The ten race Turffontein Standside meeting tomorrow is headed by the Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint over 1000m and the progressive Alfolk could be the one to beat, although there are a number of horses in with chances.
Alfolk has improved as a three-year-old and has a lot of early speed coupled with the ability to stay on so it will take a good one to catch him on this easy track, despite him having to overcome a five point merit rated raise. The Thinker could be the one to do it as he has come into his own this season and has been especially effective since hold up tactics have been employed. He finished powerfully last time to win the Grade 2 Merchants over 1160m and was consequently given a seven point merit rated raise. Angel’s Power has good cruising speed and packs a strong finish so can be involved here from a nice high draw.
Rivarine
Whorly Whorly is officially 1kg under sufferance here but has always show plenty of talent. He proved it last time when flying up to win over this trip and is now having his third run after a layoff. If Ravarine returned to his best over this ideal course and distance he would probably win it, having dropped to a merit rating of only 98. He was not striding out last time in his third run after a layoff and gelding, so has to prove he is still the same horse he once was. Talktothestars is a former champion sprinter and is a real soldier. However, for a six-year-old he has had a busy program and was running at Scottsville less than a week ago. Movie Show has to defy being 2kg under sufferance, but she did win recently when under sufferance so can’t be ignored. Donny G went close over 1160m last Saturday proving he is off a competitive mark at present.
The last leg of the Pick 6 is a Pinnacle Stakes race over 2400m and could be fought out by two fillies, Witchcraft and Fortissima, who are well in at the weights and distance suited. Witchcraft should be cherry ripe and looks to have enjoyed a good build up into this race. She has a wide draw but will likely be taken to the front and can gallop on to the line. Go Direct could be the main danger two the two fillies as a five-year-old son of Go Deputy, which means he will be coming into his own and should love this trip.
The first leg of the Pick 6 looks open at first sight but on closer inspection the two horses which stand out are Ration My Passion and Get Your Grove On. The former had an unfavourable low draw on debut over 1160m and after a slow start was outpaced. He finished on the outside and was flying through at the line and would have got closer than a 3,05 length fifth if he had not encountered traffic problems. Get Your Grove On was in that same race and caught the eye with his lovely action. He stayed on for a 2,25 length third. Both of these two horses will relish the step up to 1400m.
In the first leg of the Jackpot two horses who are suited to 1400m are likely to fight it out, Redberry Lane and Zouaves. This distance is not a sprint and not a mile, so it is worth following horses who specialise over it and these two are taken to be enough to get punters through.
The next race sees the classy sprinter Spring Wonder and Alileo set to do battle again. They finished on top of each other last time but there is now a reversal of draw fortunes in Alileo’s favour. The dark horse is Dame Eleanor as she has class and returns from a ten month layoff over a trip short of her best.
In the penultimate leg of the Pick 6 Emerald Bay has shown a good turn of foot before and has a plum draw over a suitable course and distance, so is the one to beat, although a safer Pick 6 would have to include Il Mondo, Cold Cash, Hatfield Square and Faraway Island.
By David Thiselton
