Punters are saddled with another Polytrack meeting at Fairview on Monday, and it is as tricky as ever and if we are behind by the last race, we might need Watch Tower to win in order to send us home with a profit.
The Gavin Smith-trained three-year-old may have just needed his last run after a gelding operation and was not disgraced when fifth over 1200m on this surface last time out.
The drop to 1000m will suit him and in a highly competitive contest he might pop up and score from a good draw.
Stable companion Globetonic was his conqueror on that occasion, but he does tend to come from a long way back so will need luck in running over this shorter distance. So it is Watch Tower’s chance to take revenge on that rival.
There are some interesting races on this card, and we can get off to a winning start by having a nice Place bet on Opening Ceremony in Race 1.
This Duncan McKenzie trained gelding is not going anywhere soon in terms of winning races, and he is usually seen quickening late into a place. And it is just that we will be hoping to see once again. The five-year-old gelding is course-and-distance suited.
Two improving yet five-year-old mares can battle out Race 3 in the form of Twice To Heaven and Rose Of Bayeux.
Both are in the form of their lives and have performed well on the surface.
Rose Of Bayeux was impressive when scoring last time out but may have to play second fiddle to Twice To Heaven.
The Sharon Kotzen-trained five-year-old mare did not show her best last time out but slammed a decent filly in Belle Of Belize by a couple of lengths in her penultimate start and only picked up a three-point penalty.
Questor has been nominated for Eastern Cape Champion Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding so Alan Greeff-trained filly Back For More is likely to be a short-priced favourite for Race 4, having beaten that rival in her last start.
But there is a possibility Back For More will need the run returning from the break and she is trying the Polytrack for the first time so it might be worth taking her on with Baby Love.
Smith likes nothing more than beating chief rival Greeff when the latter is expected to win, and Baby Love quickened nicely to claim her maiden last time out in her debut run at Fairview so could be fit and ready for more victories.
Another runner who should go off at a good price and looks excellent each-way value in El Romiachi in Race 5, a MR 82 Handicap over 1600m.
He might be seven years old but this Elusive Fort gelding has lost none of his zest for racing.
Trained by Zietsman Oosthuizen, he comes off a decent performance on the turf on 18 August in which he finished strongly to finish a 1.45-length fourth to Dawn Of A New Era over 1400m.
It is worth noting that he has recorded four wins on the Polytrack and three of them have over this course and distance.
Jockey Muzi Yeni, who rode a terrific race on Dawn Of A New Era last week, gets aboard El Romiachi and they have the benefit of jumping from No 1 draw.
Clive Robinson
