Regular winner Calvin Habib will be in the saddle
David Mollett
Rafeef’s son, Aragosta, disappointed in the Hollywoodbets Durban July but his daughter, Special Variety, looks worth a punt in the final leg of the Pick Six at Turffontein on Saturday.
Rafeef’s progeny have done well this term — notably Master Archie — and Special Variety has chipped in with two wins from seven starts for trainer Ashley Fortune.
With the filly’s regular pilot, Ryan Munger, not at the meeting, the ride has gone to Calvin Habib, who has booted home more than 60 winners this season. He will be pleased his mount has drawn well in stall four.
It is understandable that bookmakers have priced up Emerald Princess as favourite — the daughter of Gimmethegreenlight is trained by Paul Peter and there were lots to like about June’s win on the Turffontein inside track.
Though not well drawn, Golden Aspen rates an each-way chance for Corné Spies, but Special Variety can notch the third win of her career.
It looks like a five-leg Pick Six for punters as Adam and Mike Azzie’s three-year-old, Arilena, rates a banker bet in the fourth race. This R430,000 daughter of Silvano ran second on her debut here in June and should have the measure of another Peter runner, La Banquiere.
Owner Suzette Viljoen will have found Captain’s Ransom’s defeat at Greyville a hard pill to swallow, but she co-owns three-year-old It’s About Time, who is one of three Peter runners in the sixth race.
It is surely significant that Warren Kennedy has elected to partner It’s About Time though he’ll be expecting a challenge from stablemate Kwite A Trip.
Top weight of 62kg could anchor former Glen Kotzen inmate Casa Inverno, but the filly might complete the trifecta for the Peter stable.
The only runner with a chance of upsetting the trio is Goliath Heron with Clinton Binda booking man-of-the-moment S’manga Khumalo to partner the six-year-old. He finished second on the gelding in a race at Scottsville in 2019.
Owner Dave Scott and his friends have had more downs than ups with their four-year-old Humble Tune, but Khumalo nearly got the gelding home at odds of 33-1 at the Vaal recently.
Khumalo rides Candice Dawson’s charge again in the seventh race and — in a thin contest — his mount may have most to fear from Billy Ruiters’ recent winner, Quattro Passi.
Selections
1st Race: (2) Quantum Theory (7) Intoxicating (1) Acorn (5) Slinky Mapimpi
2nd Race: (3) None Other (1) Barmaid (4) Trentino (6) Light Of Day
3rd Race: (8) Love Me Again (5) Burgess (7) Ignatius (1) Lizado
4th Race: (2) Arilena (1) La Banquiere (6) Camerata (6) Dil Deewana
5th Race: (14) Edward Longshanks (6) Written In Stone (5) Integrate (3) Phinda Mzala
6th Race: (4) It’s About Time (2) Kwite A Trip (1) Casa Inverno (5) Goliath Heron
7th Race: (7) Quattro Passi (4) Humble Tune (2) Mcebisi (5) Coming In Hot
8th Race: (7) Crimson Princess (1) Mill Queen (3) Lucy In The Sky (5) Paton’s Tears
9th Race: (4) Special Variety (1) Emerald Princess (2) Golden Aspen (11) Rose Willow