Max The Otter to provide value at Turffontein

Max The Otter has not done badly since arriving on the Highveld. While the Brett Crawford-trained runner has only notched up a single victory, his five other runs have resulted in a second and three fourth places.

But it could be that second place that points to him as a possible winner of Race 7 at Turffontein on Thursday, a MR 84 Handicap over 1450m on the Inside track.

That run was over this course and distance and it saw him finish 0.50-lengths behind Fully Loaded. It is his only run beyond 1200m on the Highveld and it also turned out to be a strong form line as three winners from 11 starts have gone on to win their next races.

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Last time out the four-year-old Vercingetorix gelding ran in a MR 90 Handicap over 1160m on the Turffontein Standside track and did not run badly when a 2.80-length fourth behind Halberdier. The average merit rating of that race was 83 while in Thursday’s race it is 76, which is quite a significant drop.

He carries just 55kg in this field which looks a decent enough weight and he jumps from barrier No 6 in this 10-horse field. Kabelo Matsunyane will be back aboard and Max The Otter could provide assistant trainer James Crawford with a nice each-way bet at a relatively decent price.

An unknown quantity in that field is Alec Laird-trained The Playboy Bomber who has only had three runs, leading from start to finish last time to run out a comfortable 3.50-length winner over this course and distance.

In fairness, he did not beat too much in that field but a horse can do no more than win, and it will be interesting to see how the three-year-old Lancaster Bomber gelding fares against stronger company this time. Diego de Gouveia takes the ride again.

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Best bet on the card looks to be Cosmic Speed in Race 2, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m. Sean Tarry’s charge found some betting support on debut and went off at 7-2. However, although the Querari gelding did not have the best of passages, he found one too good in Fire Attack who was having his third run.

However, that proved to be no disgrace as two runs later Fire Attack went on to win the Grade 2 SA Nursery, beating hot-pot favourite Pistol Pete into third place. With Richard Fourie in the irons Cosmic Speed looks a stand-out bet and although likely to go off at a short price must be a banker in all exotics.