All About Al and Azores are at their A-game
RACE 1 (1,100M)
(3) SWIFT ACTION ran a career-best third over the track and trip last time. The one to beat.
(2) FOREVER BILL has a little to find on that form but should keep Swift Action honest.
(1) GEORGIE GEORGE should have every chance if bouncing back to his previous form.
(6) PAVS CHERRY and (9) THE REFLEX should be wiser to the task after their modest debuts.
RACE 2 (1,400M)
(1) AT MY COMMAND, a debut winner, was upstaged by an exciting unbeaten two-year-old second-up. He will improve with the step-up in trip. A leading player.
Fellow first-start scorer (4) MASTER OF AFRICA is also bred to improve over the extra distance.
(2) KAPUZINER and (3) MARVEL WILLIAM opened their accounts when going over this distance for the first time. Marvel looks the bigger threat.
RACE 3 (1,400M)
(1) LADY MISTICO and (2) PUCALLPA debuted in a two-year-old fillies’ feature. They finished behind (4) SPYWING, before winning their next start. Pucallpa is bred to relish the extra distance. With improvement, She should be in the firing line. On pedigree, the extra 200m should also not worry Lady Mistico. Spywing should fare better back against her own sex.
(3) QUICKSTEP beat older horses when trying this trip and ought to improve to stake strong claims.
RACE 4 (1,000M)
(1) WE’RE JAMMING ran three seconds before opening his account in a Grade 3 for two-year-olds. He has moved stables but remains an exciting prospect, despite shouldering the top weight.
(2) AXL appears the pick of the W.A. Nel runners on riding arrangements and is open to improvement, reverting to a sprint with blinkers.
(3) BIRDIE AND BOGIE and the consistent (4) PERSISTANCE are distance-suited. They have claims.
RACE 5 (1,100M)
Stablemates (3) RESONATE and (5) SANTA MARIA raided the Eastern Cape with success last time. Both were backed and duly obliged with Listed-race wins. While the conditions suit the best-weighted Santa Maria, the best is yet to come from the progressive Resonate.
On the form of their course-and-distance meeting behind Bereave, (7) BARNEY MCGREW should get closer to Resonate.
(2) WORLDS YOUR OYSTER and (6) HIS CHOICE are out of form but are capable on their day.
RACE 6 (1,200M)
(3) ALL ABOUT AL caught the eye on his return from a rest and a gelding operation with a fast second in a stronger course-and-distance race. He needs only to run to that level of form to score again.
(2) SURJAY is up in class with a six-point penalty for his fluent track-and-trip win last time. But he is the progressive type.
(9) TRANSACT should get closer to Surjay on these terms and back over his preferred distance.
(1) T’CHALLA and (4) LONG WHITE CLOUD are capable of running well fresh after their breaks.
RACE 7 (1,700M)
(3) AZORES fought bravely from the front and was beaten only on the line in a stronger race on the summer course last time. He could be hard to peg back with a repeat of that effort off the same mark, if ridden with similar tactics at this track with its shorter run-in.
(1) SOMERSET MAUGHAM was not far off in that race after a break. He should pose a threat with improved fitness.
(4) ARCTIC DRIFT will appreciate these conditions and is likely to make a bold bid.
(7) WAITING FOR SUMMER, (6) FLOWER OF SAIGON and (2) MUSICAL GLITCH have claims, too.
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