She’s A Cracker and she’s on board the Spook Express

When 24 people died in a ball of flames in a mielie field in the Free State in 1988 the nation was shocked, but the racing world was devastated. The air disaster near the hamlet of Hennenman robbed the game many of its own – not least 13 talented young jockeys.

A chartered Dakota, returning people home to Joburg after a race meeting at the now defunct Bloemfontein racecourse, caught alight in mid-air and crashed.

This Saturday, as happens every year, the tragedy is remembered at a race meeting at Turffontein, with races named after those lost. Everyone involved, even punters not allowed on course, will take a moment to reflect on fate and loss.

It’s appropriate that there’s some good racing lined up, with the Listed Spook Express Handicap over 1400m heading a nine-race card.

Ten well-performed fillies and mares line up in the main race and there can hardly be any surprise winner.

Four-year-old She’s A Cracker has been lightly raced by trainer Robbie Sage and looks to be maturing nicely into a useful racehorse. After showing promise in her first few outings last year, she was stepped up to 2000m and revelled in the extra ground in posting her first success.

Her three post-maiden runs – the last two over this 2400m trip – have been in the money and she looks primed to land this small feature under in-form Muzi Yeni.

Aryaam, from the ever-dangerous Sean Tarry stable, is a regally-bred three-year-old also on the rise. She broke her maiden last time out over 2000m on this track and could easily follow up.

The best bet on Saturday’s card comes in Race 3 in the shape of Mike de Kock-trained I Dream Of Genie, who was runner-up in her racecourse debut two weeks ago. She was a bit clueless that day but might have sussed out the competition surroundings enough to be more focused this time around.

Sunday’s racing comes from Greyville, where local owners and trainers will be scrapping for chestnuts to squirrel away before the moneyed Cape and Joburg invaders and their star horses arrive for the winter season.

Turffontein Saturday

Race 1:

11 South Boy, 9 Lion Of The Desert, 13 Freed From Desire, 4 Corageous Captain

Race 2:

1 Gallic Princess, 7 All Of Me, 3 Tropic Sun, 4 Double ’O’ Eight

Race 3:

7 I Dream Of Genie, 4 Rose Willow, 10 Wokonda, 1 Lady Of The Flame

Race 4:

2 Princess Thiana, 3 Arizona Lady, 1 Electric Boots, 7 Grace Lu

Race 5:

2 Parallax, 6 Soldiers Song, 1 Enigma Code, 10 Clarkson

Race 6:

4 Lily Blue, 5 Destiny’s Game, 6 Fort Anne, 7 Stately Home

Race 7:

6 She’s A Cracker, 5 Aryaam, 4 The Sash, 2 Kay Tee Perry

Race 8:

4 Puerto Manzano, 3 Pack Leader, 2 Riverstown, 5 Eliud

Race 9:

9 In Limbo, 4 Rock You, 3 Pin Up, 8 Making A Scene

Pick 6

2,3 x 2 x 4,5 x 2,4,5,6 x 1,2,3,4,5,6 x 3,4,8,9 (R384)

PA

1 x 2,3 x 2 x 4,5 x 5,6 x 2,3,4 x 4,9 (R48)

Greyville Sunday

Best bet: Race 1 No 4 Kailene

Value bet: Race 7 No 6 Purple Moon’s Up – Mike Moon