Lime looks juicy bet

A Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m tops tomorrow’s Fairview card on the Polytrack and runners from the Justin Snaith yard could dominate this event.

He saddles Villa Del Largo and Harry Lime in Race 6 but although the former is the best handicapped runner by quite a long way, it is Harry Lime who gets the nod to win this event.

On a line through Jo Malone Villa Del Largo has the advantage over his stable companion and had this race been run over 1200m he would have been the selection. But Harry Lime is the speedier of the two and with No 1 draw and Karl Zechner in the irons, could have the edge over this opposition.

The one concern is the Polytrack. Harry Lime did not run well on the surface at Greyville but was facing far stronger opposition. The average merit rating of those two races were 92 and 97 respectively while in this event it is 87.

Villa Del Largo is weighted to win this race easily is at least 4kg better off with the other runners. He has won over 1000m on turf but not on the Polytrack and has to carry 62kg. He will be in the capable hands of Raymond Danielson on this occasion and it would come as a surprise if he is not in the first three.

Vaughan Marshall was clearly delighted with the performances of Zinnavar on the Polytrack at Greyville and he brought this five-year-old gelding to Fairview to run on the surface. In his first start he was beaten 3.25 lengths into third by Jo Malone but is reported to have overraced on that occasion.

This time apprentice Diego de Gouveia gets the ride and he takes a further 2.5kg off Zinnavar’s back. They will jump from gate No 4.

The unknown runner has to be Thayer. This four-year-old son of Bankable reeled off five successive victories before a rest. When he came back Alan Greeff’s runner was almost friendless in the market and ran accordingly.

He should be a lot fitter and it would be foolish to write off his chances on the basis of one disappointing run, especially with Greg Cheyne in the irons.

The best bet on the card comes in Race 2 where Snaith runs Fortissimus. This three-year-old filly contested all the key juvenile features for fillies in KwaZulu-Natal last season and she was not far behind the winners. Her best effort came in the Grade 1 Thekwini Stakes over 1600m at Greyville in which she finished fifth, beaten just 2.65 lengths by Querari Falcon.

Mike Azzie’s charge came out again and easily accounted for Negroamaro at the Vaal last week and that boosts the chances of Fortissimus in Race 2, a Novice Plate over 1600m. Danielson takes the ride.