Vino Veritas looks the only possibly banker.
This is a Pick 6 you really want to win.
There is a carryover of R200,000 to boost the pool of the Pick 6 at Turffontein today and with an estimate of R1.7 million, this is one bet you really want to catch. If you do, it is likely to pay out a sizeable amount.
The racing is on the Inside track and the card needs to be sent to the UK World War II decoding centre at Bletchley Park for deciphering.
There is no obvious banker on the card and bookmakers will probably bet 5-1 the field or even better in most of the Pick 6 races.
The main race is the Listed Allez France Stakes (Non-Black Type) over 2200m for fillies and mares and this race does, because of the conditions, give the one possible banker in Vino Veritas. The Gavin van Zyl-trained mare is the best weighted runner in the field and had this been a handicap she would have been giving loads more weight to all the opposition. As it has worked out, she is at least 3kg better off with the next best-weighted runner and that is Patchit Up Baby. Epsom Downs is 10.5kg under sufferance with Vino Veritas, Zrinski 11kg and Kissimmee 11.5kg.
That gives the daughter of Silvano a massive advantage over her opposition and with Muzi Yeni up, is undoubtedly the runner they all have to beat, especially as she is unbeaten in two starts over the course and distance.
However, she is drawn No 11, which is an issue over this distance as they begin on the bend, and she will find herself racing wide early on. Yeni will have to be on his toes to get the five-year-old mare well positioned.
Patchit Up Baby looks her main rival at the weights but based on collateral form the Ormond Ferraris filly has little chance of beating Vino Veritas. In The KZN Oaks at Scottsville last year Vino Veritas finished 1.25 lengths ahead of Patchit Up Baby and is now 1.5kg better off.
They also met in a Conditions Plate over 2000m at Turffontein last time with the Van Zyl runner running a 0.50-length second to Bilateral with Ferraris’ charge one length back. Vino Veritas is now 4.5kg better off. However, Patchit Up Baby has Piere Strydom in the irons for the first time and will be having her first start on the Inside track and that could make a difference – one way or another.
