A tricky card and it might pay to look for some value, so with that in mind Galileo Star in Race 5, a MR 82 Handicap over 1000m on the Fairview Polytrack on Tuesday, makes plenty of appeal.
This three-year-old is clearly better than his last run on the turf and he has won two of his six starts. His record on the Polytrack shows a win and a runner-up from just two outings.
The United States gelding had looked progressive when winning his penultimate start, which was over this course and distance. Jockey Louie Mxothwa has stuck with him.
He will not have it easy, though, as his stablemate and likely favourite, Chocolate Bomb, has won his last three starts, all over this particular track and trip, and all under jockey Stallone Naidoo.
Stable companion Supreme Judge might well be worth an each-way strike in Race 6, a MR 68 Handicap over 1600m. The Horizon gelding had excuses in his latest start on the turf and is better judged on his form on this surface. He did win over this course and distance in November for Craig Zackey, who retains the ride.
Those are both trained by Dean Smith, but one also needs to look at some runners from the yard of Alan Greeff. Green Isle and Amanatto could fit that bill.
Green Isle, who lines up in Race 7, a MR 82 Handicap over 1900m, showed she is quite capable of winning again off her current merit rating when runner-up behind stable companion First Wish over the Fairview Polytrack 2000m. It is best to ignore her last run on the turf and her jockey, Richard Fourie, knows how to get the best out of her.
Amanatto took 15 starts to get out of the maiden ranks but was unlucky not to follow up, as she was caught on the post last time out. That was on the turf, but she is just as comfortable on this surface and Fourie might try start-to-finish tactics from a wide draw in Race 3, a MR 70 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m.
Clive Robinson
