PREVIEW:CLAIRWOOD - 15 MAY 2012

Scratchings up to date as at 23h00 Monday 14 May 2012.

Please check the media. An unseasonal and violent thunderstorm hit Durban late Monday night. This would have a change to the going.

It is good to see fifth place now receiving payouts again!

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

With the scratching of ALBORADA LADY (Mike De Kock/Anthony Delpech, VALOR RED (Charles Laird/Anton Marcus) looks to have a very good chance in this field. She should improve on that moderate third on debut last time. EMOTIF (Mike De Kock/Derreck David) makes her debut. watch the betting. Other first timers to consider are VIA AFRICA, ICEONIC (Joey Ramsden) and JE 'TAIME (Dennis Drier/Sean Cormack).

SELECTIONS: 1st - ALBORADA LADY ** (1); 2nd - VALOR RED (14); 3rd - EMOTIF (6); 4th - VIA AFRICA (15); 5th - ICEONIC (7); 6th - JE 'TAIME (8)

RACE 2:Maiden Plate 1600m Bend

LORD LEIGH (Dennis Drier/Stuart Randolph) at 33/10 has had four runs for two seconds and two thirds. Stays on well over shorter and further and looks to be the one to beat. MAXIMUS improved by eleven lengths last time and warrants the utmost respect and has been improving with each run. MUJAARIB (Mike De Kock/Anthony Delpech) makes his debut. Watch the betting on this one. Could be well worth considering. Is currently favourite at 286/100. FIRST SATURDAY made his debut last December. Ran well that day before fading late. Watch for further improvement. MAHABALI will need to repeat his penultimate start when running on strongly. Anton Marcus has the ride.

SELECTIONS: 1st - LORD LEIGH ** (1); 2nd - MUJAARIB (11); 3rd - MAXIMUS (4); 4th - FIRST SATURDAY (9); 5th - MAHABALI (3)

RACE 3:Maiden Plate 2500m Bend

SWING THE SWORD stays on over shorter. An apprentice claim of 1.5kg should assist. CAPTAIN CHARLIE (Pat Lunn/Karis Teetan) ran on well when trying this C & D for the first time. Finished a very creditable second that day. That was his best run in nine starts. SLEW THE BOLD has steady form but yard is badly off form. The in-form Brandon Lerena rides though. RUN FOR WALLY also comes from an out of form yard but in this instance Anton Marcus rides. Consistent form. ELUSIVE CLUB (Sean Tarry/Anthony Delpech) tends to fade but could be improving.

SELECTIONS: 1st - SWING THE SWORD * (2); 2nd - CAPTAIN CHARLIE (1); 3rd - SLEW THE BOLD (8); 4th - RUN FOR WALLY (5); 5th - ELUSIVE CLUB (3)

RACE 4:Maiden Plate (F & M) 1450m Bend

DAWN ECLIPSE has very good maiden form. Yard is coming back to form and Sean Cormack rides. Two seconds in two starts this C & D. The two-year-old SAAFAA (Mike De Kock/Derreck David) makes her debut. Currently on offer at 13/10. Watch for any betting moves. Is a well bred Australian filly and she does take on older. HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE has fair form. She did run on late last time. Is improving. SECOND EDITION (Dennis Drier/Stuart Randolph) stayed on last time. Chance on that run. IMALI MANIA has lost form, as has the yard. Any improvement could see her finish in the money.

SELECTIONS: 1st - DAWN ECLIPSE * (1); 2nd - SAFAA (10); 3rd - SEXY AND FREE (8); 4th - HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE (2); 5th - SECOND EDITION (3); IMALI MANIA (4)

RACE 5:MR 73 Hcp (F & M) 1450m Bend

BOLD PRINCESS (Michael Roberts/Anthony Delpech) drops in class and best runs have been when Anthony Delpech rides her. Strong chance despite being drawn widest and with 60kg on her back. FOREIGN GAL is improving again. Anton Marcus has the ride for the first time. AMERICAS CUP (Alec Laird/Derreck David) did not show last time. Money chance on previous form. AURUM may prefer being back over this distance. Bernard Fayd'Herbe has picked up the ride. POINT OF POWER won her maiden last time. May need to confirm.

SELECTIONS: 1st - BOLD PRINCESS * (1); 2nd - FOREIGN GAL (7); 3rd - AMERICAS CUP (3); 4th - AURUM (2); 5th - POINT OF POWER (5)

RACE 6:MR 85 Hcp (F & M) 1450m Bend

PSALTERY (Charles Laird/Anton Marcus) runs her best races at this track. Is down a bit in class from last time. Chance if finding a good and sustained finish. Stable companion, JETER (Anthony Delpech) has improved in her last two starts. Sets a good strong pace up front. Could hold on with only 55.5kg on her back. SPEED DIAL (Gary Alexander/Karis Teetan) has run on only three occasions and has won twice. Will be running on. Raids from Gauteng. Could maintain her very good run of form. SHE'S A DIME has won her last two over 1400m. Has been running on. Chance of the hat trick. DADEWETHU ran on to win over 1600m last time. May prefer slightly further though.

SELECTIONS: 1st - PSALTERY * (2); 2nd - JETER (6); 3rd - SPEED DIAL (8); 4th - SHE'S A DIME (3); 5th - DADEWETHU (7)

RACE 7:MR 83 Hcp 1600m Bend

BIG WINTER CHILL (Charles Laird/Anton Marcus) faded badly over the C & D last time. Ignore that run. Form apart from that run is very good. Both wins have been at this track. WAY WARD STORM did not show against stronger last time. Consider in this company. All three wins have been over the distance. FALCONERS KNOT is never far back and will be running on. DYNAMIC STAR ran a very good post maiden last time. Consider on that effort. Steps up in class. CHISLER (Deon Visser/MJ Byleveld) did not show last time. Chance on earlier form.

SELECTIONS: 1st - BIG WINTER CHILL * (2); 2nd - WAY WARD STORM (4); 3rd - FALCONERS KNOT (6); 4th - DYNAMIC STAR (11); 5th - CHISLER (5)

RACE 8:MR 70 Hcp (F & M) 1000m Straight

LAMORNA (Michael Roberts/Brandon Lerena) ran on well to win this C & D against slightly stronger last time. That was an impressive win. Runs well this C & D. Good chance of repeating. DAME DUBOIS (Mike De Kock/Muzi Yeni) won impressively on debut last time. Looks to be more than just useful. RASHULI BREEZE is never far back but latest form has been disappointing. What is in her favour is the fact that she takes a drop in class from her last two efforts and that she has an apprentice claim of 1.5kg coming off the 60.5ks she was set to carry. If back to form she will be running on. GREEN LINE (Michael Roberts/Donovan Dillon) ran a fair post maiden last time this C & D. Money chance. WOODEN GOLD (Alyson Wright) is never far back and stayed on over 1200m last time.

SELECTIONS: 1st - LAMORNA * (4); 2nd - DAME DUBOIS (7); 3rd - RASHULI BREEZE (1); 4th - GREEN LINE (6); 5th - WOODEN GOLD (9)

BEST BET:                    RACE 2 - NUMBER 1 LORD LEIGH (33/10)

VALUE BET:                RACE 7 - NUMBER 2 DYNAMIC STAR (62/10)

BEST OUTSIDER:      RACE 8 - NUMBER 1 RASHULI BREEZE (9/1)

PLACE ACCUMULATOR: RACES 2 - 8