Exciting festive fare for punters

THERE are five local meetings to bet on as we see out 2011 and sail into the New Year, with two Graded events and a Listed sprint highlighting festivities this long weekend.

The action starts at the Vaal on Thursday, where Mike de Kock’s promising three-year-old Royal Ridge returns to the racetrack after his runaway Maiden win over 1200m at Turffontein recently, and will be all the rage. He’s in a Progress Plate over the same trip and is one of only three rides at the meeting for Weichong Marwing.

It’s the usual Friday fare at Fairview and 115 steeds are carded to slog it out on an eight-race program. As always, PE racing guarantees to reward form students who can master the complicated variables attached to lower merit rated handicaps and the regular Higher Division See-Saw sprint, almost guaranteed to yield a different result than the last time the same runners contested a dash down the straight.

At Turffontein’s inside track, Saturday, Ibsaar looks set to pay for the festive champagne. The three-year-old gave a clear indication that staying’s his game when running on well for second to Ateyb in a 2600m handicap at the track a fortnight ago and has banker potential in this 3000m marathon.

Sean Tary’s Happy Archer will be a popular fancy in Sunday evening’s Gr 3 Flamboyant Stakes over 1600m at Greyville. The talented import caught the eye in a warm-up sprint earlier this week and will be hard to beat over her favourite course and distance.

Up-and-coming three-year-old Trinity House takes on Covenant in Monday’s Gr 2 Sceptre Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth.  The supporting feature is the Listed Southeaster Sprint over 1100m.

Photo: Happy Archer, Flamboyant Stakes.