Hot Ticket looks a likely Pick Six banker on Saturday
The R500 000 Gr2 Gold Vase is the launching pad of what is expected to be a record South African Pick 6 pool of in the region of R11 million on July day. For those punters looking for that lifechanging exotic bet hot ticket, Dean Kannemeyer saddles an appropriately named likely banker and the newest hottest property on the SA staying scene.
With results of Hiroshima proportions and seemingly endless carryovers in the popular exotic in the past few months, it is hardly surprising that Saftote are injecting punters’ cash to boost the golden marketing carrot on the big day.
There will be many of us burning the midnight oil and just itching to catch that frustratingly elusive butterfly of dreams.
Mr Reliable
Big fields on the afternoon won’t make things easy though and the Silvano gelding Hot Ticket is probably the closest thing to a banker.
The Digteby Stud-bred has come into his own as a 4yo and in a category that seldoms boasts superstars and any glamour, he stands stall as a rising star.
Hot Ticket won the inaugural Gr2 Betting World Stakes (the former Derby) easing up last time beating Tribal Dance by 3,75 lengths. It was a small and rather ordinary field, but the manner in which he accelerated in the straight had many folk sitting up and labelling the best stayer in the country.
Good Win
The Mogok gelding Wild One is worse off with Hot Ticket at the weights
He won the Gr3 Lektron Chairman’s Cup over 3200m at Kenilworth in February beating 2013 Gold Cup winner Jeppe’s Reef by 2,25 lengths. Jeppe’s Reef meets him again here on 1,5kgs better terms, but the odds point in favour of the younger improving stayer.
Jeppe’s Reef finished just 3,50 lengths behind Wild One in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup last time and is now 3kgs better off with De Kock’s new charge.
But Wild One is another who looks to be more progressive at this stage of his career than Jeppe’s Reef.
The son of Mogok is badly in with Hot Ticket at the weights and despite the fact that his top trainer thought him good enough to bid for a July berth, he looks outgunned.
Perfect Promise
The Betting World Oaks winner Dylan’s Promise is carded as a fourth reserve for the July but failing the unforeseen happening on a major scale, she looks likely to line up here.
The daughter of Dylan Thomas tries the trip for the first time but her trainer Charles Laird has always said she will easily find the distance. She showed great courage in her second Oaks victory (it’s that long story!) when leading most of the way, and may find the Greyville circuit to her liking. Kevin Shea rides her as Anton Marcus does Jooste duty on Canterbury Tale.
Canterbury Tale was a well beaten fourth behind Hot Ticket in the Betting World Stakes and is very well held on paper.
Smoke That Thunders
Mike Azzie’s Magic Smoke is unbeaten this season and is a top class daughter of Fort Wood
Mike Azzie’s gallant Fort Wood mare Magic Smoke has won her last four races over ground on the trot.
The 5yo has blossomed and her participation here certainly dishes some spicy food for thought for the connections of Hot Ticket and Dylan’s Promise, as she hails from Gauteng and her form is something of an unknown.
She likes to be given a chance and this may prove her undoing down the Greyville straight where a lack of breathing space in the final 300m is very likely.
On her handicap mark she has no chance with Hot Ticket, but that may well prove more academic than anything else in the real heat of battle.
A serious quandary for punters, this lady!
Plain Hopeful
The rest look to be more hopeful of a place bonus at best.
Seal is a solid and classy stayer who this race in 2012 when beating a subsequent Gold Cup winner. He meets Magic Smoke on 1,5kgs better terms for a 3 length beating last time. He is not in the best of form currently.
The in-form Dominic Zaki brings the consistent Storm Warning to town. He runs on well and has been beaten twice by Magic Smoke, and is better off with the mare. It is his first run at Greyville and he has drawn wide out.
Gothic looks to be finding his better form since relocating to Vaughan Marshall. He went down narrowly in a blanket finish in the Lonsdale last time out and is 1,5kgs better off with Wild One.
Brett Crawford’s Wavin’ Flag ran fourth in the Lonsdale after looking dangerous halfway down the straight. While seldom far behind, he appears to lack the heart and genuine class to get the better of the top few.
Raaees is the third of the De Kock trio. He has an issue at the starting stalls and ran last Wednesday at Scottsville when slow away and well beaten. He would be a surprise winner in our book.
Banker
Hot Ticket is a confident first choice to take the next step to the Gold Cup. He should win it at the expense of Dylan’s Promise and Wild One.
Break a leg with that Pick 6!
