Royal Victory can defend crown and give Muzi Yeni 5th Champions Challenge win

It’s Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday, and with four Grade 1 races headlining the action backed up by multiple other feature races, in my opinion this is the biggest meeting of the year in the province and one of the best in the country.

The headliner on the card is Race 8, the HKJC World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m which is a race I have already won four times with horses Happy Landing, Coral Fever, Got The Greenlight and Royal Victory. If I manage to win this on my ride Royal Victory again, I will equal Anton Marcus’s record of five wins in the race which would be an amazing feat.

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Also important to note is that Races 6 to 11 on this 12-race card are Hong Kong World Pool events so punters can expect massive pools to play into which is always brilliant.

Race 1 is a Juvenile Plate over 1600m and I ride Golden Warrior who is a nice horse and has had two decent runs to date. He will enjoy the step up in trip so I’ll be hoping to finish in the money.

We do, however, all have Whispering Death to beat and he is the best bet on the card and should get favourite backers off to a great start. Ideal Summer ran a really good race on debut and he looks like he’ll enjoy the step up in trip, so he rates the main danger.

Race 2 is the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m and I ride Clairwood Rose who won a lovely race on debut and with natural improvement, I’ll be hoping to finish in the money. But this is a really tough assignment compared to what she beat on debut.

Glastonbury was ultra-impressive when winning the feature race last time out and a repeat of that performance will see her prove to be the runner to beat. One Fine Winter was really impressive in her maiden win after a superb debut run in a feature race and she rates the main danger.

Elegantrix won a lovely race on debut and was disappointing when going off at short odds next time out. But if that was just a below-par run, then she will be right there.

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Race 3 is the Grade 2 TAB SA Nursery over 1160m and I think they all have to beat impressive debut scorer from last week, Esteemed, who created a lovely impression when romping to victory. If the race hasn’t come too soon, then he’ll be tough to beat.

Charming Cheetah won a lovely race on debut in a feature race, and he is a lovely horse, so with natural improvement, he is the main danger. Green Diamond takes on the colts this time after a really good debut run behind Glastonbury in the feature race programme, and with the expected natural improvement, she’ll be right there when it counts.

Race 4 is a MR 76 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1100m for and this is a wide open race so go as wide as the budget allows for your exotics. I ride One Party who was disappointing in her last start but on her previous form, she is one of the leading contenders and must be included into all bets.

Quasikat won a very good race last time out and can definitely follow up, so she is one to consider too. Blizzard Snow is in really good form and is one of the shortlist horses for this contest and must be included in all bets.

Race 5 is the Ormond Ferraris Inducted Into The SA Hall Of Fame MR 82 Handicap over 1400m and I ride After Hours who won a really gutsy race last time out, and I’m hopeful he can be very competitive again.

Pressonregardless ran a superb race in a much tougher race last time out and if able to repeat that, he’ll take all the beating. Palace Dancer won a lovely race through the week and if she takes her chances again, then she is the main danger. Fully Loaded returns from a small break but his form prior to that was really good, and he must be included in all bets.

Race 6 is the Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes over 1600m and I think this is a small but very classy and competitive field. I feel Fatal Flaw could be the filly we have to beat. She won the Cape Fillies Guineas in emphatic fashion and while she was slightly disappointing last time, she has the class to win this.

Spumante Dolce is a high-class filly who was disappointing last time out but she had valid excuses and if she returns to her previous form, she is the immediate danger. VJ’S Angel is a very consistent top-class filly who is a definite contender and one to go into all bets.

Of the older fillies, I think Beating Wings is the one that could give them most to do, and she is one to consider for wider bets, even though I feel the younger fillies have the edge.

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Race 7 is the Grade 1 TAB Computaform Sprint over 1000m and I ride Melech who returns from a small break, and now drops to the minimum trip. I’m only hopeful he can run into the money but we all have William Robertson to beat and he is one of the best bets on the card in my opinion.

He beat the majority of these horses giving them weight last time out and now he takes them on better off at the weights, so I think this is a perfect opportunity for him to gain his first major Grade 1 success.

Lucky Lad has always been a top-class sprinter and if he is able to come back to his best form then I believe he will give William Robertson the most work to do. I do believe these two horses will fight out the finish and I’ll be surprised if one of them is not victorious.

Race 8 is the Grade 1 HKJC World Pool Champions Challenge over 2000m and I ride Royal Victory. He is one of my favourite horses around, and while he has been disappointing in his last two starts, he wasn’t fully tuned up and I think he is a massive runner. I have made him my value bet on the card.

Fire Attack is a very classy three-year-old who ran his heart out last time out, and he is my main danger, but the distance is a slight concern for me. Purple Pitcher has been somewhat disappointing in his last few runs but if he is able to come back to his best form, he is a definite runner. Atticus Finch (Betway Summer Cup winner) didn’t disgrace himself down in the Cape, and if he is close to peak fitness then he will be right there.

Race 9 is the Grade 1 TAB SA Derby over 2450m and I ride Olivia’s Way who I think is a massive runner against the colts and I’m expecting a huge run from her. She ran a superb race last time out and off a good draw and over a distance she’ll love, I really do fancy her chances.

Legend Of Arthur should absolutely love the step up in trip and he should be cherry ripe for this contest, so he rates the horse we all have to beat. Grey Jet ran a lovely race last time out and he has always given me the impression he’ll love the step up in trip and he is one of the main contenders.

Immediate Edge has been very impressive in remaining unbeaten and while this is a massive step up in class, I think he has the ability to be very competitive. Parisian Walkway and Wild Intent are others to consider for wider bets.

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Race 10 is the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks over 2450m and one of the best bets on the card comes up in the form of Fiery Pegasus. She absolutely destroyed her rivals, winning the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic by just under five lengths, a performance that suggested she’ll love the step up in trip and on that, it’s hard to see anything turning the tables on her.

World Of Alice will also enjoy the step up in trip and looks to be the main danger on form, even though she has a number of lengths to find. Gerbera ran a decent race last time out and while she too has many lengths to make up, she should fill minor honours.

Race 11 is the Grade 2 TAB Hawaii Stakes over 1400m and I think Cosmic Speed is going to take all the beating after a superb victory in a Grade 1 last time out. He is a high-class horse who is still improving and I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t win.

Main Defender is the class horse in the race and while there were excuses when he got declared a non-runner, I don’t believe it would have made any difference to the result so he’ll have to have improved to beat Cosmic Speed.

Barbaresco is a very good horse and a big win is surely around the corner and he is one to consider for wider bets.

Race 12 is the Listed 4Racing Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m and I ride Breeze Over who won a super race last time out when things didn’t start off very well for him. He is always a live runner in these staying races, so I’ll be hoping for another bold run.

Marauding Horde gets the benefit of the plum draw, so he should get the run of the race and he is the main danger. My Soul Mate is a very classy filly who will enjoy the step up in trip and I think she must go into all bets.

Poets Warrior returns from his Cape stint and if close to peak fitness then he is a massive runner. Battleground and Positive Attitude are others to consider for wider bets.

BEST BET
Race 1 No 1 Whispering Death

VALUE BET
Race 8 No 1 Royal Victory

PICK 6
R2160
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 10
Leg 3: 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1
Leg 5: 1, 10
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 13