Nel-Fourie team holds key to Fairview puzzle

Trainer Juan Nel has recruited in-form Richard Fourie to ride his better-fancied horses at Fairview on Tuesday and the duo could help us unlock a very tricky Polytrack card.

Fourie had a 25% wins-to-rides ratio in August, and a 60% first-three average – the sort of figures that give the most indecisive punter a confidence boost. Nel has been in decent form, too, so pinning hopes on the partnership is an entirely rational move.

Angel Bouquet in the sixth race, a FM64 Handicap over 1000m, could be the team’s best hope for the day – and a possible Pick 6 banker.

This three-time winner is course-and-distance suited and has pole position on the tight Fairview right-hand bend. She comes off a narrow defeat on 20 August, when she attracted some betting interest.

The five-year-old comes down in class from that exploit, so must carry considerably more weight. However, the Poly scurry has seen many a horse defy pudding to win and Fourie is just the man to inspire this mare to do so.

Angel Bouquet is no good thing, however, being a tad unreliable, and cautious players might want to include Val Gardena and Hot Marmalade for safety’s sake.

Nel and Fourie join forces again in the eighth and last race with Lotus King, who is a must for all permutations.

Earlier on the card, Fourie has an excellent winning chance on trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Buttercup in Race 3, while Nel and Luy Mxothwa cannot be ignored in Race 5.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

11 Piece Of My Heart, 3 Alloway Grove, 4 Ruby Woo, 1 Princess Of Winter

Race 2:

11 African Hoopoe, 1 Swingthewillow, 5 Red Bishop, 3 Bumrah

Race 3:

9 Buttercup, 2 Host Of Angels, 3 Diamonds And Toads, 4 Inbetween Dreams

Race 4:

1 Mesmerising Moon, 5 Forward March, 11 Pam’s Princess, 8 Lollapalooza

Race 5:

3 Sonny Quinn, 2 Rock The Kazvar, 10 The Carpenter, 5 The Black Manx

Race 6:

2 Angel Bouquet, 7 Val Gardena, 1 Hot Marmalade, 3 Capulet’s Heart

Race 7:

3 Phil’s Power, 6 Grazinginthegrass, 5 Var’s Boy, 9 Firrstamongequals

Race 8:

9 Lotus King, 3 Reach For The Line, 12 Curious, 1 Baltic Beat

Pick 6:

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

PA:

1,11 x 9 x 1 x 2,3 x 2 x 3,6 x 9 (R8)