Turf Talk Newsletter – 27 May, 2025

Asiye Phambili Can Progress Again

Duncan Howells was confident Asiye Phambili would go close in last year’s Gr 1 SA Fillies Sprint, only for her to peck at the start and drop the rider.

She now has a chance to make amends.

Howells said at the races on Saturday, “She is doing very, very well in herself, I’m happy with her preparation. She was very unlucky to lose last time out, she had a great Cape season and I feel she’s on the up and I think she will give a really good account of herself.”

The What A Winter five-year-old mare won both the Gr 3 WSB Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m and the Gr 2 Cartier Sceptre Stakes over 1200m, both at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, during her Cape Town campaign before finishing a 6,95 length sixth in the Gr 1 HKJC World Pool Cape Flying Championship, which was a decent effort considering the winner Gimme A Prince won by 5,75 lengths.

In her Champions Season pipe opener she jumped from draw eight out of 12 carrying topweight of 62kg in the Gr 3 Dennis Drier Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and looked to have the race won as she travelled well throughout and moved up well to hit the front 200m out. However, the jockey dropped the rein when changing whiphands and this saw her hanging inward across the course. She might well have otherwise won as she only lost by 0,40 length to three-year-old Mai Sensation, to whom she gave 8,5kg.

That was her first start since the Cape Flying, meaning she had a three month layoff, so the run should have brought her on.

Asiye Phambili is quoted at 5/1 by Hollywoodbets and is the second favourite behind the classy Justin Snaith-trained 9/2 shot, Double Grand Slam.

Double Grand Slam has not raced since finishing a shorthead second in the Gr 1 Maine Chance Farms Paddock Stakes over 1600m on WSB Met day four months ago and her best trip is from 1400m upward.

In fact Asiye Phambile beat her by 2,60 lengths on weight for age terms over this distance in the Gr 2 Cartier Scepte Stakes of 2024.

However, Double Grand Slam was still a three-year-old then and it was only her sixth career start.

The Vercingetorix filly has blossomed since then and Richard Fourie has gotten to know her inside out.

However, Double Grand Slam has the tricky draw of one on Saturday, which can be troublesome because the horses tend to come over from the ooutside to the middle or inside and this can leave the low drawn horses with traffic problems. This is what happened to the crack filly Gimmie’s Countess in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson last year.

Double Grand Slam does have plenty of pace though and might be able to hold her position.

Asiye Phambili will be able to afford to relax in her normal style from draw ten before turning it on in her normal style.

Sean Tarry, who has won this race a phenomenal eight times, runs Double Grand Slam’s arch rival Rascova as well as last year’s runner up Mrs Browning and the ever improving Mia Moo. Rascova is best at 1400m, but does take a hold before staying on resolutely, so might be suited to this tough 1200m course and distance. Mrs Browning bounced back to form in her last start and will be a big runner if at her best. Mia Moo has won her last two and looks to be distance suited.

The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Chasing Happiness has won a Gr 3 and a Gr 2 this season and is only 2kg worse off with Mrs Browning after beating her by 1,50 lengths last time. She can find extra late so might well enjoy this tough course and distance.

Symphony In White was a narrow third in the Gr 1 Allan Robertson last year so is course and distance suited, but she does have a tough task with Asiye Phambili on their meeting in the Poinsettia as she was beaten 0,3 lengths by the latter and is now 5,5kg worse off.

Gimmie’s Countess has never quite delivered her exciting potential, but she waas beaten over 15 lengths in the Poinsettia and has a hard task with Asiye Phambili on Cartier Sceptre Stakes form too, where she was beaten 3,15 lengths.

Just Be Lekker is full of potential and although 6,5kg out at the weights with Double Grand Slam and Rascova and 3,5kg out with Asiye Phambile, she signalled last tme that she could be coming into her own. She could well rise above her 109 merit rating, so she could be the dark horse.

Whistle The Tune is another one who could rise above her merit rating as she has bits and pieces of very good form.

Mai Sensation is in good form but has a hard task at the weights of confirming form with Asiye Phambili.

Chrome Tourmaline looks held by Mia Moo.

Gimme A Shot also has 2,10 lenghs to make up on Mia Moo.

Frozen Fantasy has a very tough task at the weights.

Convocation looks outclassed in this line up.

Asiye Phambili is taken to win it from Double Grand Slam, Mia Moo, Chasing Happiness and Just Be Lekker.

Otto Luyken And Garrix Up To 112 and 118

Otto Luyken (nearest), despite winning the Listed Pocket Power Stakes, has been raised only five points from 109 to 114, while Garrix, the shorthead runner up, has been raised six points to 118. Garrix an on terms that were 2,5kg wore off than weight for age with Otto Luyken and hence put in a considerably better perfrmance an hence his bigger increase. An interesting question is whether either horse will be supplemented for the Hollywoodbets Durban July? (Picture: Wayne Marks).

Handicapping Ratings Update (NHA Press Release)

DAILY NEWS 2000 (Grade 1)

The official merit rating of EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN has been increased from 127 to 129 following his victory in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday. The runner-up, SPUMANTE DOLCE, was identified as the most appropriate line horse for assessing this race, and her rating remains unchanged at 117.

In addition to EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN, two other participants in the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 have received merit rating adjustments based on their performances:

OKAVANGO, who finished third, has had his rating elevated from 105 to 120, having finished 0.25 lengths behind the 117-rated line horse, while conceding 2.5kg in weight.
NATIVE RULER, who finished 0.3 lengths behind the newly 120-rated OKAVANGO, has been increased from 103 to 119.
These merit rating adjustments have been made in accordance with Rule 47.3.2, which stipulates: a handicap, which shall be a RACE in which the weights to be carried by the HORSES are allocated by the handicapper for the purpose of equalising their chances of winning.

Furthermore, the Handicappers believed the performances recorded in this race warranted full recognition. Notably, the winning time for this event was 2.14 seconds (equivalent to around 12 lengths) faster than that recorded in the Grade 2 Tote Woolavington over the same distance. The race was structured as a test, as evidenced by sectional time analysis.

The only rating downgrade in this race was applied to PARISIAN WALKWAY, who has been adjusted from 121 to 119 following a failure to confirm his merit rating over his latest four runs.

TOTE WOOLAVINGTON 2000 (Grade 2)

The official merit rating of LITTLE SUZIE has been increased from 106 to 108 following her triumph in the Grade 2 Tote Woolavington 2000 over 2000m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

The runner-up, MY SOUL MATE, was determined to be the most suitable benchmark for evaluating this event, and accordingly, her merit rating remains unchanged at 107.

Previously, LITTLE SUZIE received a 14-point merit rating adjustment following her sixth-place finish in a Grade 2 race, which was her fourth career start. Her victory here, along with the subsequent rating increase, serves to validate both the Handicappers’ initial assessment of her ability and her trainer’s early decision to campaign her at Graded level shortly after her Maiden Plate victory.

The only other rating increase following this race was given to MOCHA BLEND, whose merit rating has been elevated from 94 to 102.

Merit rating reductions were applied to the following horses:

BEATING WINGS – reduced from 114 to 113.
GERBERA – adjusted downward from 99 to 98.

LONSDALE STIRRUP CUP (Listed)

FIELD MARSHAL has had his official merit rating increased from 102 to 105 following his success in the Listed Lonsdale Stirrup Cup over 2400m at Hollywoodbets Greyville.

The Handicappers determined that the second-placed FUTURE SWING and third-placed SHOOT THE RAPIDS were the most suitable line horses for assessing this contest, and their respective ratings remain unchanged at 117 and 112.

No further merit rating adjustments were applied to any other runners in this event.

POCKET POWER STAKES (Listed)

The merit rating of OTTO LUYKEN has been elevated from 109 to 114 following his victory in the Listed Pocket Power Stakes over 1950m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday.

The third-place finisher, MAGIC VERSE, was deemed the most appropriate line horse for assessing this race, resulting in his rating remaining unchanged at 113.

The runner-up, GARRIX, has received a six-point increase, rising from 112 to 118.

In accordance with the specific race conditions – which prohibit rating increases for horses finishing outside the top three – THE FUTURIST remains rated at 107, despite achieving a slightly higher performance mark.

The only rating decrease in this race was applied to BILLY BOWLEGS, whose merit rating has been adjusted from 111 to 107.

STORMSVLEI STAKES (Listed)

Following her triumph in the Listed Stormsvlei Stakes over 1800m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, BEWARE THE BOMB has had her merit rating increased from 107 to 108.

The fourth-place finisher, TIME FOR LOVE, was deemed the most suitable line horse for assessing this race, leaving her rating unchanged at 105.

Previously, BEWARE THE BOMB had received a significant 18-point increase for securing second place in a Grade 2 event, and her most recent victory further substantiates both the Handicappers’ and her trainer’s early evaluation of her ability.

Additional adjustments:

GOLD POKER GAME – raised from 103 to 105.
FUN ZONE – capped at 94 (up from 89), in compliance with race conditions restricting merit rating increases to six points for the top three finishers.
No rating reductions were applied to any runners in this event.

MILKWOOD STAKES (Listed)

The merit rating of PARIS LASS has been increased from 100 to 103 following her victory in the Listed Milkwood Stakes for fillies and mares over 1000m at Fairview Racecourse on Friday.

The runner-up, GIMME’S LASSIE, was identified as the most appropriate line horse for evaluating this race, leaving her merit rating unchanged at 100.

The third-place finisher, TRIP TO MAPUTO, has been given a merit rating increase from 93 to 99 for finishing a short-head behind the 100-rated GIMME’S LASSIE at level weight terms.

Three horses received merit rating reductions following this contest:

THREE ROCKS – adjusted downward from 105 to 103.
BOMBER GIRL – reduced from 89 to 88.
POLYNOMIAL – lowered from 88 to 85.

Enquiries:

The Handicapping Team

Ton Up Hollywood Could Have Championship Sewn Up

The Vaughan Marshall-trained two-year-old Pathfork filly Inside Voice provided Hollywood Racing with their 100th win of the season. (Picture: Wayne Marks).

One of the sidewhows for the season will be whether Hollywood Racing can better their most number of wins in a season of 124 and whether they can hang on to their lead in the national owners championship.

Hollywood reached the magic number of 100 wins in a season on Sunday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth when the Vaughan Marshall-trained Beaumont Stud-bred Pathfork filly Inside Voice won a 1000m contest under Sean Veale in her third career start.

Using a formula that takes Hollywood Racing’s current number of runs per calendar date for the season and their current strike rate for the season into account, Hollywood are predicted to end the season on 122 wins, two short of their record.

A step up in their runs per day rate, which is currently 2,49 runs a day, and/or a step up in their strike rate of 13.39% will be required to set a new mark.

It is the fourth season in succession that Hollywood Racing had had over 100 wins.

However, the big one will be to win the national owners championship for the first time.

The championship is decided on stakes earnings.

It is believed that restricted races are excluded from the championship but it will have to be clarified because the NHA figures appear to include restricted race stakes.

On the figures currently showing on the NHA site, Hollywood Racing are on earnings of R10,534,319 with perennial rivals Drakenstein Stud on 7,207,894.

That is more than R3 million clear.

Drakenstein Stud would likely need to win the R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban July to make up the leeway.

They don’t seem to have the horse to do it with as the only one of theirs in the top 20 on the July log is Future Swing and they only part-own him.

Hollywood Racing look to be a racing certainty to take the title, but that is assuming the figures on the NHA site are correct.

There was much controversy in the 2020/2021 season when Chris van Niekerk was narrowly on top when restricted race stakes were included, but Suzette Viljoen was declared the narrow winner as she moved to the top when the restricted race stakes were excluded.

Judges Confirmed To Have Made Correct Call In Photo Finish Debate

Dawn Till Dusk (nearest) looks to have got up to beat Air Raid in the fourth race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday, but the photo-finish showed otherwise. (Picture: Wayne Marks).

The fourth race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday raised a couple of questions, one before the race and one after the race.

Firstly, how on earth did Dawn Till Dusk start at odds of 25/1 and Air Raid start at 14/10?

When the pair had last clashed over this distance they had met on identical terms to Sunday’s clash and Dawn Till Dusk had won the race with Air Raid a 0,75 length second.

Punters and bookmakers looked to have missed something.

Those who took advantage of the betting anomaly were congratulating themselves on a handsome win, when the wind was taken out of their sails as the televison picture which showed Dawn Till Dusk as the clear winner was at odds with the judge’s result.

Commentator Alistair Cohen called Dawn Till Dusk the winner and was flabberghasted when handed a result that stated Air Raid, on the inside of Dawn Till Dusk, had been declared the winner.

He even went to the extent of asking for a reprint, but quickly corrected himself and pointed out he was not entitled to do so.

The race provided a good example of a TV camera angle which provided a false impression of the order of finish.

The immediate impression of vitually all television and online viewers after hearing Alistair giving the result was was that the judges in their haste had somehow made a mistake.

Owner Greg Bortz even led in Dawn Till Dusk before it dawned that his horse had not won.

The photo-finish shows Air’s Raid’s nose to be ahead of Dawn Till Dusk’s

It turned out the judges were a hundred percent correct and perhaps the television camera was not aligned with the finish line.

A Sporting article on Tuesday revealed that the American company that manufactured Cape Racing’s photo-finish technology were contacted and a spokesman confirmed the judges had got it a hundred percent correct.

Read the article below:

A representative of the American company that manufactured Cape Racing’s photo-finish technology has confirmed that the Judges got Sunday’s highly debated Hollywoodbets Kenilworth fourth race result correct.

After leading in the runner-up, Greg Bortz sportingly congratulates winning trainer Candice Bass-Robinson (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)

Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz, who owns the runner-up Dawn Till Dusk in partnership with his fiancé Gina Goldsmith, told the Sporting Post that the equipment was regularly calibrated and maintained, and only two years old.

As a means of achieving further transparency, he had the fourth race photo sent to the suppliers for a comment.

For more than 30 years Lynx has been a world leader in the production of digital photo-finish and sports timing technology and a representative has subsequently confirmed that the favourite Air Raid did, in his opinion,beat the longshot Dawn Till Dusk.

“To me, it is obvious that the Judges made the correct call,’” said the representative.

Listen to his thoughts:

As reported on Sunday, Aldo Domeyer was riding the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained 14-10 favourite Air Raid and looked to have done everything right as he hit the front at the 100m.

But JP ‘Winx’ van der Merwe, riding the 25-1 Dawn Till Dusk, had other ideas as he launched from nowhere to seemingly ‘pip’ the favourite.

Many thought that the favourite had been nabbed.

Mr Bortz has reminded the racing public that all photo-finishes of races in the Cape and KZN are published on www.gallop.co.za

Which July Horses Are Well In, Actually, Relatively And On Paper

Pacaya is potentially well weighted in the Hollywoodbets Durban July if using the WSB Met form as the gauge. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

There are many ways of looking at form and deciding which horses are well handicapped or potentially well handicapped.

The Hollywoodbets Durban July weights will be of interest this year as it will bring the question of relativity into it.

However, others will also be seeking bits and pieces of form which point to their fancy being potentially well handicapped.

Or at least on paper they could look well handicapped.

Some old timers will this year no doubt be repeating what has been said adamantly for just about every season for the last dozen years, “A three-year-old can’t carry that weight!”

This year the adamant statement will be referring to Eight On Eighteen having to carry 57kg – no three-year-old has ever carried that weight to victory in the July, with the 56kg carried by Legislate in the 2014 July being the biggest weight a three-year-old has ever won with, although he did not cross the line first and had to rely on an upheld objection.

However, Eight On Eighteen will be the best weighted runner in the field if speaking relatively.

According to the merit ratings Eight On Eighteen will be 2kg well in.

This is due to the clause in the Hollywoodbets Durban July conditions that states a three-year-old cannot carry more than 57kg.

In a true handicap, as it stands with See It Again being the topweight carrying 60kg off a 127 merit rating, Eight On Eighteen would have to carry 59kg.

To illustrate how well he is in as things stand, he will only have to give Okavango 2,5kg and Native Ruler 3kg, despite having beaten them by 4,05 and 4,30 lengths respectively on Saturday while being ridden hands and heels and being eased up before the line.

Furthermore, he will be 1kg better off with weight for age than See It Again. In a weight for age race at that time of year over that distance he would receive 2kg from an older horse, but he will receive 3kg from See It Again.

His stabelmate Sail The Seas, if he runs, will be the second best in at the weights according to official merit ratings. He will also carry 57kg and would have to carry 58kg off his 127 merit rating had it been a true handicap. He will only be 1kg out at the weights with Eight On Eighteen.

However, some will look at the weights completely differently.

For example a case could be made for Selukwe being up with Eight On Eighteen on paper depite him having only a 111 merit rating and officially being 2kg under sufferance and 4kg out at the weights with Eight On Eighteen.

Selukwe gave Okavango 2kg and a 3,20 length beating in the Gr 3 WSB 1900.

He will now be receiving half-a-kilogram from Okavango.

As a three-year-old, Okavango would have improved by 1kg since the WSB 1900, if the weight for age scale is used as the measure.

So it could be said he will actually only be 1,5kg worse off fom the WSB 1900 as opposed to 2,5kg.

However, that should still see him beating Okavango by no less than five lengths on paper, taking ino account that a length over 2200m is veiwed as being worth 1,7 pounds (or half-kilograms).

Eight O Eighteen, on paper after their last meeting, should beat Okavango by only 1,15 lengths, although he did win easing up so an extra length can probably be added to that.

Even if that extra length is added that still has Selukwe beating Eight On Eighteen by 2,85 lengths on the maths of this isolated bit of form comparison.

However, the handicapping purists would also take latent ability into account and Okavango’s performance in the Daily News 2000, which was run in an exceptional time, was clearly a better performance than his performance in the 1900, where it didn’t pan out well for him.

On the other hand Selukwe had to jump from the second widest draw in the 1900 and came from right near the back and was behind Okavango entering the straight. How well did that race pan out for him, even if he won and surely he would also have appreciated the good pace of the Daily News 2000.

A few WSB Met runners will also be interesting on paper, with Pacaya being a good example.

He was giving Eight On Eighteen 6kg in the Met and was beaten 1,75 lengths.

He will now be receiving 1,5kg from Eight On Eighteen, which makes him 7,5kg better off.

The weight for age scale says Eight On Eighteen should have improved 4,5kg from the Met by July day.

However, that would still put Pacaya at 3kg better off so on this paper calculation Pacaya beats Eight On Eighteen by 1,75 lengths.

However, Eight On Eighteen has created the impression he has improved at a rapider rate than the weight for age scale predicts he should.

He was also said to have needed the Daily News outing and any improvement on that magnificent performace is going to see him being hard to beat, although luck in running does usually play a part in the July too.

Is Happy Verse The Next Big Vercingetorix?

Happy Verse had the wow factor at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday. (Pcture: Wayne Marks).

Cape Breeders

Champion Sire elect for 2024-2025, Vercingetorix looks to have another smart sort to his name in the form of Happy Verse.

The two-year-old made it two wins from two starts when he won Sunday’s Reeves Racing Syndicate Class 5 (1400m) at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

A good winner on debut, the Justin Snaith trained Happy Verse caught the eye with a convincing win on Sunday.

Under Andrew Fortune, the colt powered home to win a shade cosily by a length.

Bred by Drakenstein Stud in partnership with Katom & Maine Chance Farms (Pty) Ltd, Happy Verse is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Song Of Happiness.

The colt was a R1 600 000 buy from the 2024 Cape Premier Yearling Sale.

Happy Verse joins the likes of graded stakes winners Elegantrix and Quickstepgal as a promising two-year-old for his outstanding sire Vercingetorix this season.

His sire went close to enjoying yet more feature race success this season when his son Garrix finished second, beaten just a short-head, in Sunday’s Listed Pocket Power Stakes, with another son of Vercingetorix, Magic Verse, taking third in the Pocket Power Stakes.

Vercingetorix is set to stand for a fee of R300 000 in 2025.

Night Rocker To Rock At Dusk

Night Rocker has been tipped to win the last race. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).

Hollywoodbets Greyville Poly Wednesday Formguides And Selections

9 STAR IN MOTION 3 VICTOR HUGO 6 HIGHER LOVE 2 BOARDWALK BREEXE

Summary: STAR IN MOTION (9) was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out and with the experience could be difficult to peg back. VICTOR HUGO (3) has been knocking at the door for some time now. He was not far back in his local debut and can finish a lot closer this time around. HIGHER LOVE (6) has been rested but found good market support at his last run and appears to have come to hand. BOARDWALK BREEZE (2) raced green on debut and was not far back. He started at long odds that day and the experience should see him come on from a handy draw. (Andrew Harrison: 9-3-6-2).

6 GORGEOUS BOMB 1 MIDNIGHT HOUR 10 PAPILLON BLUE 7 CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS

Summary: GORGEOUS BOMB (6) was a touch disappointing last run when starting a short-priced favourite. She makes her poly debut and can improve on that showing. MIDNIGHT HOUR (1) has raced green in both starts but should be at her best now. She has the best of the draw. PAPILLON BLUE (10) has a wide draw but Cape form is generally a little stronger than local. CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS (7) showed up well first run for her new stable. The yard is in good form and she can build on that effort. Keep an eye on the well bred first timer BETH DUTTON (4). Andrew Harrison: 6-1-10-7)

6 L’ULTIMO 4 PORFIRIO 2 MAC HARDY 8 GORGEOUS DUDE

Summary: Open handicap. L’ULTIMO (6) has his third run after a lengthy break. He gets 4kg relief from the saddle and he loves this course and distance. PORFIRIO (4) has been showing signs of coming to hand again and was dropped a point in the handicap. He is back on his favourite surface. MAC HARDY (2) is never far back and goes well over course and distance. He has a good draw and should be competitive. GORGEOUS DUDE (8) was a beaten favourite last run. There should be very little between him and Mac Hardy but the latter has the better gate. (Andrew Harrison; 6-4-2-8).

1 SILVER PLATTER 2 KING CELTILLUS 8 I AM CLASSY 4 BLACK PLATINA

Summary: SILVER PLATTER (1) is a big long-striding gelding but tends to be one-paced. If given his head early he could finally get his head in front when in matters. KING CELTILLUS (2) was just in need of his last run. He makes his poly debut but should still have more to come. I AM CLASSY (8) has shown some recent improvement in blinkers and the switch to the poly could suit. BLACK PLATINA (4) looks held by Silver Platter on their last meeting but he does show some promise and can get closer. (Andrew Harrison: 1-2-8-4).

11 MASTER BOMBER 12 RICCARDO 2 QUEEN AMINA 6 EVENTIDOR

Summary: Competitive handicap. MASTER BOMBER (11) was a recent maiden winner but improved in blinkers and the Western Cape form was once again to the fore. He has a handy weight and can follow up. Veteran RICCARDO (12) is seldom far back and has been dropping in the handicap. He has a big weight and a wide draw but should enjoy the refurbished poly track. QUEEN AMINA (2) takes on males but is useful and was narrowly beaten last run. She goes well this trip and rates a strong chance. EVENTIDOR (6) had his consistency rewarded last run. He enjoyed the poly and can follow up. (Andrew Harrison: 11-12-2-6).

4 GOODNESSGRACIOUSME 2 JEANNE DARC 7 FIREBURST 10 ICE RAIN

Summary: GOODNESSGRACIOUSME (4) raced against strong opposition in her KZN debut and is back over what looks to be a more suitable trip. JEANNE DARC (2) was possibly outclassed in the Gr2 WSB Fillies Guineas last run but ran a cracker in her penultimate start. She has a fair weight to shoulder but jumps from a handy gate. FIREBURST (7) has yet to run a back race and showed up well on the poly last time out. She should be competitive. ICE RAIN (10) has the widest draw but goes well this trip and has a strong money chance. (Andrew Harrison: 4-2-7-10).

2 GRIFFIN PARK 6 CAPTAIN’S PRIDE 7 CAPPALLINO 1 MASK ON

Summary: GRIFFIN PARK (2) has been much improved in blinkers. He gets a stronger rider aboard here and has a handy draw. CAPTAIN’S PRIDE (6) takes on well exposed older horses. She goes well this trip and should make a race of it. CAPPELLINO (7) is struggling for his second win but now races off what could be a more competitive mark. His last two were improved showings. MASK ON (1) is another that has come down in the ratings. He returns from a rest and if not short of a gallop he can feature in this line-up. (Andrew Harrison: 2-6-7-1).

3 ON BOARD 8 QUENTASIA 4 COPACABANA 1 CAPE CAPRI

Summary: ON BOARD (3) may just have needed her last run. She has good local form in the soft and the poly should suit. QUENTASIA (8) had her consistency rewarded last outing, winning well over course and distance. Her 4kg claiming apprentice stays with the ride and they can follow up. COPACABANA (4) has improved without a tongue-tie. She is 2.5kg better of with Quentasia on their last meeting for a 3.5 length beating and can turn the tables. CAPE CAPRI (1) is showing signs of coming to hand. She has a handy galloping weight and the best of the draw. (Andrew Harrison: 3-8-4-1).

11 LEGAL COUNSEL 5 GOLDEN DESTINY 1 NELSON BAY 7 THISISWHATITMEANS

Summary: LEGAL COUNSEL (11) may just have needed his last run when starting favourite for The Sledgehammer at Hollywoodbets Scottsville. He boasts excellent Cape form and can make amends. GOLDEN DESTINY (5) is better than his last effort and has his third run after a break. He shows promise and should be right up there. THISISWHATITMEANS (7) won well last run when back on the poly. He got a six-point raise in the handicap but looks capable again. NELSON BAY (1) has been in good form of late and loves this trip. He has the best of the draw and should be right up there again. (Andrew Harrison: 11-5-1-7).

1 NIGHT ROCKER 11 TERIYAKI 6 THE GLIDING FISH 8 PREEMPTIVE STRIKE

Summary: Open handicap. NIGHT ROCKER (1) showed up well on the poly when returning from a break and first time blinkers. He will much prefer the extra furlong. TERIYAKI (11) has a wide draw but has been showing promising sprint form. The step up in trip and Andrew Fortune in the irons could bring out the best. THE GLIDING FISH (6) caught the eye when just behind the placed runners last time out. He seems to prefer the poly and can surprise. PREEMPTIVE STRIKE (8) is never far back. He goes well on the poly and stays the trip. (Andrew Harrison: 1-11-6-8).