Muis holds the key to a tricky Greyville card

As a jockey, Michael “Muis” Roberts was the undisputed master of Greyville. He just might revisit that sort of dominance as a trainer on Monday when an eight-race programme is contested on the Polytrack at the Durban course.

The Summerveld trainer has decent chances in at least three legs of the Pick 6 and offers punters a path, be it a tad jungly, through a challenging card.

All of Seventh Song (Race 1), Charlie-Fox (Race 3), Tupelo Honey (Race 5), Dallas (Race 7) and Straight Six (Race 8) give the Roberts yard cause for optimism on the day.

Punters in search of an exotic bet banker will probably gravitate towards Tupelo Honey, who has recorded three second places in a row on the poly in search of a second career victory. The grey filly was partnered on all those bridesmaid occasions by Serino Moodley and the pair should know what’s needed to go one better this time.

Tupelo Honey’s biggest danger comes in the form of Kayc Al, who broke her duck at the sixth attempt last time out – having been relocated from Cape Town to Durban by trainer Justin Snaith. The daughter of Captain Al clearly enjoyed the artificial surface underfoot, but did hang in the closing stages. Pole draw will allow her and jockey Raymond Danielson an inside-rails run and wary punters might be inclined to forego the banker option and include this one.

Roberts’s Straight Six in the last race of the day would be an automatic banker choice if it weren’t for a wide draw of 11 of 12. The three-year-old has shown great application for his job since being gelded, registering a third and a second – both within a length of the winner.

If Moodley can jump him smartly from the 1400m start and into a handy racing slot, he will surely have the measure of a moderate-looking maiden field.

Another jockey who shone at Greyville in days of yore and now saddles horses at the triangular city circuit is Dennis Bosch. In Race 7, he sends out What A Blast, a tough five-year-old who is well overdue a fifth career victory and might offer a spot of value.

Selections

Race 1:

8 Life Goes On, 4 King Cyrus, 7 Seventh Song, 2 Lord Caro

Race 2:

5 Everglow, 4 Big Hello’s, 2 Gimethepurplelight, 11 Airbuzz

Race 3:

1 Diamonds ’N Dust, 5 Charlie-Fox, 4 Mexican Catdance, 6 Set The Date

Race 4:

4 Dancing Sword, 3 Good Girl, 1 Two For Tea, 7 Diamonds And Toads

Race 5:

6 Tupelo Honey, 1 Kayc Al, 3 Wave Crest, 2 You Deserve It

Race 6:

4 Mission Beach, 8 Ingakara, 7 Bell Jar, 11 Golden Duck

Race 7:

6 What A Blast, 10 Dallas, 5 Alphamikefoxtrot, 9 Norland

Race 8:

11 Straight Six, 6 What A Ryder, 8 Montana Sky, 5 Yamashita’s Gold

Pick 6:

1,4,5 x 1,3,4,5,6,7 x 6 x 4,7,8,11 x 6,10 x 3,5,6,8,11 (R960)

PA:

4,5 x 1,5 x 1,3,4,7 x 6 x 4,7,8 x 6 x 11 (R48)

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