PREVIEW:CLAIRWOOD - 24 JUNE 2012

Scratchings up to date as at 21h00 Saturday 23 June 2012.

RACE 1:Maiden Juvenile Plate  (F) 1000m Straight

CHOIR MAIDEN made an impressive debut this C & D last time. Has to be the one to beat. Anton Marcus rides this time. TINA'S TRIP (Gary Alexander/Robbie Fradd) makes her debut.  This daughter of TRIPPI must be considered. Keep an eye on the betting. VICTORY VIXAN also makes her debut. Yard is coming back to form. MRS CHING faced older horses last time. Better chance against two-year-olds? CON TE PARTIRO tries the blinkers for the first time. May improve with the headgear.

SELECTIONS: 1st - CHOIR MAIDEN ** (2); 2nd - TINA'S TRIP (10); 3rd - VICTORY VIXAN (11); 4th - MRS CHING (7); 5th - CON TE PARTIRO (3)

RACE 2:Maiden Juvenile Plate 1200m Straight

THE HANGMAN (Sean Tarry/Anton Marcus) was not disgraced in the SA Nursery at Turffontein last time. Good chance on that good effort last time. The son of JALLAD, VILLA DEL LARGO (Justin Snaith/Anthony Delpech) makes his debut. The betting could be the best guide. REAR ADMIRAL (Dennis Drier/Sean Cormack) makes his debut. This son of CAPTAIN AL must have a money chance in this field. Another first timer to consider is PIVOTAL PURSUIT (Gary Alexander/Robbie Fradd). TIGER STORM (Glen Kotzen) may improve.

SELECTIONS: 1st - THE HANGMAN * (14); 2nd - VILLA DEL LARGO (18); 3rd - REAR ADMIRAL (12); 4th - PIVOTAL PURSUIT (10); 5th - TIGER STORM (17)

RACE 3:Maiden Plate (F & M) 1450m Bend

NORDIC LASS (Dennis Drier/Sean Cormack) should start improving after having had two decent starts to date. This yard's inmates usually fare better after a run or two. DAWN ECLIPSE has good form this C & D and current form is also very good. For me the one problem is that she runs for the thirteenth time as a maiden. MAKE ME MONEY has steady form and was running on after a slow start last time. Anthony Delpech rides. MISS KITTY disappointed over further last time. Should prefer this type of distance. HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE (Yogas Govender) will be looking for an improved effort this afternoon.

SELECTIONS: 1st - NORDIC LASS * (10); 2nd - DAWN ECLIPSE (1); 3rd - MAKE ME MONEY (4); 4th - MISS KITTY (3); 5th - HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE (2)

RACE 4:Maiden Plate 1600m Bend

GENEROUS GENT has been showing slow but definite improvement in recent starts. Ran on last time after having lost a length at the start. Anton Marcus has the ride. FIRM APPROACH improved by eighteen lengths last time when running on over the distance. Not consistent though. SPARKLE WITH SPEED has steady form and should be running on if repeating his latest effort. MIESQUES BALLOT makes his debut. Karis Teetan rides. Watch the betting. MALUTI showed improvement last time. Could improve even further with Bernard Fayd'Herbe aboard for the second time.

SELECTIONS: 1st - GENEROUS GENT * (1); 2nd - FIRM APPROACH (3); 3rd - SPARKLE WITH SPEED (2); 4th - MIESQUES BALLOT (13); 5th - MALUTI (4)

RACE 5:Divided Handicap 1600m Bend

MUJAARIB (Mike De Kock/Anthony Delpech) won his maiden with such authority last time that I feel that he could do even better this afternoon over the extra distance. AUTO PILOT (Charles Laird/Anton Marcus) won his latest start by four lengths last time. May find this a bit harder. Respect though. ALWAYS AL (Sean Tarry/Sean Cormack) is never far back and should be right there if not fading late. RADIANT ROCK (Gary Alexander/Robbie Fradd) did not show last time. Chance on previous better form in Gauteng. PETITE MASTER (Yogas Govender) is holding form well. Money chance.

SELECTIONS: 1st - MUJAARIB * (11); 2nd - AUTO PILOT (8); 3rd - ALWAYS AL (5); 4th - RADIANT ROCK (10); 5th - PETITE MASTER (7)

RACE 6:Divided Handicap 1600m Bend

COSSACK GENERAL won by over six lengths last time when making his debut over 1450m last time at this track. Anton Marcus rode him that day and will ride him again this afternoon.  ROYAL GALAXY (Sean Tarry) ran a very good post maiden run last time despite a slow start. Ran on though. KHETHA (Charles Laird/Raymond Danielson) has shown improvement in his last two runs. PESSOA has had three good post maiden runs. Stayed on last time. FALCONERS KNOT (Yogas Govender/Bernard Fayd'Herbe) is holding form well. Do not ignore.

SELECTIONS: 1st - COSSACK GENERAL * (2); 2nd - ROYAL GALAXY (12); 3rd - KHETHA (6); 4th - PESSOA (5); 5th - FALCONERS KNOT (4)

RACE 7:Grade 2 Betting World Derby (R300 000) 2400m Bend

TAIPAN (Dean Kannemeyer/Karl Neisius) has good form over shorter and could be crying out for this type of distance. Runs on. TRIBAL DANCE (Vaughan Marshall/MJ Byleveld) won a feature, the Derby in PE last time over this distance. This field may be slightly stronger but the fact that he has already won a feature, must give him a very good chance. SHOGUNNAR (Gavin Van Zyl) has good post maiden form against some stronger fields. Could be the one despite being just a one-time winner. Finished third to JACKSON in the Daily News last time. MASTER PLAN (Greg Ennion) finished behind SHOGUNNAR in the Daily News last time. No weight turnaround. PREMIUM WOOD (Yogas Govender/Bernard Fayd'Herbe) won well against weaker last time. More to do.

SELECTIONS: 1st - TAIPAN * (4); 2nd - TRIBAL DANCE (1); 3rd - SHOGUNNAR (2); 4th - MASTER PLAN (3); 5th - PREMIUM WOOD (5)

RACE 8:Grade 2 Betting World Oaks (R200 000) 2400m Bend

TAJMEEL (Mike De Kock/Anthony Delpech) disappointed in her last two in features. One fancies that she could prefer the extra and that she also has some improvement still to come. RAZZLE DAZZLE ROSE (Yogas Govender/Bernard Fayd'Herbe) has been running in features in her last two races. Was running on last time over shorter, but the furthest she has been to date. She will more than likely prefer the extra. BELOVED BETTY (Glen Kotzen/Felix Coetzee) has also been racing in the same features with similar results. May prefer shorter. EUROPE TO AFRICA ran on to win against weaker last time. More to do. FINAL SCORE (Sean Tarry/Anton Marcus) is only a one time winner. More to but respect yard and jockey combination.

SELECTIONS: 1st - TAJMEEL * (4); 2nd - RAZZLE DAZZLE ROSE (2); 3rd - BELOVED BETTY (1); 4th - EUROPE TO AFRICA (5); 5th - FINAL SCORE (6)

RACE 9:Divided Handicap (F & M) 1200m Straight

CRISSY SANCHEZ (Sean Tarry/Anthony Delpech) is unbeaten this C & D (2 from 2). Was returning from a five month break last time and should be a fitter proposition this afternoon. The three-year-old BLOUBERG BEACH (Glen Kotzen/Bernard Fayd'Herbe) looks to have some improvement to come. Should fight out the finish. Has won and placed this C & D. DEVONELLA  has improved in her last two starts. Stable is coming into good form. Not out of it by any means. SPEED DIAL (Gary Alexander/Robbie Fradd) has won two from three starts and also appears to have improvement to come. Ran on well last time. MYSTIC ROSE may be coming to hand. Can earn.

SELECTIONS: 1st - CRISSY SANCHEZ * (2); 2nd - BLOUBERG BEACH (1); 3rd - DEVONELLA (6); 4th - SPEED DIAL (5); 5th - MYSTIC ROSE (8)

RACE 10:Divided Handicap (F & M) 1200m Straight

PARTY QUEEN finished just ahead of QUEEN SONJA last time. There is a swing of 5kg in the weights in favour of the latter but PARTY QUEEN was a bit unlucky last time in that she had to switch out for a run that day. Could stay in front again this afternoon. ZEMFIRA (Sean Tarry/Anthony Delpech) won on debut last time over the distance. May have more to find to win again but respect. GREEN LINE was running on last time. Post maiden form good. LUNATEX disappointed last time. Claims on previous better runs.

SELECTIONS: 1st - PARTY QUEEN * (1); 2nd - QUEEN SONJA (2); 3rd - ZEMFIRA (7); 4th - GREEN LINE (8); 5th - LUNATEX (11)

BEST BET:                    RACE 1 - NUMBER 2 CHOIR MAIDEN (6/10)

VALUE BET:                RACE 7 - NUMBER 4 TAIPAN (4/1)

BEST OUTSIDER:      RACE 10 - NUMBER 1 PARTY QUEEN (83/10)

PLACE ACCUMULATOR: RACES 3 - 9