The meeting tomorrow has been switched to the Turffontein Inside track due to ongoing problems with the Vaal Classic track.
The introduction of Assessment Plates have been making the Pick 6 easier to catch, but tomorrow’s ninth race over 1450m is potentially tricky as a number of the contestants are returning from layoffs. However, Sean Tarry said about Redberry Lane, “She is obviously not at 100% but she does a lot at home so might be closer to her peak than I think she is and she could win it even if she did need it.” She is second best in at the weights on official merit ratings, being 2kg under sufferance with Green Top. Alec Laird said about Green Top, “She never shows much at home and horses who beat her on the training tracks she beats them in her races. She is an exciting prospect. This is a preparation run but I expect her to run well although she is not a banker.”
Redberry Lane (Candiese Marnewick)
Redberry Lane has her first start after her famous victory over Snowdance in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes over 1600m on VDJ day and has a tricky draw of six out of eleven considering her preferred front-running style and her big weight of 61kg. However, this ultra-consistent mare overcame a wide draw to win her penultimate start over 1600m in the Listed Syringa on the Standside track when carrying second top weight of 58,5kg and in the Garden Province she proved she doesn’t have to lead. Green Top is never one of the stand outs on the way down to the start but she has proved she can deliver when it counts by finishing third in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas and then a short-head second in the Grade 1 SA Fillies Classic. She does have a tough draw of eleven but her class should pull her through.
Tarry also runs Chariots Of Gold but said he was going to seek permission to run her on Saturday instead, where she is better drawn, and considering the meeting was moved he should be granted permission. The rest of the field are three-year-olds and despite some of them being promising they have tough tasks at the weights according to official merit ratings. Mazari finished a close second in the Golden Slipper over this sort of trip and has had one run this season already, so should be fit. However, she is officially 11kg under sufferance with Green Top. Running Brave is well regarded and was just 2,75 lengths behind Mazari in the Golden Slipper and is now 4kg better off and better drawn so there is not much in it. Elusive Butterfly also looks promising but she and Running Brave have their first runs of the season. Redberry Lane and Green Top should be enough to get punters through the exotics although the risk averse can include the three latter mentioned three-year-olds as they have the potential to still rise above their current merit ratings.
The eighth race is a Pinnacle Stakes event with some good horses but most of them are returning from layoffs. Rocky Valley is the class act in the field and the race could set up well for him from draw four as there will be a lot of pace up front. Kissable is capable of blitzing fields and came back to her best at the end of last season so she will be dangerous from pole position. Frederico’s Dream is also very speedy and is officially the best weighted horse but has a tricky draw of five out of seven. Rebel’s Champ is rated only one point lower than Rocky Vally and can’t be ignored as he can run on from off the strong pace. Isphan is the other speedster in the field and he is well drawn although he has a tough task at the weights. Fillipo looks promising but also has a tough task at the weights and Brigtnumberten has a lot to do at the weights.
In race seven Copper Jay will be hard to beat from a plum draw but Alpine Glacier will be dangerous from pole position, Pillaroftheearth is coming into his own, Keyboogie looks promising and Galactic Warrior is a well regarded sort who has been disappointing so he could pop up from a good draw with a 4kg claimer up.
Race six is an Assessment Plate and here the best weighted horse New Zealand and the up and coming Gift For The Gap should be enough to get punters through.
In race five Earth Sky and Aeronautical should fight it out.
The first leg of the Pick 6 is a tricky maiden but Pink should enjoy the step up in trip. Traffic Jam has a fine chance if settling better than she did on debut when running on well and Nandi’s Vision looks capable and should have come on from her first two runs.
In the first leg of the PA Seneca Falls and Sea Venture should get punters through.
In the first leg of the Bipot Monopolize, an Elusive Fort half-brother to his talented stablemate Maximizer, looks a Bipot banker, although the Sean Tarry pair of first-timers Slay The Dragon and Vontreo have to be considered.
By David Thiselton
