It’s Cape Town MET Day at Kenilworth on Saturday 31st January and we have a tip for all 12 races on the card.
There are 12 races on the card with the first due off at 11:50 and the last at 18:30. The biggest, the Cape Town Met is Race 8, due off at 16:05.
Exotics players on the TAB and via selected bookmakers such as Hollywoodbets will note the following race times for the first leg of their bet of choice.
RACE 1 (11:50): LEG 1 JACKPOT ONE - LIKELY POOL R300,000
RACE 2 (12:25): LEG 1 BIPOT ONE - LIKELY POOL R400,000
RACE 3 (13:00): LEG 1 PLACE ACCUMULATOR - LIKELY POOL R1 MILLION
RACE 4 (13:35): LEG 1 R1,000,000 CARRYOVER PICK 6 - LIKELY POOL R7 MILLION!
RACE 5 (14:10): LEG 1 JACKPOT TWO - LIKELY POOL R1 MILLION
RACE 7 (15:20): LEG 1 BIPOT TWO - LIKELY POOL R250,000
RACE 8 (16:05): WORLD SPORTS BETTING CAPE TOWN MET R500,000 CARRYOVER QUARTET - LIKELY POOL R2 MILLION!
RACE 9 (16:45): LEG 1 R500,000 CARRYOVER JACKPOT THREE - LIKELY POOL R2 MILLION!
Please note that the prices quoted are correct at the time of writing but can change significantly before and on race day.
RACE 1:
A field of 13 well bred 2 year olds line up to get the show on the road including 2 unraced runners. Our money is going on No.4 St. Harry, was backed off the boards for his debut win where he lost 2 lengths at the start and was green but came home smoking to win. Improvement will be needed and can be reasonably expected.
BET: No 4 St. Harry to win at projected odds of around 18/10
RACE 2:
Another 13 runner field for a competitive looking 2000m event where a case can be made for the majority of the runners. The average merit rating of this field is 79 and we are in the camp of N0.3 Bel Canto Dream. Trying the trip for the first time but well drawn and with the service of Callam Murray the selection is lightly raced for a 4yo with just 11 starts, has been running in stronger races this this and his own merit rating is coming down to what looks like a handy mark.
BET: Win and Place No 3 Bel Canto Dream at projected odds of around 16/1
RACE 3: Some hard knocking stayers including two Easten Cape raiders and one from the Highveld tackle this 2800m trip. On their last run there is little to choose between Magic Verse and Holding Thumbs. Others can get involved too but slight preference is for Holding Thumbs
BET: No 8 Holding Thumbs to win at projected odds of around 18/10
RACE 4: The thick end of 20 runners line up for a 1200m sprint, a wide open betting heat if ever there was one. You put your money down and hope for the best here but Miraculous is consistent performer who should be cherry ripe having here third run back from a break and her better form comes over this trip.
BET: No 6 Miraculous to win at projected odds of around 7/1
RACE 5: Another sprint, this time over 1100m with every runner in a field of 16 rated 100 or above. Going on Collateral form lines from 13th December where a number of these met over 1200m a case can be made for Teflon Man who was slowly away that day but ran into fourth and now looks handily weighted. The slight dop in trip is a concern and he is not the most reliable but on his day is capable of picking up a race like this
BET: No 10 Teflon Man to win at projected odds of around 10/1
RACE 6: We reach the half-way stage with another large field, wide open betting heat over 1400m. Raven Black hasn’t won a race for 422 days but despite being 6 years old he has only had 11 starts. Now stepping up to 1400m which on breeding doesn’t look to an issue and well drawn 2 with only 52kg, he could be a lurker to include.
BET: No 2 Raven Black to win at projected odds of around 8/1
RACE 7: The Grade 1 Majorca Stakes for fillies and mares over 1600m has attracted a strong field and a strong favourite in the shape of Double Grand Slam. Rather than take on the favourite directly we are looking for a top 3 placing and No.11 Minogue who ran a cracker in the Paddock Stakes on her Western Cape debut and seems to be improving with age.
BET: No 11 Minogue to run into the first 3 places at projected odds of around 5/2
RACE 8: The Cape Town MET Time for the bog one and the likes of See It Again, last years winner Eight on Eighteen and The Real Prince who won the July last season and the Kings Plate this time around have been at the top of the betting boards ahead of Sail the Seas. A number of bigger priced horses such as Gladatorian, Okavango, Cosmic Speed and Garrix are in the 11 runner field for this 2000m contest.
See it Again is now 6 years old and since gelding he had issues at the starting gates. However, since heading to the Western Cape this season two recent close up third placed runs over shorter trips coupled with a race day manners which suggest his problems are behind him offer plenty of encouragement as he steps up in trip. You have to go back 454 days for his last win, this could be his day.
BET: No 10 See It Again to win at projected odds of around 11/4
RACE 9: A field of 3yo colts and geldings contest the Grade 3 Politician Stakes over 1800m. Stablemates Happy Verse and Randolph Hearst are closely matched on form and whilst others have chances preference is for Randolph Hearst. There are valid excuses for his 3 runs this season but he still hit the money in each outing. Although it’s a smallish field draw no 4 is handy enough and if he settles he looks highly likely to fight it out.
BET: No 4 Randolph Hearst to win at projected odds of around 11/4
RACE 10:
Despite a couple of scratchings this 1200m sprint for the girls remains wide open. A chance is taken with Babelicious with Gavin Lerena on board for Candice Bass. A winner over further last time out she is racing off her highest ever merit rating but the drop back in trip shouldn’t be an issue on previous form and is one if a number of runners with claims.
BET: No 7 Babelicious to win at projected odds of around 8/1
RACE 11:
It’s another fillies and mares event but this time over 2000m. Having looked at this race for some time a case can be made for the whole field in which case we will look for some value. Note that you can also view selections of members of our community on our discussion forum and for this race we will follow Southpaw who has labelled Time For Love at an eye catching price. This mare will need to return to her best form but in the hope she has been prepped with this race in mind that could well be a possibility.
BET: No 2 Time for Love win and 3 places at projected odds of around 16/1
RACE 12:
Many thanks or sticking with us through this marathon preview as we wrap up with a 1600m event which has attracted another big field. “Reluctant, Slowly Away, Restless” No 4 United front would appear to come with a whole page of issues and also has a bit to find with a few of his rivals at the weights. However this will be just his seventh start and his third since being gelded. If the trainer has got to the bottom of his problems he could run a cracker from a handy draw at a big price.
BET: No 4 United Front win and 3 places at projected odds of around 25/1
Prices are subject to change