Take off on a Flying Bull for a City By The Sea

Two weeks ago, Paul Peter led in five out of the nine winners at a Turffontein meeting and he could have a similarly busy time this Saturday.

The Highveld champion trainer has his operation moving up through the gears as the shimmering prizes of summer draw nearer and that’s good news for punters seeking the comfort of good bets at a nine-race Inside Track meeting at the city course.

Peter could be chatting to a Tellytrack interviewer as soon as the first race, in which his nicely bred filly No Time Is Taken makes her debut and could justify early money.

It’s after Race 2, though, that the affable Turffontein handler will need his TV face on as four-year-old gelding Shangani looks likely to post a third win in four starts. Last time out, Peter challenged this guy to handle 2200m, after orientation outings over 1600m, and he did it with ease. Given the ease of that victory, a further rise to 2600m in this Middle Stakes affair should not be a problem for him and regular rider Warren Kennedy.

The opposition is worthy, though, and all six runners could end up in single digits on the betting boards.

Peter tackles Race 3 on the card with Displace Time who had made his debut in late August and managed a respectable fifth place despite being slowly away and getting a bit over-excited. He’ll know more about race day this time.

Several unexposed horses in the field mean he’s not a sure thing, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Peter and Kennedy complete a quick double

Burmese Tiara and Queen Anne’s Lace in the fourth and fifth have claims for Peter, but his best chances on the day come in the eighth and ninth.

Flying Bull has been runner-up in his last two starts – after breaking out of the maidens in early May, post gelding. He looks primed to the minute for a 1800m Novice Plate victory.

In the last race on the card, City By The Sea bids for a hat-trick with Kennedy in only his 11^th start. The four-year-old son of Elusive Fort has been getting stronger and more willing with every race and has been well supported by his connections.

Brave punters might consider these latter two Peter runners as bankers in exotics. They are certainly worth Win and Eachway wagers.

SELECTIONS

Turffontein Saturday

Race 1:

9 Insatiable, 3 Moonstrike, 6 Amicus Curiae, 4 Turn Tide

Race 2:

2 Shangani, 6 Afraad, 4 Apollo Robins, 3 White Fang

Race 3:

10 Displace Time, 1 Chariot Master, 2 King’s Spear, 4 Integrate

Race 4:

5 Country Flame, 2 Burmese Tiara, 9 Maria’s World, 1 Ms Flower Power

Race 5:

8 Juliet Tango, 2 Mamaquera, 7 Just Fabulous, 5 Eternity Ring

Race 6:

3 Masaaken, 1 Princess Kesh, 5 Olympic Silk, 4 Mariposa

Race 7:

5 Opera Glass, 4 She’s A Cracker, 6 Mauby, 1 Southern Song

Race 8:

1 Flying Bull, 5 Indelible, 4 Flying Grace, 3 Aragosta

Race 9:

1 City By The Sea, 2 Theory Of Flight, 9 Eskimo Pie, 7 Twin Turbo

Pick 6:

2,5,9 x 2,5,7,8,10 x 1,3,5 x 1,4,5,6 x 1,4,5 x 1,2,9 (R1620)

PA:

1,10 x 5 x 2,7,8 x 1,3 x 4,5 x 1 x 1 (R24)

Durbanville Saturday

Best bet: Race 5 No 3 Lillybelle

Value bet: Race 4 No 11 Vengeance Forever

Greyville Sunday

Best bet: Race 3 No 5 Bay Breeze

Value bet: Race 2 No 3 Varvacious