Umzingeli Wenyathi can win the Listed Spring Spree Stakes from a good draw (JC Photos)
The Listed Betway Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m at Turffontein Inside on Saturday is a wide open handicap event and should be a thriller.
Umzingeli Wenyathi is only narrowly held by Karate Kid on 1000m form, but enjoys this trip and should make a bold bid from a plum draw, especially considering the form of the Hollywood Racing-owned horses this season.
Espinoza is in fine form but was raised six points for his last win and Girish Samo-Burthia will not be able to take his 2,5kg claim in this Listed event. However, that last start was with first time blinkers and he went to the front and won comfortably, so he could possibly be ahead of the handicapper.
Karate Kid has a good draw of three and comes in off a good preparation run over 1000m in which he was staying on late. Before that he beat Umzingeli Wenyathi by 0,75 lengths over 1000m at this track and he now faces the latter on the same terms. He is drawn well in three and his last win was over 1160m, so he should manage this trip, despite mainly being kept to 1000m. Blaine Marx-Jacobson rides with Paul Matchett’s first call rider Philasande Mxoli aboard the stablemate The Last Duke.
The Last Duke is a progressive type, but is only 2kg better off with Karate Kid for a 2,25 length beating, so has his work cut out from draw five.
Quantum Theory has won this race twice before, winning it over this course and distance in 2023 from draw 9 off a 107 merit rating, then being beaten 6,10 lengths over course and distance in 2024 from draw 3 off a 112 rating and winning it last year at the Vaal Classic track from draw 1 off a 111 rating. He is now rated 108, which gives him a chance considering his string of unplaced runs ended with an eyecatching run in the Listed Umngeni Handicap over 1000m at Hollywodbets Greyville on World Pool Gold Cup day, finishing a fast-finishing 1,95 length seventh. He is drawn six out of nine here and the field is small enough for him to be reaching the front after running on well in his customary style.
Max The Magician has been having bad luck with draws and now gets the best draw, pole position, and he will enjoy this course and distance.
Charming Cheetah is capable of better than his last two and can’t be ignored.
Bjorn Ironside has a chance on form, but returns from a layoff and might be a bit ring rusty.
Slinky Mapimpi is competitively weighted on his best form but has a tough draw and has been starting slowly lately.
The tentative selection is Umzingeli Wenyathi to beat Espinoza, who will likely try and come over from a wide draw to take the lead, Karate Kid, The Last Duke and Quantum Theory.
However, for Pick 6 purposes the whole field must try and be included as it is a wide open race.
The previous race, the Non-Black Type Lady’s Stakes over the same course and distance, is even more difficult because a number of horses retrun from rests and not one of the runners come off a last run that puts them in good stead for this race.
Blizzard Snow quickened well from off the pace to win her penultimate start and last time nothing went right for her against the boys down the straight. She is only two points higher for that last win and can be dropped out froma wide draw of six out of eight before running on.
Rifle Queen is talented but has coughed after her last two bad starts and been rested for more than three months so she could bounce back after no doubt undergoing treatment.
In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1000m Trompe L’Oeil looks to be a horse who is going places, so from a good draw of two over a suitable trip carrying 54,5kg off a 99 merit rating he can make it a third career win.
In the fifth race over 1200m Jack’s Legacy starts off handicapping off a reasonable 72 merit rating considering she looked to be loafing when winning second time out. She has a plum draw of two and can beat Concordia and Iconic Winter, whose win last time has been franked.
In the eighth race over 1200m Lanzarote is an up and coming sort who has the advantage of Rachel Venniker’s 1,5kg claim, although she does have a wide draw to overcome. She can fight it out with her relatively unexposed stablemate Social Graces. Navaseven has to be a consideration with some strong Cape Town form, despite not having raced since April. Nkandla Gold has to be respected too after an easy win last time, for which he got a six point raise. He has a fair draw and if he is fancied then Kotinos has to be considered despite officially being 1,5kg under sufferance.
In the ninth Art Nouveau is taken to beat Kudzu and Guerilla Warfare.
In the third race over 1000m Whatsdamatterwithu can make it a hattrick from a good draw.
In the second Without Remorse is taken to beat Rafeef’s Queen.
In the first race Two Tigers was unlucky on Thursday at Vaal Classic over this 1000m trip and from pole position can make amends if taking his place.
