Runner comments: Turffontein 2 September

Racing is unpredictable at the best of times, but the competitive, high-quality card at Turffontein’s inside track on Saturday is an unusually testing head-scratcher for form students.

Betway Ambassador Mike de Kock has entered seven runners with good form, but they’re all up against rivals with similar credentials and Mike said on Friday “This is one of those race days where we can have a winner or two and some places; but we can also come away with absolutely nothing. That’s the nature of the programme.”

Here are Mike’s runner comments:

Race 1, 1450m: “Tyrconnell is drawn on the outside at Number 9 and while he is a come-from-behind horse, will have to do it the hard way. He is very well, has a winning chance but things will have to go his way.”

Race 3, 1500m: “Two nice fillies in a hot race. Sea Anemone showed her ability last time and she is in the same vein of form. She should run well again, but there is a swing at the weights which favours Strange Magic.  Simple Simple is capable of better. I think she did too much racing from the front in her last few races and was run out of it late, so we may drop her in this time for a change of tactics. Her rating is coming down, she is likely to be competitive.”

Race 4, 1800m: “Motown Magic had a wind operation before his comeback run last time and that was quite a good run in my opinion. He is short of his best still, but on the way up so put him in your Quartets.”

Race 5, 1800m: “This is not the ideal course and distance for Trois Trois Quatre, but the programming left us little choice, we have to keep him ticking over with a view to the rest of the season, he is a horse with ability. But while he has one or two factors against him, he is in a good space, on the upgrade. Include him in all your bets.”

Race 6, 1200m: “Another decent field of sprinters, but our Good Queen Bess will be in there with a shout. She is quirky, but very capable on her day. She’s done enough work at home to give a good account of herself here, so bring her into play.”

Race 7, 1200m: “Union Square comes off a rest and we’ve gelded him. He has pace, but this is too short and he’ll need the run.”

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Betway will sponsor 13 race days on the Highveld and Eastern Cape this summer, kicking off this Friday at Fairview with the Betway Jockey Club Stakes and concluding with the Joburg Spring Challenge at Turffontein on October 7.

Betway will also be sponsoring the grade 3 Graham Beck race day on October 28 and have taken the headline sponsorship of the Victory Moon Stakes race day on November 5. This will form the fun “Spring into Summer” Series leading up to the showpiece R5m Betway Summer Cup at Turffontein on November 25.

“We are extremely excited. We are striving to do all we can for the industry as a whole,” said Betway’s Jonathan Blumberg.

Gabriel Soma of 4Racing commented: “Betway’s sponsorship and integration with the Tote gives us the perfect springboard to leap into what is set to be an exciting season.”