KZN stages a low key eight race meeting at Scottsville this weekend and most punters will likely be attempting to recover losses from the Vodacom Durban July, which produced an upset result. An MR 86 Handicap over 1400m is the highest rated race. Will Pays has a wide draw but has talent and looks likely to enjoy the step up in trip. Entree looks to be perfectly course and distance suited and after running two good races over 1600m here he drops back to the trip of his easy maiden win, albeit off a four point higher mark.
Scottsville is a ‘horses for courses’ type of track and Azincourt is unbeaten in two starts here over 1200m, while he also once ran 1,75 lengths behind subsequent Cape Guineas winner Elusive Gold in a 1600m event, so he should stay this trip. He is seven points higher than his last win so it won’t be easy, but he has a fair draw.
Always Al has come down to an attractive merit rating and is drawn well over his best trip. Aware is four points higher than his highest winning mark but is well drawn over a suitable course and distance.
The second highest rated race is a MR 84 Handicap over 1000m for fillies and mares and the top weight Miss Varlicious could be the one to beat. She will effectively be 0,5kg better off with Easy Game for a 0,35 length defeat over course and distance last time out.
The draw bias has been seen to even out a bit lately at Scottsville so her high draw shouldn’t be a big factor, although earlier races should be monitored. On paper there won’t be much to separate her and Easy Game, but a negative for the latter is that Mike Azzie’s Summerveld Champions Season yard had a dip in form on July day. Rock On Baby found some support on debut and looks hard to oppose in the first over 1000m, although Nikki is a first-timer to consider. Whiskey Joe bumped a good one last time and could win the second over 1600m from pole position, although the maiden Team Guys caught the eye last time and with a 3kg advantage could be a big danger.
Melliflora was not disgraced in a Gr 1 over 1400m last Saturday and she should be perfectly suited to the 1600m of the third from a good draw. Tide is Turning looks hard to oppose in the fourth, a weak maiden over 1000m, although first-timer Cyclone Sassie makes some appeal and must not be ignored. Bold Attitude is the one to beat in the seventh over 1400m as he has run some fine races at this track and is well drawn over a trip he is effective over, although he would probably prefer a touch further. Snap Shap is a decent two-year-old but doesn’t have an easy task at the weights. First Sea Lord has been a bit expensive to follow in his last two but from a good draw over a suitable trip should get it right in the last race over 1600m.
By David Thiselton
Picture: Miss Varlicious (Nkosi Hlophe)
