Runner comments, 4 May

This is a terrific weekend for racing fans, featuring a R1-million TAB Pick 6 carryover at HWB Greyville on Saturday, with a pool of R5-million expected. The Greyville meeting has three Grade 2 contests, including the WSB Guineas for males and the fillies’ equivalent, in which Sandringham Summit and Double Grand Slam rank Pick 6 bankers. Use your Betway tote portal to bet into the Pick 6 pool and you’ll get 6% betting tax refunded.

There’s also a 10-race card Turffontein. In the UK, the flat season gets into full swing with the three-day QIPCO Guineas Festival at Newmarket and the first classic races of the British summer.

Betway’s Racing Ambassador Mike de Kock has three going to post at Greyville and eight at the Turffontein meeting on Saturday.

Mike, speaking from Summerveld, commented:
Greyville:

Race 6, 1400m: “Gimmeanotherchance and Humdinger are both very well, and both look like 1400m specialists. They also both like Greyville, so we have good money chances here, but the 131-rated Main Defender stands in our way of winning. I was surprised to see him in this race instead of the Guineas since he is touted as the best three-year-old in the land. So it will be a tough race to win.

Race 7: “White Pearl remains in good shape, I have been a little hard on her but she is tough and honest. If you take Double Grand Slam out of it, the field is not that strong. But the Justin Snaith filly is a runner the race and will be hard to beat. I’ve always said that the mile is just stretching it a bit with White Pearl, but this is an easier mile and she has shaped against some top runners, so you never know. She’s in there with a shout.”

Turffontein:

Race 1: “We expected much better from Inqwele first time out. That was a poor run. He’ll improve, he could possibly place.”

Race 2: “This is a competitive field, but our filly Khetiwe’s Destiny is making good progress in her work, she ran well first time out and has a chance. She’s come along nicely. The two-year-olds are hard to assess.”

Race 4: “Oxalis Gold ran on from a few lengths back on her 1450m debut, but she pulled up with mucus and we had to clear that up and back off her. I’m using this sprint to bring her on. She’s out of a Galileo mare and wants a mile, but she has ability so has to be included in your Pick 6.”

Race 5: “Chieftain’s Shield has not delivered and needs to improve drastically to have a say here. He hasn’t shown any improvement at home.

Race 6: “Mambo Come Tesio’s form looks pretty good for this race. He stays well. No certainty, but can’t be left out.”

Race 7: “Good Queen Bess rarely runs a bad race, she has a bit of class and has won over the course and distance. Bold Act ran on steadily last time. She has her issues and that’s why her form is in-and-out. But at best she has a chance, her rating has dropped. Bonete has been freshened up and her best form seems to be over shorter trips. With a change of tactics, a nice quiet ride from Piere Strydom she can finish in the money. Safest to include all three in a tricky kind of Middle Stakes.