Scotia on Champions weekend.

www.africanbettingclan.com


Good morning and now that the election is over we can get down to a serious punting weekend.

My life continues to be rather hectic, and expensive, so desperate for a few good winners over the weekend.

We have the Hollywood competition, so don't be shy, enter, I notice most of our high flying posters and leading tipsters don't enter? They either don't need the money, or they are scared a couple of our shrew punters beat them? lol

We are planning a big day for Saturday and looking at the card, we may just find a couple of winners.

At this stage would like to see Thandolwami winning the main race, as Craig Eudie will be at the track with a large contingency, in addition he has City Belle running on Sunday. The older Clan posters may remember the most generous prize we ever had was from Graham Galansky's Betvic where the winners received "an all expenses paid share of a racehorse for its racing career" and that horse was City Belle, so we will be hoping for some improvement and cheering her home..

I fancied Mount Hood for the Derby (has been scratched and off to Dubai?), Warm White Night was a strong fancy, but see both Private Jet and Rebel King coming in for support, another couple of potential bankers would be Vacherin and Marlene De Lago, but will follow what the "experts" say before having a strike.

The big racing from overseas this weekend is in Hong Kong on Sunday, where MDK has Archipenco running in the QEII Cup, where if I remember Viva Pataca was 6/4 fav and Presvis, my fancy, was 9/2, the De Kock charge was 7/2.

In the UK its the big chase at Sandown where Hoo Ba Loo is the 6/1 fav. The 1,000 and 2,000 gns are next weekend and Rainbow View remains firm at 16/10 for the fillies race but the colts equivalent is very open at 4/1 the field, with Delegator, Rip Van Winkle and Mastercraftsman all in the firing line.

On the soccer Man Unt would appear to have the League in the bag "again", The Cup where Chelsea are 5/10 to lift the trophy, but the Toffees are a good cup team and after the mid week draw, the 2/1 might be the better value. The Champions League betting remains the same.

As far as you pop idol fans are concerned, Adam still money on to beat Gokey and only Kris coming with a late run, but it will be a male winner in the States.
On the local front Jason still money on to win for the boys, with only the good looking Sasha Lee, to stop a clean sweep for the boys.

You may have noticed that the IT chaps have made a "sticky" on posting tips and smilies to add more options to the increasingly popular Forums.

Good punting and may your God be with you.

scotia

Presvis looking very strong for a big run in QEII Scotia, have also backed him so let's hope he goes well, may get to see the lovely Fransesca Cumani leading him in?

Yes that would be a nice double Alan.

Attached files

Nyummy.... classy lady.

To all the handicapping experts out there; I am surprised to see the Natal visitor, Noble Heir, in the 4th race is rated 98 (nett 94), which makes her the best handicapped filly in the race. Looking at her form, I think her rating is way too high?

Good morning all and looking forward to a good days racing.

Just having a look at the betting on Interbet,

Cappoquin in the first is 7/1 and you can have 10/1 wish the connections all the best, and will be backing "again".
Corpes Da Elite 22/10 you can have 3/1
Varcherin is 15/10 but only 12/10 on offer!
If you think you can beat the hot fav M.D.L. you can have 10/1, on the 7/1 shot Noble Heir
Warm W.N. is evens you can have 12/10.
Cerise Cherry 33/10, 9/2 on offer.
Thandolwami is firm at 10/1 and all the best to Craig and connection, and the same goes for the 8/1 shot Superfederation and we will all be shouting this one home for Oscar

good punting!

SA Derby highlights richest raceday of year


Preview: South Africa, Saturday 1.30pm BST

Turffontein: SA Derby (Grade 1) 11/2m (2,450m), turf, 3yo

ORMOND FERRARIS, who has won the South African Derby eight times in his 55-year training career, has a big chance of making it nine with Magical in the Grade 1 test at Turffontein in Johannesburg on Saturday.

This is Africa's richest raceday with prize-money of SAR7 million (£540,000) in total and three Grade 1 events.

Magical, ridden by Bernard Fayd'herbe, has won his last three and the way he beat Mister Softee in the Nijinsky Derby Trial here three weeks ago suggested that he will relish the extra two furlongs.

Few who saw that race would give the runner-up much chance of reversing the placings.

Ferraris, 77, said: "I don't know that Magical has quite the turn of foot of a horse like Distinctly, my first Derby winner in 1975, but he stays well and he is pretty fit."

Cerise Cherry, runner-up in the Gauteng Guineas and in the SA Classic, has the most obvious form claims but the problem is that he is a perpetual bridesmaid.

He has finished second in ten of his 14 starts.

Sporting Boy was only a neck behind him in the Classic and, as a son of the Vincent O'Brien-trained Sportsworld, he should appreciate the extra two furlongs.

Whatever his fortunes wth Magical, Ferraris is widely expected to win his tenth South African Oaks as he trains the first two in the market, Sweet Theresa and Opera Cloak.

Also on Saturday

Turffontein: Champion Challenge (Grade 1) 1m 2f, turf

The SAR2m Champion Challenge is the most valuable event on the ten-race card.


Charles Laird is responsible for a quarter of the 16-strong field, including market leaders Smart Banker and Senor Versace.

Smart Banker, winner of the Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1m here last time, is the choice of stable jockey Anton Marcus.

Laird said: "There is not much between our lot but Crown Of Power unfortunately missed his run the other day.

"Likeithot is always thereabouts, Senor Versace is improving all the time and is a big runner, but Smart Banker is drawn the best of the four and could be the right one."

Mike De Kock runs SA Classic winner Forest Path and Gauteng Fillies Guineas scorer Zirconeum.

Anthony Delpech has chosen the latter but Johnny Geroudis is keen on Forest Path.

He said: " I give him a big chance if I can just get a bit of cover and he drops the bit."

Turffontein: Computaform Sprint (Grade 1) 5f, turf (11.40am BST)

Charles Laird also dominates the Computaform Sprint with ante-post favourite Warm White Night and Rebel King, who has already established himself as the best older sprinter in the country.

Laird said: "It's a big test for three-year-old Warm White Night - he has never run over five furlongs before butI think he will be suited by it. He is a top horse and he rises to the occasion.

"Rebel King won the Cape Flying Championship and has shown his best form over five and six furlongs."

Warm White Night made short work of Private Jet over half a furlong further last time but the runner-up's stable believe that their horse did not run up to his best.

Johan van Vuren, assistant to Geoff Woodruff, said: "Private Jet is a seriously good horse and I thought he couldn't lose.

"He's unbeaten over five furlongs and I think he's in with a massive shout."

Not so sure Private Jet was raced to win in the last run..watch the race from the front?
Not so sure that either Private Jet and Warm White Nights can win...3 year olds with impressive times, but can they beat the older horses. doubt it.
Perhaps the older horses will fly up the last 100m?

Same applies for the fillies race 4.

perhaps a P6 F X F X 1,2 X 1,2 X 2,9,15 x F

Some lateral thinking Andrewest, and I fancy you will be one of a very few in the payout queue, should Merlene de Lago in the first leg and the Laird coupling and Private Jet in the 2nd leg get rolled.

Personally I can't see that happen, but this is horseracing, so who knows?

Just compiled a write-up of my opinions for the day and then lost it by clicking on some key by mistake:( so should I taake that as an omen?

One double for today.... I don't see these 2 losing

VACHERIN
MERLENE DE LAGO

At the track looks a great day!

good punting and tipping to all.