Girl power could hold the key to punters’ wallets when the Race Coast caravan rolls into Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 29 March for a competitive nine-race programme split between four turf races and five Polytrack contests.
The card presents several attractive betting angles, most notably the prospect of doubles for trainer Wendy Whitehead and jockey Rachel Venniker, while a pair of out-of-town raiders also look poised to make their presence felt.
Venniker could get punters off to a flyer aboard Lady Godiva in the opening juvenile contest over 1200m. The rider knows the filly inside out, having partnered her in all three career outings, including a deserved maiden breakthrough at Hollywoodbets Scottsville over 1100m last time.
The improving daughter of Captain Of All landed a tidy betting coup when backed from 8-1 into 7-2 on that occasion, suggesting connections have always held her in high regard. With natural progression expected and the extra 100m likely to suit, she looks capable of following up.
Few trainers stretch a modest budget as effectively as Whitehead, whose knack for sourcing value purchases regularly allows her to punch above her weight in KwaZulu-Natal racing. Her Skipper O’Malley could be reward for consistency in Race 2 over 1900m.
This daughter of Fire Away has been knocking on the door and may finally shed her maiden tag, even against male opposition, with Kabelo Matsunyane retaining he ride.
Whitehead and Venniker team up in Race 6 over 1400m with the progressive Buttercup Baby, a lightly raced What A Winter filly at the peak of her powers. She produced a career best effort when making all over 1200m last time, blasting across from the widest gate before finding extra under pressure to repel the closers – a gutsy display that earned a five-point ratings hike.
Sunday’s step up to 1400m presents a fresh challenge, and rivals Back At The George and Sovereign Grant enjoy favourable weight adjustments, but Buttercup Baby’s progressive profile and improved No 2 draw this time round could prove decisive.
In keeping with the theme of the afternoon, World Of Our Own is another last-start scorer capable of defying a penalty. The runner from the yard of Alyson Wright scored stylishly over 1600m on the Polytrack five weeks ago under Keagan de Melo.
The son of One World only rises four points in the ratings and, on the evidence of that display, looks more than capable of keeping his winning momentum intact.
Elsewhere on the card, leading Highveld conditioner Sean Tarry rarely sends runners south without purpose and his Sakura Hanami makes plenty of appeal in Race 3 over 1200m.
Meanwhile Mauritian apprentice Anaas Mosaheb could break his duck on South African soil in the closing race over 1200m aboard One Irish Rover from the yard of MJ Odendaal.
If the script unfolds as expected, Sunday’s Greyville meeting may well belong to the ladies — and the punters savvy enough to follow them.
Clive Robinson
