14:40 Turffontein

Sunday 22 January 2023

All10:5011:2512:0012:4013:1013:4014:1014:40

Next Turffontein Racemeeting Thursday 26 January Classified Stakes

Off time: 14:41 | Winning time: 1m 52.09s

(1)

Celestial City¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Calvin Habib| T: Sean Tarry| C

1/1

Course winner. One win from 2 runs last year. Winner here in November. 9/4, second of 9 in handicap at Vaal (9f, soft) 17 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 12-2

(5)

Duke Of Rain³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Marco V'Rensburg| T: Michael Nicholas Houdalakis

3/1

14/1, creditable fourth of 8 in handicap at Vaal (7.4f, good to soft) 38 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 847444-

(4)

Romeo's Magic²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Kaidan Brewer| T: Brett Warren| C| D

28/1

Course winner. Latest win here in September. 16/1, bit below form sixth of 11 in handicap at Vaal (11.9f, good) 26 days ago. Back down in trip. Very hard to make a case for.

Form: 416486-

(3)

Time Spirit³³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: S Khumalo| T: Paul Matchett| D

14/1

Seventh of 9 in minor event at Vaal (9.9f, good, 100/7). Off 11 months. First run for yard after leaving M/A Azzie. Very hard to make a case for.

Form: 1939/57-

(8)

Last Cheer⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 8-10| J: Ryan Munger| T: D Gray St John| OR: 52| C

6/1

Won 10-runner handicap at this course (9.9f, good, 11/2) 6 days ago. Has to be taken seriously.

Form: 22664-1

(6)

Black Lightning²⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Donald Geerthsen⁽⁶⁾| T: Fabian Habib

20/1

Career best when winning 8-runner maiden at Vaal (8f, soft, 20/1) 24 days ago.

Form: 646451-

(2)

Son Of Raj^b1⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: Wesley Marwing| T: Weiho Marwing

14/1

One win from 3 runs last year. Winner at Greyville in October. 15/2, ninth of 15 in handicap at Scottsville (8f, soft) 63 days ago. First run for yard after leaving P. B. Muscutt.

Form: 219-

(9)

Follow My Path^b²⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-3| J: C Maujean| T: Billy Ruiters| OR: 81

7/1

Latest win at Vaal in December. Creditable third of 11 in handicap at Vaal (9f, soft, 7/1) 24 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 524213-

(7)

Devilish Dancer^b²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-2| J: M Yeni| T: D Gray St John

25/1

Last of 14 in handicap at this course (5.8f, good, 16/1) 29 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. Others more persuasive.

Form: 556200-

Non-Runners

(10)

Forged By Fire³⁸

Weight: 9-2| Age: 5

T: Paul Matchett J: R Simons

Forecasts

Celestial City (1/1), Duke Of Rain (3/1), Last Cheer (6/1), Follow My Path (7/1), Son Of Raj (14/1), Time Spirit (14/1), Forged By Fire (16/1), Black Lightning (20/1), Devilish Dancer (25/1), Romeo's Magic (28/1)

LAST CHEER looks marginally the best of this bunch but hasn't much room for error. Follow My Path is marginally preferred for second, while Duke Of Rain also demands a second look.