — once his phone regained power — to all the well-wishers.

He intends to return to Miami this weekend for Mother’s Day, then head up to Baltimore for the Preakness.

“The rush is unexplainable,” he said. “Everyone’s over the moon.”

Preakness Stakes

What: Second leg of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown

When: May 20, 6:50 p.m.

Where: Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.

There’s plenty of excitement around which horses will make the final field for the 2023 Durban July. Picture: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images

Art of the July is more Pollock than Hopper right now

Mike Moon (The Citizen)

See It Again jumps to the top of the boards as Cousin Casey takes a tumble.

It is said the 2023 Hollywoodbets Durban July picture is emerging, with less than two months to go to the country’s biggest horse race. However, it must be said that the picture looks more like something daubed by abstract impressionist Jackson Pollock than a coherent realist work by Edward Hopper.

At the first declaration stage this week, 49 of the 60 first entries stood their ground. Out came big names such as Red Saxon, Linebacker and Golden Ducat. No supplementary entries were received for the R5-million contest – though some punters might have hoped for an extra horse or two to come in and provide some recognisable brushstrokes.

Events of the weekend saw the July picture losing some of the little definition it had, as paint was splashed about erratically.

See It Again

Ruling July favourite at the time, Cousin Casey, ran below expectations in the WSB Guineas at Greyville, starting as 11-2 second favourite but being obliterated by Charles Dickens (5-10 favourite). Second in the Guineas was 20-1 shot See It Again, who finished two lengths off the superstar – defying a notion that 1600m would be too short for him.

Second favourite in the July before Saturday was Safe Passage, but he ran a shocker in the Drill Hall Stakes, finishing last, 15 lengths off classy winner Trip Of Fortune.

Adding detail to a corner of the July canvas was the impressive victory of Without Question in the Variety Club Stakes at Kenilworth in Cape Town.

The upshot was See It Again leapt to the top of the July betting boards, Without Question zoomed up to second slot, and Cousin Casey and Safe Passage were relegated a few notches. But, with mercurial swings in sentiment and the shortest price being 6-1, it’s crystal clear that the picture is far from clear.

Final official ‘qualifier’

This coming weekend might clarify things – or turn it into a surreal landscape a la Salvador Dali. The WSB 1900 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday is traditionally seen as a July pointer and is a “qualifier” for the big one. Eleven of the 12 runners are July hopefuls, so we can expect a battle deluxe as they vie for that coveted invitation.

Topweight Rascallion, with a merit rating of 122, is sure to make the July final field, so this serves mainly as a prep run – and, with 62kg aboard, the five-year-old will find it tough going against younger horses with light weights.

Lightly raced four-year-old Quasiforsure has been attracting a fair bit of interest after a successful Cape summer sojourn and a good win back home in Durban in a Pinnacle Stakes contest three weeks ago. He has won five of eight starts and, with 56kg to carry, might be in the reckoning – if he can stay the 1900m he’s never tried before.

Quasiforsure was narrowly beaten over 1600m at Kenilworth by Pacaya, another four-year-old who is being tested over ground for the first time. Whoever stays, gets the July nod, perhaps.

Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Greyville meeting marks the arrival in KwaZulu-Natal of the powerhouse string of champion trainer-in-waiting Justin Snaith, whose eight July entries include Pacaya and fellow 1900 runner One Way Traffic – not to mention dual July hero Do It Again who has his seasonal warm-up in in Race 4, a Pinnacle Stakes.

Get out the paints, brushes and easel?

JULY BETTING

6-1 See It Again

8-1 Without Question

10-1 Rascallion, Pomp And Power, Cousin Casey, Safe Passage

16-1 Quasiforsure, Pacaya, Son Of Raj, Rain In Holland, Dave The King

20-1 Zapatillas, Puerto Manzano, Billy Bowlegs, Hoedspruit

25-1 Anfields Rocket, Rockpool, One Way Traffic, Silver Darling

33-1 Saartjie, Jimmy Don

40-1 and upwards the others

The great Street Cry mare Zenyatta with foal at foot (TDN).

Zenyatta – The Most Loved Equine Mum Of All Time?

Turf Talk Editor

Its Mothers day on Sunday and time to reflect on one of the great Moms of the racing world.

I like to watch racing replays to spot potential future winners, but there are one or two replays I watch over and over again without ever tiring of them.

One is the 1979 Met where Politician comes from an impossible position.

That race encapsulated another highly debatable subject i.e. commentary. In my opinion the preferable commentators are those who are able to generate excitement with their voice and the best commentators are those who can do that as well as describe what is going on accurately. So Francois Wolfaardt might not have achieved the latter in his 1979 Met commentary. In fact one of my racing mates commented, “Terrible commentary.” Not in my mind though. It is one of my favourite calls of all time because of the sheer natural excitement Francois exudes when Politician suddenly appears from nowhere and the fact he was taken by surprise adds credence to just how impossible a task Politician had.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 1979 MET

However, one of the greatest racing commentaries off all time undoubtedly is the one by South Africa’s own Trevor Denman in the 2009 Breeders Cup Classic. His description of the action throughout the race is pin point accurate, but what separates it is the crowd reaction to his change of tone in the straight as Zenyatta switches out into fresh air on the outside.

If the commentary is listened to at full volume on a good TV you can hear an unusually muted crowd through most of the race. They had come to watch the superstar mare and it looked like turning into another Big Brown-Triple Crown damp squib, because she spent the first half of the race tailed off and never at any stage before the straight looked to be in touch.

So when her massive stride put her in contention from an impossible position, the muted crowd begins to murmur.

Then on cue from Denman’s words as she hooks to the outside a massive roar is released that must have lifted the roof of the grandstand.

The final words of Denman’s commentary have entered racing folklore.

Google any American website and you are bound to find somebody quoting them somewhere.

They also serve as the introduction to Zenyatta’s own website.

Trevor was even able to fit in a Durbanism i.e. UN-Believable”, later made famous by Chad Le Clos’ father Bert.

“And now here’s Zenyatta and let’s see, Zenyatta has a lot, a lot of ground to make up. Zenyatta, if she wins this, she’ll be a super horse. She’s starting to pick them off, though. Zenyatta going to hook to the outside. Meanwhile Colonel John, Summer Bird in the red cap … AND ZENYATTA’S COME TO THE OUTSIDE (Crowd roars simultaneously) Zenyatta coming flying on the grandstand side. Gio Ponti on the inside. Summer Bird is right there. THIS – IS – UN-BE-LIEVABLE! Zenyatta, what a performance! One we’ll never forget. Looked impossible!”

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE 2009 BREEDERS CUP CLASSIC

In sporting terms it is up with Brian Moore’s legendary words, “Thomas, charging through the midfield … it’s up for grabs now … Thomas!”, the fitting commentary which saw Arsenal snatching the 1989 English first division title in the last minute with an unlikely 2-0 victory away to Liverpool.

Zenyatta was not only a great racehorse but a great human being. Well she is not human, but this gentle giant is just as famous for her kindness and charisma as she is for her racing ability. Who can forget her preliminary dancing manoeuvres and her favourite food, a pint of Guinness!

Well I am not American and don’t know what day their Mother’s Day is on but on Sunday I will have a sip, maybe of Guinness, for the great throughbred mare Zenyatta.

Cosmic Event is one of Justin Snaith’s raiders for the WSB East Cape Derby (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Battle Of The Big Three In WSB East Cape Derby

Henk Steenkamp (Nelson Mandela Bay Racing)

Three of the country’s top stables will be involved in a fierce battle for top honours on Derby Day at Fairview on Friday.

Cape Town trainer Justin Snaith and the East Cape giants, Gavin Smith and Alan Greeff, are set to fight it out for victory in the two feature races – the R350 000 Listed WSB East Cape Derby for three-year-old’s over 24000 (race 7 at 15:20) and the R175 000 Listed Dahlia Plate for two-year-old’s over 1200m (race 6 at 14:45).

The only other trainer represented in these two races is Kelly Mitchley who has two runners in the Derby.

Snaith is currently the leading trainer in South Africa. He and Smith are the only ones to have saddled more than 100 winners already this season. Greeff is third with 92 winners.

The big question in the Derby is if the Smith-trained Perfection, with regular pilot JP van der Merwe in the irons, will get the distance.

More was expected of the son of Ideal World when he tired late in the Derby Plate to finish third over 2000m.

The Smith stable would have made some adjustments to ensure Perfection is up to the task. He is 3kgs better off at the weights with the Plate-winner Heathcliff for a 2.5 lengths beating.

With his win in the Derby Plate, Heathcliff (Greeff) showed that he should have no problems stepping up in trip. He and jockey Richard Fourie will be ready to strike if things don’t work out for Perfection.

Snaith will saddle Cosmic Event and Machete Man. Both horses won their respective last starts at Kenilworth easily.

With Grant van Niekerk keeping the ride after a very good win over 2000m, Cosmic Event is the stable elect and a huge runner. Machete Man must have an outside chance though.

The dark horse in the race is Cherry Ano. He won four of his five starts for the Smith stable but is taking a big rise in trip. If seeing out the extra distance he could be right there at the finish.

Racing tactics will be key to the outcome of the race as Perfection and Machete Man both like to dictate from the front. The conditions are also a factor as rain is predicted.

Snaith, Smith and Greeff will also fight it out for the win in the Dahlia Plate. Smith and Greeff have three runners each in the race and Snaith is visiting with the filly Golden Sickle.

The winner should come from Golden Sickle, the Greeff filly Luna Halo and the colt Vision Of Wonder (Smith).

Vision Of Wonder is targeting another Listed win after his easy victory in the East Cape Nursery in which he showed good speed.

He looks a classy sort and the son of Visionaire had two runaway victories over track and trip but the fillies will give him a run for his money.

It was an eye-catching win in the Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery by Luna Halo when she quickened up nicely. She will be involved in the finish.

The speedy Golden Sickle is highly regarded and her Cape Town performances indicated that she can win, carrying 56.5kgs, a kilo less than Luna Halo.

The Winter Lake (Smith) and Joy And Peace (Greeff) are others to consider for the Quartet in what should be an exciting contest.

There are nine races on the card and Derby Day starts at 12:00 with the very popular Work Riders Maiden Plate.

Ilha Da Mauricia (Brett Crawford) looks like a banker in the first leg of the Bipot in the second race at 12:30.

The Place Accumulator starts with the third race at 13:00 and the Pick Six gets underway in race four at 13:35.

Perfection has been selected by the At The Races tipster to win the East Cape Derby (Picture: Pauline Herman)

Fairview Turf Friday May 12 Formguides And Selections

www.atheraces.com

1 12:00 – Welcome To Nelson Mandela Bay Work Riders Maiden Plate

MISS TUCKER is holding form on both Polytrack and turf. She is rated to win at the weights, but a set of blinkers may also see improvement. SIBERIAN FOX could be hard to catch, however. He shows good pace and could get away this time. Watch out for improvement from SUCCESSFUL LADY who was supported on debut. She showed inexperience then and could run a much better race this time. More can improve in a weak field including STEALING THE MOON, MEDITERANEANGODDES and MIRACLE MAN. The exotic bets could pay well in the opener.

Top Tip: SIBERIAN FOX (1)

Watch out for: MISS TUCKER (11)

2 12:30 – WSB Bet With The Best Maiden Plate (F & M)

All eyes will be on the two fillies coming in with fair Western Cape form. ILHA DA MAURICIA was knocking at the door and has run well behind some decent individuals. ANNA KARENINA was too far back in the early stages of her last race. She made good progress at the business end but has not drawn as well as ILHA DA MAURICIA and will need to get the timing spot on. PONDEROSA PINE was well supported when switching to the poly and ran a fair second. She has wins in her and could threaten back on turf. AFRODITE can upset having drawn well. POWERS THAT BE has shown potential on the Highveld.

Top Tip: ILHA DA MAURICIA (1)

Watch out for: ANNA KARENINA (4)

3 13:00 – WSB Spinawina Mr 98 Divided Handicap

SLINGS AND ARROWS wasn’t disgraced behind Bush Tracker who has come out to win impressively again since, and is back over what looks his best distance. He rates a serious contender. FERRARI ICE had his measure the last time they met and has been holding form well this year. A 2.5kg claim may see him back in the winner’s enclosure. SAFE RETURN has run well in some of the toughest races in the Western Cape and will prove dangerous one of these days. He has won over this distance. PURE MAVERICK should come on after needing his last run behind TEATRO. The latter won nicely last time.

Top Tip: FERRARI ICE (1)

Watch out for: SAFE RETURN (2)

4 13:35 – WSB Spin With The Best Mr 78 Divided Handicap

Tough race. Interestingly BOURNEMOUTH is dropping in distance and is meeting stronger than he did in the maidens. But he did win his maiden full of running and beat Green Falcon who has come out to win well since. FIERY DUKE is another who showed good confidence after steady form in his hometown. He could build on his easy poly win even if having drawn wide. GUNSMOKE won well over this track and trip from a wide draw in his last start and has now drawn well. Must be right there. All of BRENDEN JAMES, BEE IN MY BONNET, EQUESTRIAN AFFAIR and SECRET IS OURS have claims – go wide.

Top Tip: EQUESTRIAN AFFAIR (4)

Watch out for: BRENDEN JAMES (7)

5 14:10 – WSB Supports The Grooms Initiative Pinnacle Stakes (F & M)

AND WE DANCED had been imperious, winning five in a row before finding only one better in her last start. She is weighted to win but is racing after a rest. EKORIA didn’t enjoy the Oaks Plate over 1800m last time but was a winner of the Listed Breeders Guineas prior and could bounce back to form in this faster-run affair. BELLE OF BELIZE won her last start over the course and distance convincingly and with Richard Fourie up from a good gate should have every chance. MONASHADA is back over a better trip – watch out. WINGS OF FIRE and UNCONDITIONAL LOVE need to be respected.

Top Tip: EKORIA (1)

Watch out for: AND WE DANCED (2)

6 14:45 – Dahlia Plate (Listed) (2 Year-Olds)

GOLDEN SICKLE has run well in some classy contests since winning her maiden easily. She is overdue and could add the Listed Dahlia Plate to her tally. LUNA HALO was only 0.75 lengths behind GOLDEN SICKLE in the Bloodstock SA Sales Cup but is now back in her hometown and after winning her return encounter in style will be looking to turn the form around. VISION OF WONDER could be up to the task. Ever since trying 1200m she has not looked back, romping home in both starts. THE WINTER LAKE and JOY AND PEACE have improvement to come and can earn.

Top Tip: VISION OF WONDER (1)

Watch out for: THE WINTER LAKE (3)

7 15:20 – World Sports Betting East Cape Derby (Listed) (3 Year Olds)

PERFECTION appears a lot better than his run in the Derby Plate where the pace may not have suited. On official ratings he should have a big say in the Listed World Sports Betting East Cape Derby. Western Cape-based colt COSMIC EVENT impressed beating his elders last time. He may have been well beaten in the Cape Derby but that form line is proving super strong and he could test PERFECTION. HEATHCLIFF won the Derby Plate, beating PERFECTION, and will be out to confirm the form. He looks a decent staying type in the making. Frontrunner MACHETE MAN and CHERRY ANO can’t be discounted.

Top Tip: PERFECTION (1)

Watch out for: HEATHCLIFF (2)

8 15:55 – WSB Online Casino Mr 85 Handicap

Trainer Alan Greeff has two strong contenders in this one. BLONDE ACT won four in a row before being outpaced when back on the turf last time. He could relish being back over the longer distance. AMERICAN LANDING took the longest time to get back in the winner’s enclosure, but he recently also won a marathon showing he has lost none of the zest needed as a racehorse. He should be right there again. MAGNUM FIRE needs things to go his way. He had things go wrong last time and may bounce back. WAITING FOR SUMMER, JACOB’S LADDER and ZIG ZAG must be considered as well.

Top Tip: BLONDE ACT (1)

Watch out for: JACOB’S LADDER (2)

9 16:30 – Next Fairview Racemeeting Friday 19 May Mr 68 Handicap

SLIM JANNIE made an encouraging local debut. He came from well back to finish second and should build on that. He has a 2.5kg apprentice claim to boost his chances. FIRST ORIGIN was taken to the Western Cape to try his luck in a strong race for juveniles but finished fatigued and the run is best ignored. He has been gelded and having drawn ideally could show his best. COASTAL PATH was knocking at the door before a rest. He needs to be taken seriously in this lower division race. GREAT MELODY is holding form and is back over his best trip. More can upset in another competitive closer.

Top Tip: SLIM JANNIE (1)

Watch out for: COASTAL PATH (2)