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Turffontein Inside track stages a nine race card on Saturday where the racing is generally competitive and finding winners will be rewarding.

The sixth is a Conditions Plate over 1450m for fillies and mares and the progressive Alec Laird-trained Polyphonic looks the one to beat. She has always been well regarded and looks to have come into her own lately. She is the best in at the weights and has to carry a mere 52,5kg. In her last start in the Gr 2 Ipi Tombe over 1600m her jockey lost the rein late yet she still went down by just 0,4 lengths.

On the downside Polyphonic has a tricky draw and would prefer a touch further, so can’t be regarded as a banker. Bella Sonata on the other hand is perfectly course and distance suited and being by Silvano this always well regarded filly will also be coming into her own. She is capable of a strong finish, so the wide draw might not be too much of a concern and she should go close.

Crystal Glamour will be dangerous in this race over a suitable trip as she is an improving front-runner and has a plum draw. Shaama is considerably out at the weights, but can’t be ignored. She started favourite for the Gr 1 Allan Robertson two seasons ago, but disappointed and then continued to disappoint.

However, after being given nearly a year off, she came back with a fluent win over 1200m where she produced a sustained finish. She could well be better than her merit rating of 88 suggests and she is likely looking for this sort of trip.

Sensible Lover is unbeaten in two starts over this course and distance. She disappointed last time and now has the blinkers on, which is most interesting because in her day she mixed it with some of the best of a vintage crop.

The seventh is an intriguing MR 90 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1600m and the topweight Unagi could be the one to beat. He is unbeaten in two starts over course and distance and has shown glimpses of real class. He has had excuses for a couple of his disappointing runs and the blinkers didn’t work last time. However, he is now back to a merit rating of 90 and has a plum draw over his probable optimum trip.

Shukamisa should be involved in the finish too. He is by Silvano and from the yard of Ormond Ferraris, so should start stepping up to the plate now on the eve of the Johannesburg Autumn season. He has certainly shown signs of being of feature class. He does have a tricky draw of eight.

Military Award has plenty of ability and should be distance suited. He only carries 53,5kg and has a good draw, but on the downside he makes respiratory noises. However, with a first time tongue tie on last time he was running on late over 1400m, so that augurs well for his future. He has the ability to win this off his mere 77 merit rating.

Arlington disappointed last time after catching the eye in his maiden over this trip. However, that latter race was over 1800m and he over raced, so he is interesting back at this trip and cannot be ignored. Qeyaadah is another one who has to be considered as he has ability and now has his second run after gelding and second run with blinkers. Pagoda is another one who has shown signs of ability and could earn from a plum draw.

The second race will be the first leg of the Bipot and the interesting horse here is Tharoos. He is by More Than Ready out of a Danehill mare who won from 1000m to 1700m and he is a full brother to a Gr 2 winner in Australia over 1200m. He has done well in two decent fields over 1160m and does strike as more of a sprinting type, so from a good draw here he should give a good account of himself in his first start around the turn.

Racing Free and Mess look the chief dangers. The former has good form in two races over sprints and was backed in both starts. However, he finished lame in his last start and hasn’t raced for about 18 months. Mess has been thereabouts in three starts from 1160m to 1400m and should be improving coming from the yard of astute trainer Candice Dawson. S’Manga Khumalo is an eye catching booking and from pole position he should make an impact.

Preview and form for the meeting at Turffontein on Saturday. Selections by David Thiselton

Race 1

Preview: SHE’S FOXY is a full-sister to the useful Forest Fox and she ran a fair race over 1000m on debut after finding some betting support. She is drawn well over a step up in trip she should relish. KEY HOSTESS has run well in both starts over 1000m and 1200m respectively. She showed good pace in the latter race before being mowed down late, so over this course and distance from pole position she should have a fine chance. SUCCESFILLY was green when making a fair debut but this is her first start around the turn and she has a wide draw. PATCHOULI QUEEN, by Elusive Fort, is a half-sister to Sim-Alley-Bank, a two-time winner, and she has Andrew Fortune up. SKYKAT is by Dan De Lago and is a half-sister to a moderate one-time winner. (David Thiselton 9-6-11-7-10)

Race 2

Preview: THAROOS has run two fair races down the straight and has scope for improvement so should be involved here from a good draw. RACING FREE was backed on both his starts over 1200m, finishing second both times, and he now returns from a layoff of about 18 months. MESS has his first run as a gelding and having been thereabouts in all of his starts from 1160m to 1400m he has a chance here from pole position with S’Manga Khumalo up. (David Thiselton 8-5-1)

Race 3

Preview: COLD CASH is by Bankable whose progeny show continual improvement and over this step up in trip from a good draw she should build on her decent run over1400m last time. BANDANNA by Silvano should appreciate the step up to this trip having run on well over 1200m three runs ago and then having excuses over that same trip in her last two runs. ATOMIC BELLE’s best start was over this trip and she could earn despite a wide draw if reproducing that run. CINNAMON SLEW is drawn in pole and can earn if reproducing her last run over this trip. FLAMINGO VLEI is well drawn and could also earn over a suitable trip. PARABOLA by Silvano is a half-sister to a horse who first time out, albeit over 1200m. (David Thiselton 8-5-3-4-1-10)

Race 4

Preview: SPEED MONITOR has ability but tends to over race a touch, so as he has at last got another good draw he should go close over this suitable trip. ARISTOCRAT stayed on well last time in his first try at this trip and should be involved, JACKMAN has been expensive to follow but is usually thereabouts and finished just a length back when last trying this trip. (David Thiselton 3-2-1)

Race 5

Preview: DETONATION challenged strongly over 1800m last time and is now well drawn. His only win was over the course and distance. BARACAH has been in good form lately and this is also probably his optimum trip. BUSH PILOT has been a touch disappointing in his last three runs, so is interesting with blinkers on as he clearly has talent as well as stamina. However, one concern is he over raced once over this trip, which doesn’t augur well from this wide draw. FANGIA beat Detonation over 1800m last time, but is now 1,5kg worse off for a 0,5 length beating and he tries the trip for the first time. RAIN SHADOW is probably over his ideal trip here but it all depends on whether he settles as he did over race the last time he tried this distance. (David Thiselton 3-1-2-5-4)

Race 6

Preview: POLYPHONIC went close last time in the Gr 2 Ipi Tombe over 1600m, which proved she has come into her own. She is the best weighted horse here and should go close despite a tricky draw. BELLA SONATA also has a tricky draw but is capable of running on strongly and this talented sort is probably ideally distance suited. CRYSTAL GLAMOUR is an up and coming sort who won from the front over 1400m last time, so her good draw will suit her style. SHAAMA was once highly regarded and won well over 1200m when returning from a layoff so has to be considered despite being out at the weights. SENSIBLE LOVER is unbeaten over the course and distance and has first time blinkers on after disappointing a last time. (David Thiselton 8-4-3-10-7)

Race 7

Preview: UNAGI has been facing stronger and off a reduced merit rating over an ideal course and distance, and with the blinkers off after not enjoying them last time, he should be a factor. SHUKAMISA has been knocking on the door and being by Silvano and from the Ferraris yard he should start stepping up to the plate now. MILITARY AWARD has plenty of ability and at last gets a good draw over his ideal trip. ARLINGTON over raced over 1800m in his first start out the maidens but should have a fine chance here back over the trip of his eyecatching maiden win and he is drawn in pole. QEYAADAH has shown ability before and in his third run of the season and second with both blinkers and as a gelding he should be a factor. (David Thiselton 1-2-8-7-6-4)

Race 8

Preview: SPAN DIE SEILE has her third run after a layoff and jumps from pole position over the trip of her last win. Interestingly she won the latter race comfortably with the blinkers on and they are now back on. INGA won her maiden well over this trip so is interesting returning to it after a good run over 1900m and not appearing to stay 2400m. The handy running type OUR MIRACLE is by Mogok out of an out and out sprinter by Jet Master, but his best races have been over 1400m, so he is interesting stepped up further to 1600m. (David Thiselton 1-4-2-7-3)

Race 9

Preview: OLD OAK TREE has some talent and has now come down to a reasonable merit rating, while she should be improving too being by Gimmethegreenlight, so she has a chance here over what should be an ideal trip. WEST COAST WARRIOR won his maiden well when extending over 1450m so should love this trip and starts off handicapping off a reasonable merit rating. LAST OUTLAW has some class and has his first run after a three month rest and gelding over a suitable trip. ARPAD makes respiratory noises which is a concern but on his good days he is capable of winning a race like this and he has a good draw over a suitable trip. NEUF DE PAPE is down to a reasonable merit rating and should be thereabouts. (David Thiselton 3-6-1-8-4)