Weekend runner comments

This weekend’s racing highlight is a star-studded meeting at HWB Greyville on Saturday, featuring the Grade 1 Gold Challenge, the Grade 2 Tibouchina Stakes, the Grade 3 Cup Trial, the Listed Devon Air Stakes and the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes. There are Quartet Carryovers of R250,000 going to Race 5 (Cup Trial) and Race 7 (Gold Challenge) and pools of R750,000 are expected for both.

The Hong Kong World Pool will be in operation on Race 7 for Wins, Places, Swingers, Exactas and Trifectas. Top horses make for top racing and they’re even more fun to bet on. Get the cash on the TAB Tote by using the Betway Tote portal, and Betway will refund 6% tax to you at month-end.

The Gold Challenge promises to be one of the best races this season featuring three-year-old stars Main Defender, Sandringham Summit, Lucky Lad and Snow Pilot, with top-level older horses Dave The King, Royal Aussie and See It Again adding even more class to the line-up. At the ratings, Main Defender and See It Again could fight it out, but don’t be surprised to see five or six runners right up there in a close finish.

Betway Ambasador Mike de Kock’s Gimmeanotherchance is an outsider in the Gold Challenge against some of the most talented gallopers in the land, but he has a plum draw and is one to include in the carryover Quartet.

Mike said: “Gimmeanotherchance is very fit and well and comes off a good prep. He is racing in what looks to be the strongest race this year and will have to improve, but he ran on well last time against Royal Aussie and got close. He is a Quartet inclusion. The same goes for Dave The King. He is very well, at the top of his game.”

Humdinger won the Tibouchina last year and is in with a shout again. Mike said: “This is probably a stronger race than last year, but she is at her best over 1400m and very game, as we know. Her last run was perhaps just a bit flat, she’ll do better. Definite chance.”

Khetiwe’s Destiny lines up in the Devon Air over 1400m and Mike commented: “She’s a nice filly in feature company, this is a good test for her. It’s hard to say at this stage how she will shape, but I wouldn’t leave her out of calculations.”

Next up is Waheed in the Gatecrasher Stakes. “I liked the way he ran on to win his Maiden. I like the formlines around him too, he’s a promising sort and should run well.”

Shoemaker (Cup Trial) needed his last run which was a prep and he performed well. “This is a tough race and he has to run a good race to have a chance of getting into the Durban July, but he’s in a good space, the best I’ve seen him in for a while. He’s not out of it.”

Mike will saddle four runners at Sunday’s Turffontein meeting to be held on the standside track. This should be a good day for the stable.

Here are his notes:

Race 1: “Roaming Spirit ran through nicely for a place in a strong Juvenile Plate over 1000m first time out. We think a lot of her, she should go close over the extra 100m.”

Race 2: “Wolf Mountain will also be suited to 1100m, he is doing very well and is expected to be right there in contention.”

Race 6: “Officer In Command is in a competitive feature. There are a few fair runners around him, but his form looks good enough for a decent run, he has a Quartet chance.”

Race 7: “Mujbar showed some of the ability he gives us in work last time. I was impressed with his second place. He was at his best over 1400m when he raced in the UK, but jockey Serino Moodley who rode him last time, felt he would do well over further. If he sees out the 1800m, I think he will go close.”