The Turffontein Inside track has an ordinary nine race meeting tomorrow but there will still be a lot to enthuse about.

The best bet is chosen as Eightfolds Lass in the fifth race over 1600m, but she is an inexperienced filly running from a wide draw and so punters might want to exercise caution in the Pick 6. Last time out from a wide draw at this course over 1450m the jockey managed to drop her out on the back of a fast pace and she was then able to use her stride. She then ran on strongly from last and just failed. So it all depends on the pace and, although her sire Eightfold Path was a stakes winner over a mile, her Jallad dam’s only win was over 1100m so there could be a slight stamina question mark. The dangers are Tuscan Light and Kayla’s Eagle, who should both enjoy the course and distance, although the former has a tough draw. Diamonds ‘N Rubies and Vijeta could improve and can also be included.

The PA first leg is over 2600m and Humour Me, being by Ideal World out of a Fort Wood mare, should relish the step up in trip and is drawn in pole. The rangy Byron Bay can be included from a fair draw as he stayed on well over 2000m last time despite over racing a touch early after being dropped to last from a wide draw. Flame Fella is proven over this trip so has to be included despite a wide draw being against him.

Latin Opus is a PA banker in the next over 1600m as he is a progressive sort who stayed on over this trip last time and he is well drawn again. The Brass Way has run three fair races and gets a good draw for a change so can be included in the Pick 6.

In the sixth race over 2000m American Indian is on the up and from a plum draw can make it two-in-a-row off a three point higher merit rating. Gift For The Gap impressed in the Derby Trial and will be improving all the time being an immature sort. Yamoto is a well-bred gelding by Dynasty who has plenty of substance and will be coming into his own, so he must be included.

In the seventh over 1000m in form Roy Magner’s pair Pool Party and Opera are the fancies from good draws. However, it is an open race and La Bella Mia, Winter Watch and See You Tyger are hard to ignore.

In the eighth over 1600m Witch Of The West has always struck as being a nice sort and has probably been looking for this trip. Only To Win has good form against some fair sorts over this trip and Abelie is improving. However, its open and the whole field can be included with the exception of Until Dawn who is hopelessly out at the weights.

In the last race over 1600m Missouri has dropped to a competitive mark and has been staying on over 1400m so should enjoy this trip and is selected to beat Genesis and Picadilly Square. 

By David Thiselton

Sanskrift looks nailed on for the TAB Telebet Maiden Juvenile Fillies at Durbanville on Saturday. This R800 000 full sister to Santa Clara ran above expectations (in terms of readiness, not ability) when making much of the running on debut here last month only to be pipped on the post.

Aldo Domeyer’s mount will have learned a lot from that and should have come on enough to beat the badly drawn Third Runway and Linda Loves Lace who riding arrangements suggest is the pick of Justin Snaith’s five runners.

Two races before Sanskrift went so close Rio Querari did much the same, the principal differences being that he had had a run, started at odds-on and was caught by a 50-1 stable companion. The drop in trip in the Betting World Maiden should suit Richard Fourie’s mount.

However he is taking on older horses at considerably worse than weight-for-age. The official scale says he should be receiving 8.5kg from the three-year-olds but in fact he gets only 3kg. In practical terms he is the equivalent of four lengths worse off than he should be.

This is not as bad as it sounds because he, and the other two juveniles, are up against horses who have not proved good enough to win a race in the first 16 months of their careers. Rio Querari seems sure to start favourite and he is a fairly confident selection. The most obvious dangers are Kingston Rock and Empire Glory who is a fair bit better than last Saturday’s effort would suggest.

There are four two-year-olds up against the three-year-olds in the 1 400m Tellytrack.com Maiden but their chances are nothing like so obvious and the vote goes to Lip Service who was most unlucky not to win over a slightly shorter trip here last Saturday. Her path was repeatedly blocked but she still finished like a certain future winner.  Silver Dazzle is the obvious danger but there is a line of form that gives the Joey Ramsden filly the edge.

The puzzle of the day comes in the last with Boomps A Daisy who so far has been something of a Jekkyl and Hyde. She has looked a bit special In two races at Kenilworth, and certainly far better than her current 73 rating, but on her only appearance here she was hardly the same horse. She lost ground at the start, had trouble finding the right leg on the bend and didn’t really pick up.

Brett Crawford reports that she has not been back to Durbanville in the interim but he is optimistic that she will be OK this time. Her nine draw is a negative but she has so much ability that she has to be the selection – but don’t have too much on!

By Michael Clower

High Green has been frustrating for Lowan Denysschen and jockey Anton Marcus and both trainer and jockey will be determined to snap a string of runner-up berths on the Greyville poly tomorrow. Five seconds on the trot helps pay the bills but a visit to the winner’s enclosure would be a welcome change.

High Green just doesn’t quite get there on time but Marcus should know the gelding well by now, having ridden him in his last three outings.

Legend finished a well beaten third behind Collabro and High Green when last they met and subsequently disappointed when seemingly well handicapped last time out. Handicappers gave him a further two-points relief and with Duncan Howells stepping him up to 2000m, that could be the key that opens the door.

Tommy Grand could also prove a threat. Nathan Kotzen’s gelding is at home on the synthetic surface as he showed when a close-up fourth to Last Of The Legend at his penultimate start and the form has panned out well. But he does give weight to both High Green and Legend which could prove his undoing.

High Green can further boost Collabro’s form when Marcus takes over the reins on Dennis Bosch’s charge in the fourth. The gelding has hardly put a foot wrong this year and after trying ten furlongs last time out, reverts to what looks to be a trip more in his comfort zone.

Red Shift ran way below form last time out and will be a threat given his previous form while Mastergambit somehow landed an 89 MR after his maiden win and could find this tough going.

Mary Liley is one of KZN’s stalwart owners and she and trainer Tony Rivalland are enjoying a great run at present. The Liley-owned Tristful looks good enough to contest the Champions Season Classics and she should get an idea in the fifth of how far Clara has progressed after her recent maiden win when the filly lines up in the sixth.

There were some bookmakers shedding tears into their satchels after Clara was supported in from 33-1 to 11-1 in her maiden win and she showed enough that day to suggest that she can go in again tomorrow.

However, she will first have to get past Shane Humby’s filly Suzi Woo. She too was well supported when starting favourite last time out but her saddled slipped badly at the jump and she was never in the hunt after that.

By Andrew Harrison

First entries for the R4.25 million Gr1 Vodacom Durban July to be run over 2200m at Greyville racecourse on Saturday, July 6

Gary	Alexander	HERO’S HONOUR	107
Brett	Crawford	CHARLES	104
Mike	de Kock	HAWWAAM	121
Mike	de Kock	BARAHIN	108
Mike	de Kock	ALYAASAAT (AUS)	105
Mike	de Kock	ATYAAB (AUS)	105
Mike	de Kock	NOBLE SECRET	105
Mike	de Kock	THE DAZZLER	99
Mike	de Kock	PROTEA PARADISE	92
Dennis	Drier	LADY IN BLACK	117
St	Gray	DAWN ASSAULT	106
R A / S R	Hill	CAMPHORATUS	105
R A / S R	Hill	RED CHESNUT ROAD	101
Duncan	Howells	FIORELLA	100
Duncan	Howells	THANKSGIVING	97
J A	Janse van Vuuren	DIVINE ODYSSEY	105
J A	Janse van Vuuren	DOOSRA	104
Dean	Kannemeyer	SILVA’S BULLET	91
Glen	Kotzen	EYES WIDE OPEN	111
Glen	Kotzen	HERODOTUS	101
Paul	Lafferty	DARK MOON RISING	105
Weiho	Marwing	SAMURAI WARRIOR	105
Andre	Nel	HEAD HONCHO	122
Andre	Nel	RUN RED	94
Joey	Ramsden	TWIST OF FATE	115
Joey	Ramsden	FRESNAYE	108
Frank	Robinson	ROY HAD ENOUGH (AU	109
Frank	Robinson	ROY’S RIVIERA (AUS	95
Frank	Robinson	ARIANOS SHADOW	93
Frank	Robinson	TOP CLASSMAN	85
Eric	Sands	RAINBOW BRIDGE	124
Justin	Snaith	DO IT AGAIN	125
Justin	Snaith	OH SUSANNA (AUS)	118
Justin	Snaith	MADE TO CONQUER	108
Justin	Snaith	MIYABI GOLD	105
Justin	Snaith	DOUBLEMINT	104
Justin	Snaith	MAGNIFICENT SEVEN	104
Justin	Snaith	ELUSIVE SILVA	103
Justin	Snaith	BUNKER HUNT	100
Justin	Snaith	PLATINUM PRINCE	97
Sean	Tarry	LEGAL EAGLE	118
Sean	Tarry	TILBURY FORT	110
Sean	Tarry	RETURN FLIGHT	106
Sean	Tarry	ZILLZAAL	105
Sean	Tarry	SHENANIGANS	89
Sean	Tarry	SILVER GOD	87
Geoff	Woodruff	SECRET POTION	102
Geoff	Woodruff	BANNER HILL	99
Alyson	Wright	FLICHITY BY FARR	94

The Vaal straight course stages an eight race meeting and the exotics look the best way to play it.   

In the first over 1200m Arabian Sniper is a Bipot must-include having been left too far out of his ground on debut over this course and distance before running on in eyecatching style with long strides. With the experience under the belt he should be closer to the action and can run on to win. Potjie does not have a long stride but has been thereabouts a few times and over this distance last time finished a fair second with second-time blinkers on. Lion King showed good pace throughout last time over course and distance when finishing one-and-a-half lengths clear of Arabian Sniper. However, he now has a potentially unfavourable number one draw. Apache Too is a chip off his sire The Apache and won a barrier trial in a slow time on the Greyville poly over 1000m back in November.

However, he accelerated smartly in the straight. One Of Our Own is drawn on the right side by trends and ran a fair second last time over course and distance with first-time blinkers on when caught late, but the form is suspect. Succession is a two-year-old gelding debutant trained by Sean Tarry. He is by Captain Al out of an unraced USA-bred Dynaformer mare whose mother won the Group 1 Prix de Moulin over 1600m at Longchamp and she also finished second in the Group 1 Juddmonte International. However, she did not produce much at stud.  The other two-year-old Land Of The Brave is by What A Winter and is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Croc Valley and Listed winner Galileo’s Night. He made a fair debut when drawn on the wrong side in a good field, finishing seven lengths behind Look To The Sky. The two-year-olds are receiving only 3kg from the three-year-olds but in a weight for age race would receive 8.5kg so they have tough tasks.

In the second race over 1400m, the first leg of the PA, My Elusive is the choice. She has substance and was too strong in the running last time when handy over 2000m, yet still managed to stay on. So despite her form suggesting this will be too sharp, it might be just what she is looking for and she is drawn on the right side too. Notquitethereyet also gets a good high draw and this is a suitable trip. He showed good pace to get handy from a tricky draw on his Highveld debut on the Turffontein Inside track and then showed a good turn of foot before being overtaken late.  

In the third race over 1400m Alyaasaat beat Soqrat the last time he ran over this trip and he has a favourable high draw. He is hard to oppose at the weights. Reach For The Line is well regarded and on debut was beaten just a length by Hawwaam over this trip, so he can be considered for Pick 6 inclusion receiving 3kg from Alyaasaat.

In the fourth race over 1600m Steady Way is a progressive daughter of Dynasty who will relish this step up in trip. Serendipity is 5,5kg better off with Samarra, if apprentice claims are included, for a one length beating over this trip. She moved up well last time over 1800m before finding no extra so should relish the step back to this trip and has a nice high draw. Walnut Dash just failed from a tough low draw the last time she tried this trip. She is by Crusade, who won a Group 1 over six furlongs but who appears to get them to stay further, and she is out of a Fort Wood mare who won over 1400m. However, she does have a low draw. Samarra is in fine form at present and this front-runner to handy type will likely try and steal a march from the number one draw. Elusive Coral has won her only start over course and distance and from a nice high draw with a 4kg claimer up is hard to ignore. 

The fifth over 1200m is a competitive sprint handicap and Danza is the choice. He beat the classy Mardi Gras easily the last time he went this course and distance. That race was in soft going. He then only just failed to beat the promising Old Man Tyme over 1100m. He has gone up in the weights as a result but dropping back to this trip will suit. Palace Chapel is progressive and has to handle a four point raise for his last win. Silver God is the dark horse from a nice high draw of ten as he likely needed his last run when making up ground late over this course and distance. Clever Guy, Torre Del Oro and Angel’s Power also warrant consideration. Raasmaal’s betting should be monitored as he is useful but returns from a rest of over a year.

In the next over 1200m Certifiable is the choice as one who loves this course and distance, although he has to handle a three point raise. Bold Coast was a revelation with blinkers and must be included alongside Life Is Good. Tarsus is hard to ignore and the talented Sugoi, who has been effective over 1000m, has another crack at 1200m.

In the seventh over 1000m Mademoiselle is admirably consistent and is drawn on the right side. Dalai’s Promise should be right alongside her on form but has a low draw. The speedy Miss Khalifa can’t be ignored off a plummeting merit rating.

The last over 1000m is a competitive Apprentice Handicap and Rebel Renegade is the form choice. Brigtnumberten has a chance although he does not enjoy the soft. Hear The Trumpet won well last time when under sufferance so could follow up. However, as many as possible should be included.

By David Thiselton