Going into the final fortnight of the season, Gavin Lerena’s quest for a second Champion Jockeys’ title looks to be a fait accompli. At the time of writing, Lerena has built up a 10-win advantage and even challenger Richard Fourie might have to admit that his chances of retaining the title he won last year, are disappearing fast.
Lerena looks set to notch up another few runners at Turffontein on Saturday when they race on the Standside track.
He does ride a number of winners for the Tony Peter yard and he can claim a win for them when he climbs aboard The Ultimate King in Race 6, a MR 80 Handicap over 2000m.
This lightly raced three-year-old son of Vercingetorix has always been highly thought of by Peter and after a couple of disappointing early starts, the decision to geld him was proven to be the right move and has seen him turn the corner.
He was a very comfortable winner of his maiden and then produced a flying finish after a poor start to beat Impact Investor going away by 0.75 lengths.
He has only been penalised 4.5kg for the two wins and should still have a lot more to give. He also has the benefit of jumping from No 1 draw and looks a possible banker in all bets.
Well-related Jabari Thimba, a Pathfork half-brother to highly rated Garrix, filled the runners-up berth on debut over 1160m and is good value to open his account under Lerena in Race 3 over 14o0m with that experience to count on and improvement expected over the extended trip.
And the conveyor belt of Lerena-ridden winners will likely churn out another in the form of Obsidian in Race 9 over 1400m. This impressive last-start scorer pulverised his opposition over 1600m six weeks ago and the form of that victory was franked by the runner-up, Birthright, winning subsequently.
The progressive three-year-old gelding carries races off a career-high mark under an eight-point penalty but that is unlikely to prevent Van Vuuren’s charge from winning again, with Lerena aboard for the first time. – Jack Milner/TAB News.
