Malmoos and good times are ready to roll

One of the strongest fields yet seen in the “Charity Mile” will line up at the 1600m post on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday.

That’s good news for the new sponsors of a race that’s been re-named the Allied Steelrode-Onamissionmile – for public interest will be high, bolstered by racegoers flooding back on-course after the protracted lockout, a couple of betting Megapools on the day and a feature-packed support card.

Stars of the show are 2021 Triple Crown winner Malmoos, multiple Grade 1 winner and Durban July hard-luck story Got The Greenlight and gutsy “people’s horse” MK’s Pride.

Other notable equine drawcards in other races at the meeting are filly sensation Desert Miracle and up-and-coming sprinter Master Archie.

With sunny weather predicted, it’s destined to be an occasion to remember.

Mike de Kock-trained Malmoos is an early ante-post favourite at 22-10, with Joey Soma’s Got The Greenlight next on the boards at 7-2.

Al Muthana, De Kock’s second string who recently has been showing the quality that inspired his importation from Australia, has not escaped the bookmakers’ attention and is quoted at 9-2.

But this Grade 2 contest is such a competitive affair there are no real no-hopers among the 16 that go to post. Even 66-1 rank outsider GG’s Dynasty, with whom Peter Muscutt raids from KwaZulu-Natal, has shown decent form and signs of coming back to his best after nearly a year on the side lines.

Malmoos has not been seen in action since 1 May, when he lost to Got The Greenlight in his first effort post the Triple Crown heroics. De Kock indicated at the time that all was not well with his prodigy and he would skip the winter season and prepare for summer.

Malmoos might not be fully wound up yet – with the likes of the Summer Cup and the Cape Met as coming engagements – but we can be sure De Kock will have Malmoos well enough to win here.

But he’ll also have Al Muthana seeking honours and a climb in the merit ratings to get him into those looming majors. A ding-dong duel between the stablemates is quite likely on Saturday.

Got The Greenlight does have a warm-up race under the belt, but a No 14 starting stall and the steadying burden of 62kg will be tough challenges for jockey Barnard Fayd’Herbe to overcome.

MK’s Pride’s seven victories have all been over distances shorter than 1600m and it’ll be interesting to see how Warren Kennedy coaxes him over the extra ground against such eminent opposition.

There is a R1-million carryover in the Pick 6, with the final aggregate estimated to reach R5 million. The main race, Race 5, gets a R1-million Quartet boost and the likely pool is R2 million.

One might almost believe the good times are back.

SELECTIONS

Turffontein Saturday

Race 1:

11 Winter Pearl, 6 Covert Operator, 1 Lazy Guy, 10 Phantomoftheforest

Race 2:

1 Tuuletar, 5 Angelsea,  10 Maria’s World, 4 Amicus Curiae

Race 3:

3 Sound Of Summer, 4 Prince Evlanoff, 2 Nebraas, 5 Foreign Field

Race 4:

1 Big Burn, 2 Bold Act, 5 Follow Me, 6 Marigold Hotel

Race 5:

2 Malmoos, 16 Al Muthana, 1 Got The Greenlight, 3 MK’s Pride

Race 6:

9 Desert Miracle, 1 Smorgasbord, 5 Pyromaniac, 8 Mitch Got His Wish

Race 7:

1 Victoria Paige, 9 Veld Flower, 3 Heart Stwings, 5 Shivers

Race 8:

7 Master Archie, 6 Sheela, 3 Kwite A Trip, 8 Alesian Chief

Race 9:

7 Shangani, 8 Captain Chorus, 11 The Kop, 9 Paybackthemoney

Race 10:

4 Magnum P I, 10 Eagle River, 9 Count Pablo, 14 Red Saxon

Pick 6:

1,2 x 1,2,3,4,7,16 x 9 x 1,2,3,4,5,6,9 x 6,7 x 1,4,7,8,9,10,11,12 (R1344)

PA:

2 x 1 x 1,2,16 x 9 x 1,3,9 x 7 x 7,8,11 (R27)

Kenilworth Saturday

Best bet: Race 5 No 8 She’s A Rainbow

Value bet: Rac 8 No 8 Slings And Arrows

Greyville Sunday

Best bet: Race 4 No 4 Shavout

Value bet: Race 2 No 6 And We Danced