Betway Ambassador Mike de Kock was on the mark with his first-timer Destiny Of Fire last Sunday – readers of Betway’s Insiders blog backed her at 8-1! – but Mike doesn’t have as much confidence about his runners this weekend.
He sends out four runners on the inside track at
Turffontein on Saturday, where there is a R500,000 carryover and the month-end pool could top R3-million. He has three runners in the Pick 6 legs and noted as below:
Race 7, 1200m: “Zinovi was in big form before his run in the Golden Horse Sprint where things didn’t go his way. We rested and gelded him after that. He is doing pretty well, has to race with top weight but he enjoys the course and distance. If the pace is on, he could run into the money.”
Race 8, 1200m: “We have two runners and the comments for both will be the same: They need further, but if there is a good pace in the race they’ll be running on. They’ve shown they can kick on well in the past. Platina Princess is better than a three-time winner and has run against some top fillies, Sea Anemone is drawn wide, but she also has ability.
“It will be convenient to say there are other strong form runners in the race and ours are up against it, but I’d include them in the Pick 6. The fields are competitive, they are fresh and unlikely to be far off.”
The recommended Pick 6 banker is Paul Matchett’s three-year-old gelding Tower Of Gold, who appears lengths better on form than the moderate rivals he meets in this 1800m contest. It’s early in the season and he is well out on weight-for-age terms with the older runners, but the handicapper has allocated a merit rating of 85 which puts him a cut above them, on paper.
The value bet of the day could be Stuart Pettigrew’s Captain Peg, who reverts to sprinting in Race 8 over 1200m and, with her merit rating down from a winning high of 107 to 103, looks fair value on the Betway boards at an opening 9-1.
Mike also has a runner in Race 1 over 1450m. He said: “Volare E Mambo won her Maiden at this track, but she’s better over further and has a hard task at the ratings.”
There are two De Kock runners at HWB Scottsville on Sunday. Again, they’re not strongly fancied, but can’t be ignored for Swingers and Quartets.
The first is newcomer Artist’s Model, by Buffalo Bill Cody out of Milk and Honey. He’s in Race 2 over 1400m in which the form of the raced runners doesn’t inspire a great deal of confidence. Mike said: “Artist’s Model’s work is good enough to be competitive. He doesn’t give away all that much, he is drawn deep and will probably need the experience. But he has done enough work to be in the shake-up.”
Littlemarysunshine has on occasion flattered to deceive, but if she gives of her best she’ll be involved in the finish of Race 4 over 1750m. She made up a lot of ground in her penultimate start – her first at this track – to finish just three lengths off the smart Mascherina over 1600. The extra ground will suit and Mike said: “She is better than her last run, she’s worthy of including.”
The meeting at HWB Durbanville on Saturday was not under threat on Friday afternoon and, with further rain only predicted for Sunday, it looks as if Cape Racing will get their nine carded races completed. With most Cape runners still not at peak fitness, and the possibility of outsiders sneaking in, there are good opportunities here to win big tote exactas and swingers. Play via the Betway Tote Portal to get your 6% betting tax refunded.
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