Catwalk King drops back to a sprint trip and will be out to prove he is worthy of a 97 rating (Picture: Wayne Marks)
Mark van Deventer
Punters got burnt last time when odds on favorite, AFRICAN WILD DOG, was toppled by IT’SGOOD IT’SNICE. The Querari gelding gets a chance to redeem himself in the opener at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday.
This will be his first run at the course, but on a horse that can go handy or be conserved for a finish, jockey Serino Moodley has positional options from a favorable draw of 3.
There are some well-bred first timers in the full field, together with lightly raced types with scope to improve yet, of those with exposed form, Justin Snaith’s entry has the best credentials.
Snaith saddles LANDMAN in Race 2, and he is also on a retrieval mission having been capsized at 1/4 last time in a sprint. The 3YO colt fly jumped, hit the gate, then pulled and was caught wide. After all those blunders, it was hardly surprising he could only clock in fourth to RACHETTU.
LANDMAN now stretches out to 1600 which should suit much better. With Andrew Fortune recovering from shoulder surgery and Richard Fourie riding with renowned international jockeys in Japan, Moodley is the “super-sub” chosen by Snaith Racing.
In a short field of seven, WATERFRONT (placed third at his most recent three starts) and HAVOC are the principal threats. Race 2 is the first leg of the Place Accumulator.
Several promising thoroughbreds contest Race 3, a Middle Stakes over 1600m. They have equally strong claims and distinguishing between Snaith’s MIAMI SUMMER, IN A TIMELY MANNER and BLIND DATE is tricky. Not that this trio has the race completely sewn up as CLARK GRISWOLD and SOHO HEARTTHROB sport similarly strong speed figures in a deeply contentious start to the Pick 6.
Race 6, a Class 4 sprint, raises quite a few questions. Will CATWALK KING’s justify his official merit rating of 97, earned in the Somerset Listed? Will the fitting of a tongue tie help FOLLOW YOUR HEART regain the level of form which saw him down Grade 1 winner STAR MAJOR and subsequently compete with tough rivals, FLYING FINLEY, LYRICAL GANGSTER and GOLD GIBOSKI?
Quite whether VERCICAT can cope with a step up in class is another poser. Make no error, he is a fit horse, and with a lighter weight and low draw can get into the fray in another Snaith/Moodley collaboration.
And perhaps the most pertinent query is if BEHAVE HARRIS can overcome the widest gate of all, a difficult task over 1250m at this turning track?
Trainer Adam Marcus and Craig Zackey are a high percentage combination and experts at their craft. The feeling is BEHAVE HARRIS will run still boldly from gate 8, having given the rapidly progressive, LYRICAL GANGSTER a scare at level weights a month ago over this course and distance.
Marcus and Zackey team up with the consistent FORT YUKON in the following event, a C Stakes over 1400m. The son of Elusive Fort has natural gate speed and usually races in the front line but has been unable to quite press home the advantage of breaking from low gates and now finds his task complicated by starting stall 9/10.
The speed map indicates a true run contest – all of DEVIL A SAINT, UNITED FRONT, MEET THE KING, JET A ONE and ANOTHER HERO have previously led their races.
That may allow LOVING PRAGUE to turn around the form of their last meeting to MIAMI SUMMER. Andre Nel’s entry burnt plenty of fuel trying to get across from the outer and was caught wide. As a consequence of those early exertions, he caved in late. With a less taxing, stalking trip from Draw 2 combined with weight relief from claiming apprentice D D Louw, LOVING PRAGUE could reward each-way support.
The slow-starting closer, NOON DAY GUN is also respected. Especially if the front runners overdo the gallop, it could set things up for his stretch-running style. And he is now 3kg’s better off at the weights for a length beating with FORT YUKON on their meeting with SUPER VIKING.
Race 8, a Class 4 for fillies and mares over 1600m, will bring proceeding to a close. BOOZY SUZIE was added to some “Horse Watch” lists after an eye-catching closing sectional to re-opposing LADY VERITAS who shook loose on the lead to win in this grade 35 days ago.
BOOZY SUZIE was heavily punted on that occasion but unable to get the job done after a tardy start. With a clean break and trouble-free passage, she should give it a good shake as arguably her best run in the past performances was a second to well-performed, EDUCATOR (now rated 105) over this C/D at the beginning of the year. Sean Veale rides her again, for James Crawford.
That said, Pick 6 players may prefer to spread wide given how closely clustered these fillies are on ratings. Indeed, a legit case can be advanced for practically all the entrants.
Candice Bass has her string in fine fettle, and she sends out PEACHES AND CREAM (noted running on late last time after being forced to switch) and the sparingly campaigned and fickle, AMAYAH who has beaten stronger foes when all parts have been in working order.
Piet Botha’s EISTEDDFOD should get the run of the race following pace-pressing light weights ELUSIVE GIFT and TAKE IT AS RED. She goes on the short list, whilst Vaughan Marshall’s MIGHTY MARY and PENTOLINA don’t have flashy current form yet are not forlorn hopes on their best tries if delving a bit deeper into their CV’s.
