It might be the weakest race on average ratings but Race 1’s Fillies and Mares Maiden over the minimum 1000m trip looks the race to go big on at Greyville on Wednesday 19 January.
On collateral lines of form Ladies Day should be hard to beat and yet, since she races for a small stable that has been quiet, she could jump at generous odds.
This Great Britain filly should have won earlier but kept meeting decent sorts. In her penultimate she was quite heavily backed to beat a well-bred Highveld newcomer and only came up a neck short. This is by far the weakest field she meets to date, and she could just exit the ranks.
Sparkling Flame is probably the costliest maiden around having been beaten as favourite umpteen times, but she is ultra-consistent and could also get her time in the sun. She has gone closest on the poly and perhaps she will get it right in the 2000m Maiden for fillies and mares in Race 2.
Siege Of Orleans and Top Ten are definite dangers on form and while both have run well on the poly they have not finished as close-up as Sparkling Flame.
Back Sparkling Flame for the win and take swingers and trifectas with Siege Of Orleans and Top Ten.
The MR90 fillies and mares Handicap over 1600m (Race 7) is the best race on the day and here Jacqueline looks the one to be with again as she goes for three in a row. She was scratched a few weeks back, the reason being she had not had enough work due to inclement weather, but she is obviously in fine fettle again.
Caesura may be meeting some higher-profile types in Humble Tune and Bugsy Malone in Race 8 but the former is trying the poly for the first time and the latter may be stretched by the 1800m distance. Go each way Caesura from gate one.
Preview by Clive Robinson
