It has been a good week for South African racing, though whether they know it or not just yet is a moot point.
Nothing ever happens quickly in the world of racing, some would say especially the horses I either back or suggest, and it is a slow old process, but now that South African racing is appearing on a daily basis on the bookmaker screens and the satellite channels the interest is going up step by step.
I have a meeting yesterday with myracing.com, one of the biggest and best independent racing sites out there as far as I am concerned, and they are now looking at sitting up and taking notice of a lot more international racing with South Africa very much at the top of their list.
Add the fact that the world renowned Timeform are now covering every single race from every South African track every day and we can all see the direction this is heading in. but to cap it all I received an e-mail (spam!) offering me the services of a South African tipster for only £40 a month guaranteeing me untold wealth, fast cars and the women of my dreams – where do I sign up?
All joking aside, when the con artists start to spot enough interest in the market to bother following it up then it must be growing even faster than we all hoped and long may that continue.
On to the racing this weekend and the Scottsville meeting on Sunday with another decent if, in my view, pretty complicated card.
One thing I have noticed around the racing world is that wherever you go bookmakers are so tight they squeak when they walk, and finding value is as difficult wherever you go. A mere eight races await the unwary punter, more than we normally get in the UK, even then, but we soldier on regardless and this week we will have a win Trixie (three doubles and a treble) which is more than enough money to risk giving away on what I see as a pretty tough card.
Madame Excess can start us off with a winner in the first race for Duncan Howells and looks way too good for her rivals if she can build at all on her recent second to Spring in Seattle in a race that is working out really well with the sixth and ninth placegetters both winning since the race. She can win the 12.55pm closely followed, hopefully, by Plymouth Rock in 1.30pm aka race two.
I am following the early money on this one as Plymouth Rock has been well backed in the early markets after a debut eighth when not beaten too far on the Greyville polytrack, and if goes on from there as expected we have ourselves another winner.
Last but not least we have Accidental Tourist who impressed when taking her maiden here over 1200m and as she shows plenty of speed. I am rather hoping she can drop back in trip and double up here for both trainer Duncan Howells, and more importantly, us!
