Eight On Eighteen will be Pick 6 banker for most punters (Picture: Wayne Marks).
Graeme Hawkins (Gold Circle)
A R500 000 Carryover adds to the appeal of the Pick 6 at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday as does the prospect of two ready-made bankers in the form of Eight On Eighteen and Gimme A Prince. Eight on Eighteen takes on seven rivals in the R1,5-million Splashout Cape Derby (Gr1) over 2000m and, while many will remind you that there is no such thing as a “racing certainty”, there is no logical case to be made which suggests that the WSB Cape Town Met-winning 3yo son of Lancaster Bomber can be gunned down.
Yes, Eight On Eighteen does like to keep us on the edge of our seats with his tendency to come from far back, and yes he is seen to best advantage when accelerating off a solid pace – and such a pace may not be forthcoming in this year’s renewal of the Splashout Cape Derby – but top horses find a way of getting the job done and there is no doubting that Eight On Eighteen appears to be quite special.
The Politician Stakes (Gr3) over 1800m, the traditional Derby trial run on the same day as the WSB Cape Town Met, saw Zeitz register a commanding victory over Garrix, Native Ruler, Dawn Till Dusk and Sail The Seas, all of which have stood their ground for Saturday’s Derby. Garrix is now 3kgs better off with Zeitz and there is every chance that Piet Steyn’s charge can reverse the order with Andre Nel’s eye-catching grey. Sail The Seas is 4,5kgs better off with Zeitz but the latter was a little one-paced in the Politician Stakes and may once again be held by Zeitz and Garrix. Garrix, Zeitz and Sail The Seas are all sired by the in-form Vercingetorix and are fancied to follow Eight On Eighteen home in that order.
Gimme A Prince blew us all away, not to mention the opposition, when winning the Cape Flying Championship (Gr1) over 1000m by close on six lengths on WSB Met day. Like Eight On Eighteen, Gimme A Prince is quoted at 1/3 to win the Grade 2 R600 000 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes over 1200m and while the 6yo son of Gimmethegreenlight has often been plagued by unsoundness, it appears that Dean Kannemeyer has Gimme A Prince in very good order and in the form of his life. He seems at his very best over 1200m and victory for Gimme A Prince in the Diadem seems as much a formality as it does for Eight On Eighteen in the Derby.
Questioning, Surjay and Royal Aussie are likely to fight out the minor placings, but Gimme A Prince should suffice for Pick 6 purposes. So, we have two bankers in the form of Eight On Eighteen and Gimme A Prince but, in a small perm taken multiple times, you may also wish to nail your colours to the mast with Roccapina in Race 6, the Splashout Prix du Cap (Gr 3) over 1400m, and See It Again in Race 5, the City of Cape Town Jet Master Stakes (Listed) over 1600m.
Roccapina ran terrific races in defeat recently when runner-up to Asiye Phambili in the Sceptre Stakes over 1200m on King’s Plate day and the 3yo daughter of One World built on that performance when finishing a good third behind Rascova and Double Grand Slam in the 1600m Majorca Stakes (Gr1) on “Met” day. This 1400m looks ideal and Candice Bass-Robinson’s filly should take a power of beating. Mon Petit Cherie, Bavarian Beauty and Gimmie’s Countess rate the obvious dangers but if Roccapina fluffs her lines, then this is the one leg of the Pick 6 that could produce a boil-over result.
See It Again has been testing his supporters’ faith for a while now, but he drops to Listed race class on Saturday and is slung in at the weights. He again has a wide draw to overcome and 1600m is very much at the bottom of his range, but Piere Strydom will be hoping for a slice of good fortune for a change and the 5yo son of Twice Over should prove a touch too classy here. The obvious danger is Zapatillas who cracks a good draw this time and the 6yo son of Master Of My Fate should get the run of the race.
The opening leg of the carryover Pick 6, the Schweppes Cape Fillies Classic (Listed) over 1800m, has attracted a small but competitive field of seven runners and many will be including the field. Kinda Wonderful and Scarlet Macaw do stand out on ratings, but they tackle the trip for the first time and that raises a few question marks. Goodnessgraciousme, who is highly regarded by Justin Snaith, will appreciate stepping up in trip and she may be a lot better than her current mark of 88. The rapidly improving Give Me Everything goes for three on the bounce and could also be ahead of the handicapper.
The ninth race, a Class 4 Handicap (F&M) over 1400m, shapes up as a four-cornered contest between Golden Angel, My Only Weakness. Alltheboysiveloved and Miraculous – with some measure of respect also for the consistent Among The Clouds who has not won for 591 days – but depending on how you structure your Pick 6 perms, it may be prudent to ensure you have the field in your main perm. I would not normally dare to put forward suggestions for the Pick 6 but, given the circumstances, herewith some food for thought:
Pick 6 Perm (1): 1,3,5,6 x 1,10 x 6 x 2 x 6 x 2,4,5,6,10 (R40)
Pick 6 Perm (2): Field x 1,10 x 6 x 2 x 6 x Field (R140)
Pick 6 Perm (3): Field x 1,10 x Field x 2 x 6 x Field (R1400)
Pick 6 Perm (4): Field x Field x 6 x 2 x 6 x Field (R700)
