TURFFONTEIN SATURDAY 21 OCTOBER

# Turffontein Inside Saturday 21st October 2023 – Comments by David Thiselton

RACE 1     


Preview: POCKET WATCH (4) has run well in his first two starts of the season over 1200m and although not doing too well over this distance category in his last start of last season he is scopey and should get the trip on pedigree. MASTER ARIANO (11) did some good late work on debut over this trip on the Fairview poly and is well drawn and should improve. BREATH OF MAGIC (3) is always thereabouts but does have a tricky draw. (David Thiselton 4-11-3)


RACE 2     


Preview: WITBLITS (3) has run some nice races in the strong centre of Cape Town and from a good draw over a step up in trip she should enjoy she is the one to beat. PRINCESS LOLA (9) was staying on well over 1200m second time out after being close to the pace and she should relish the step up in trip and has a good draw. SYLVAN LADY (10) plugged on over 1000m on debut after being outpaced and should relish the step up in trip being by Querari out of a Silvano mare who won the Gr 3 Yellowwood handicap over 1800m and she should have strengthened during her eight-month layoff. (David Thiselton 3-9-10)


RACE 3     


Preview: SAY YES (1) is a talented sort with a fine turn of foot and from a good draw Yeni should find the cover she will need over this step up in trip. CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL (6) impressed on debut and could be anything but the time was not exceptional and she faces a decent field in just her second career start from a tough draw. LITTLEMARYSUNSHINE (2) has some class and she has a fair draw over a course and distance which should be ideal. (David Thiselton 1-6-3)


RACE 4     


Preview: MRS BROWNING (1) is well weighted in this contest and is distance suited but will have to be dropped out from a wide draw before using her decent turn of foot. BONETE (2)looks to have plenty of scope for improvement and has shown class so from a good draw over a suitable trip she could upset Mrs Browingi CALLMEWHENUNEEDME (5)


RACE 5     


Preview: SHOEMAKER (1) did not enjoy blinkers in his last start last season and this classy sort did bounce back to a certain extent after gelding before that so he might be ready to start living up to his potential. SMORGASBORD (3) has class and has done well over this trip before. STAR COIN (2) has the summer cup as his target but has to prove he is up to it and this will be a preparation run for his qualifying bid in the Victory Moon. (David Thiselton 1-3-2)


RACE 6     


Preview: HOUSE OF ROMANOV (5) wasn’t disgraced first time out the maidens and has pole position over an ideal trip. JORDAN (3) won his third start in good style and is a contender here. SILVER SANCTUARY (2) is a full-sister to Safe Passage and has done well to date and will enjoy the trip but it is never easy carrying second topweight against the boys. (David Thiselton 5-3-2)


RACE 7     


Preview: MILLAHUE (6) is a talented sort who is distance suited and from a wide draw he is capable of coming from off the pace. HOME OF THE BRAVE (5) has fine recent form and won over this trip before a layoff. TOTAL SURRENDER (9) has scope for further improvement and is well drawn over an ideal trip. (David Thiselton 6-5-9)


RACE 8     


Preview: ARCHIMIDES (7) comes out well on the form of bis best runs and is distance suited and well drawn. RAIN OR SHINE (1) can be a bit in and out but on best form he can go close and he has a fair draw. MINI COOP (5) has a shout if able to overcome a tricky draw. (David Thiselton 7-1-5)


RACE 9     


Preview: A PLACE IN THE SUN (6) is on the up and is well drawn over a suitable trip. UNIVERSAL LOVE (3) ran on well to win her maiden and from a good draw with a 4kg claimer up can make her presence felt over the same trip. CREPUSCOLO (1) is a rangy type who stayed on well to win a work riders maiden over 1400m and he is drawn in pole over a step up in trip he will relish (David Thiselton 6-3-1)

Played the quad, there has been scratchings so the initial odds have reduced, especially in the Beach Bomb race, still needs to win though :-

TR3) Champagne Cocktail
DR4) Trip Of Fortune
TR6) Silver Sanctuary
DR5) Beach Bomb

Summer has returned to the Highveld - mixed card with a few shorties seemingly hard to beat ..... thoughts ....

R1: Pocket Watch has pole position and being by Master of My Fate out of a Judpot mare, the trip should not pose a problem (and in future may get further ) - challenges should come from Marquez and Breath Of Magic (who has been well tried) both from awkward draws; Peter inmate Master Ariano made a fair debut on the Fairview Poly, so could be a dark horse along with first-timer Blackberry Breeze who has found some market support, but would have to be quite good to win from that draw; all in all Pocket Watch looks the right one and may shorten come race time.

R2: Witblits has her first local start after fair runs in the Cape - has a good draw and the jock is recently raking in the winners, so first choice; Heart Peaks has some encouraging form, but needs to overcome an awkward draw; the others have not set the track alight yet, so those 2 for me

R3: Champagne Cocktail romped home on debut and the handicapper seems to have been quite lenient (as she receives 3 kgs from fellow one-time winner Avoontoast); Say Yes in form, but probably will find it hard to give CC 6.5 kgs; CC from SY

R4: Mrs Browning imo very short in the market, considering that she has not yet proved that she really gets more than 1200 - still she has finished just more than 2 lengths (receiving 3 kgs) from the classy Humdinger over the Greyville 1400 - so she may well prove better than her opposition at the weights; Bonete 2nd best in, but may need the outing and seems better further, while Callmewhenyouneedme has a lot to find at the weights, so for me the main danger may be Dolcezza, if one is prepared to ignore he last run; I would not back MB at that price

R5: It gets competitive from here; Zinovi has pole position and had a encouraging last run coming from way back courtesy of a wide draw - he may well win, but the 'respiratory noises' is worrying for me; I do fancy a bit of a longshot in Princeofgreen - good draw and does seem very capable, so at the odds one can't get hurt too much; next best imo would be Billy Spellbound, but he probably is having a come-back run after a rest and anyway seems better further; I'd go wide in the exotics

R6: Another competitive race, reflected by the betting; can't fault any of these bar Be Real - so they all need to be considered

R7: Middle Stakes but not a lot between many at the weights; Home of the Brave seems ready to win; has won over this track and trip and would not be the worst banker imo; biggest danger for me is Bey Suyay who is overdue to win; next best would be Total Surrender (rating has increased 10 points since June), Milahue (often thereabouts but needs a perfect ride as he comes from well back) and Destiny of Souls (does seem held by a few at the weights); Brave Viking has a big reputation, but stable is not raking in the winners; HotB - or consider at least all of those mentioned

R8: Handicap; find it hard to separate Houston, Archimedes and American Biscuit; Houston needs to find 3.75 lengths on Archimedes on their last meeting, but that was Houston's first run after a break and he should now be cherry ripe; Archimedes could be forgiven his last run as he seem decidedly better on good ground and he also has better draw; American Biscuit on a line through Napoleon could hold them both - so those 3 for me

R9: Another handicap - where weights seem closely matched; A Place in the Sun could be the right one from a good draw, but usually comes from far back, so not sure if she can get there in time; others to consider imo Crepuscolo (pole position but hard to judge the form of his Maiden win - and does have to give APitS 2,5 kgs), Godfather (fair draw, but seems moderate), Anytime Champ (seems to be running into form, but awkward draw, and Universal Love (Maiden winner but gets the 4kg apprentice allowance)

Enjoy

Txs Frodo

I like both local cards and look forward to Champagne Cocktail

Plus don't forget Ascot


Good Punting 👍

MDK found a hard race for Champaign Cocktail.

Breath Of Magic...EW
my pick to post

Storm Brasco... Possible outside place

Money spot on in the 1st , Princess Lola for me in the 2nd

Life Lesson...Places