14:15 Turffontein

Saturday 17 February 2024

All10:0510:4011:1511:5012:2513:0013:4014:1514:5015:25

SA Classic 2 March For Bookings Call 011 681 1796 Middle Stakes

Off time: 14:16 | Winning time: 2m 35.84s

(2)

Rule Book^b³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Diego De Gouveia| T: Alec Laird| CD

6/1

5-time course winner. Seven wins from 20 Flat runs. Career best when winning 7-runner minor event (9/2) at this C&D (soft) 35 days ago. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 61441-1

(1)

Bonete²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: G Lerena| T: M F De Kock| BF| C

11/8

Course winner. Creditable 1½ lengths second of 13 to Explosive Bond in listed race at this C&D (good to soft, 9/2) 20 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 83023-2

(5)

Battleground⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Kabelo Matsunyane| T: Michael Nicholas Houdalakis| CD

15/2

C&D winner. Three wins from 11 runs last year. Latest win here in September. Fourth of 5 in handicap (2/1) at this course (12.9f, good) 9 days ago.

Form: 18242-4

(8)

Prime Example³²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Ryan Munger| T: Tyrone Zackey| D

8/1

Four wins from 10 runs last year. 66/1, first run since leaving A. B. Fortune when very good third of 11 in handicap at Vaal (9f, good) 32 days ago. Significantly back up in trip. Uphill task.

Form: 15020-3

(7)

Twenty Drachma's²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Philasande Mxoli| T: Stuart Pettigrew| CD

7/4

5/2, career best when winning 8-runner handicap at this C&D (good to soft) 20 days ago.

Form: 72351-1

(6)

Out Of Your League¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-3| J: Malesela Katjedi| T: Fabian Habib| OR: 90| CD

33/1

C&D winner. Twenty four runs since last win in 2021. Last of 6 in minor event (25/1) at this C&D (good) 14 days ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 7707-76

Non-Runners

(4)

United Council²⁰

Weight: 9-5| Age: 4

T: Robbie Sage J: Denis Schwarz

(3)

Indian Ocean³⁵

Weight: 8-2| Age: 4

T: Lorenzo Karriem J: Nathan Klink

Forecasts

Bonete (11/8), Twenty Drachma's (7/4), Indian Ocean (5/1), Rule Book (6/1), United Council (6/1), Battleground (15/2), Prime Example (8/1), Out Of Your League (33/1)

INDIAN OCEAN is running well enough to merit close consideration but will need to be on song. Out Of Your League should be thereabouts come the business end, while Battleground is perhaps the most interesting other runner in the line up.