RACE BY RACE PREVIEWS: DURBANVILLE@2024.08.17
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 1, Gallops, 1000m, Turf, R110.000, 12:15GMT+2
Race Summary: FROM A DISTANCE has finished 2nd in consecutive starts from outside draws up the straight and need only run to that level of form in her first appearance on this track to open her account. CHAMPAGNE KISSES has also shown promise in both outings up the lane at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth and should be competitive if overcoming a wide draw in her first look at this course. ELIZABETH GRACE, LUCY ROCKET and FLEUR DE VILLE have the form and experience to make their presence felt too. Watch the betting on the newcomers!
Selections:
#8 From A Distance, #10 Champagne Kisses, #4 Bitter Sweet, #7 Elizabeth Grace
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 2, Gallops, 1250m, Turf, R200.000, 12:47GMT+2
Race Summary: KING’S QUEST and CAPTAIN WEST showed promise during their two-year-old campaigns and are likely to improve this term. The former is open to any amount of improvement after an eye-catching debut and is, on that basis, slightly preferred to the latter whose greater experience will stand him in good stead. LET IT BE SAID and PHIL THE FLUTER fit similar profiles so shouldn’t be underestimated. Newcomers MR FOX and MY ARCHANGEL are worth a market check on debut.
Selections:
#3 King’s Quest, #9 Captain West, #4 My Archangel, #8 Mr Fox
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 3, Gallops, 1400m, Turf, R110.000, 13:22GMT+2
Race Summary: ARBITRATION made the expected improvement after a pleasing introduction to finish 2nd over course and distance last time and needn’t improve much to open his account. CUMBRE VIEJA has the form and experience to pose a threat, and could have more to offer fitted with first-time blinkers. COMMANDER GREEN and BLACK CHERRY would’ve benefitted from their last starts and are also likely to have a say from favourable inside gates. PLUS FOUR isn’t without a chance either.
Selections:
#7 Arbitration, #8 Cumbre Vieja, #2 Commander Green, #3 Black Cherry
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 4, Gallops, 1400m, Turf, R110.000, 13:55GMT+2
Race Summary: LITTLE SUZIE performed as she was bred to do when an eye-catching 2nd on debut over 1250m at this venue and, given the extra 150m with the benefit of that experience, it will pay to follow her progress. FESTIVAL CHIC and stablemate PRETTY PRECIOUS are likely to pose the biggest threat, although better (a more competitive showing) can be expected of KORTVANDRAAD who didn’t go unnoticed on debut from a wide draw and would’ve come on since.
Selections:
#1 Little Suzie, #2 Festival Chic, #5 Pretty Precious, #9 Kortvandraad
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 5, Gallops, 1600m, Turf, R120.000, 14:30GMT+2
Race Summary: Tricky. RADICCHIO and HOLDING THUMBS, two of four last-start winners in the race, ought to remain competitive under a penalty, while fellow recent scorers NOON DAY GUN and DAS GUTE are dangerous to discount stepping up to this trip. Consistent MASTER OF PARIS, unexposed JOIN THE DOTS and ALL ABOUT RONNIE (even from another wide stall) are better off at the weights, so capable of making their presence felt. PRINCE OF TIBET and MONT LOISIR aren’t taken lightly either. Go wide in the exotics!
Selections:
#2 Radicchio, #3 Holding Thumbs, #5 Master Of Paris, #11 Mont Loisir
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 6, Gallops, 1800m, Turf, R135.000, 15:06GMT+2
Race Summary: GREEN MANDARIN is at the top of his game and completed the hat-trick when preserving his unbeaten record over this trip in his last start. A resultant 6-point penalty and step up in class will make things tougher but may not be enough to halt his momentum/winning ways. BLUE BAY finished 3.35 lengths behind that rival when last seen (13 April) and is weighted to turn the tables on these terms, though is unlikely to be fully tuned on his reappearance. Snaith runners SALVATOR MUNDI, CALL TO UNITE and NAVY STRENGTH aren’t without a prayer, but a bigger threat could come from resurgent OTTO LUYKEN.
Selections:
#4 Green Mandarin, #1 Blue Bay, #6 Call To Unite, #3 Otto Luyken
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 7, Gallops, 2000m, Turf, R105.000, 15:42GMT+2
Race Summary: Stablemates MIDWAY and ALADDIN’S LAMP are lightly raced, maturing last-start winners who ought to relish stretching out to this distance after maiden victories over 1800m. BATON ROUGE, OZARK, KING PELLES and best-weighted HELIOTROPE have legitimate claims too. However, preference is for PRIME VENTURE who has caught the eye in his last 3 starts by running on from a long way back. A return to this trip should should suit and he could represent the value in the race.
Selections:
#5 Prime Venture, #2 Midway, #7 King Pelles, #6 Heliotrope
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 8, Gallops, 1250m, Turf, R85.000, 16:17GMT+2
Race Summary: Wide open. GRUE OF ICE, TRES CHIC, ELECTRIC FEELS and TRY ME are closely matched on the form of their 11 June meeting over 1200m. VERONIQUE holds stablemate FLY TO RIO on the form of recent 1400m clashes and should confirm her superiority over this distance which is more to her liking. A THOUSAND KISSES is dangerous to discount over this trip off a lower mark, while unexposed last-start winner PROTECT THE DREAM has more scope for improvement than her rivals. BLACK PATH could also surprise.
Selections:
#3 Veronique, #12 Tres Chic, #5 Electric Feels, #8 Try Me
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 9, Gallops, 1250m, Turf, R120.000, 16:52GMT+2
Race Summary: WINTER PEARL, SHIFTING PATH, ALL ABOUT AL and FORT RED are consistent hard-knockers with both the form and experience at this level to acquit themselves competitively. Both GRAND BAY and SPIRIT’S UNITE are also capable of holding their own but are unfavourably drawn in wide starting berths. HANDSOME PRINCE was a highly regarded 2yo but didn’t hit the heights once promised so was gelded. He made an encouraging 3yo reappearance over this course and distance and would’ve come on since, so it could pay to follow his progress.
Selections:
#8 Handsome Prince, #6 Shifting Path, #9 Fort Red, #4 Winter Pearl
Durbanville, 17.08.2024, Race 10, Gallops, 1000m, Turf, R135.000, 17:25GMT+2
Race Summary: Tricky. BLUE HOLLY is a course-and-distance specialist who ought to be competitive from gate No 2 in her peak outing. SAIL TO THE MOON and FRANZ LEHAR return from respective absences but shouldn’t be underestimated on their reappearances. DEAN STREET returned to winning ways over 1000m in his last start and should remain competitive over this extended trip under a resultant penalty. MOJO MAN and NIGHT VIGIL are consistent performers whose chances have to be respected.
Selections:
#5 Dean Street, #6 Mojo Man, #2 Blue Holly, #9 Night Vigil
Best Win: #8 HANDSOME PRINCE
Best Value Bet:
Best Longshot: #5 PRIME VENTURE
