Main Defender Out To Do A Horse Chestnut Double

The Gr 1 weight for age HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m sees a field of nine going to post on Saturday led by defending champion Main Defender.

The biggest question in the race is whether the crack Sean Tarry-trained Lucky Lad will see out the tough Turffontein Standside 1600m trip. The Gimmethegreenlight colt came from a mile back in the L’Ormarins  King’s Plate to run a 5,70 length 6th and he had the fastest 400m to finish time. However, the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 1600m is a touch easier than the Turffontein Standside one. Richard Fourie has now taken the ride on Lucky Lad and from a draw of seven out of nine he will likely be dropped out and waited with for as long as possible before using his explosive turn of foot in the long straight.

An interesting Tarry-trained runner is Cosmic Speed, because this Querari gelding has plenty of class and was running on in fine style last time out in the Gr 3 Got The Greenlight Stakes over 1400m when beaten just 3.1 lengths by the classy Mike de Kock-trained Greaterix and he will now be 2kg better off with the latter. Cosmic Speed jumps from a good draw of three.

Greaterix, on the other hand, has to overcome the widest draw of all in the nine horse field. The question about this horse is whether he sees out 1600m. De Kock has said he has so much speed at home that no other horse can stay with him. It looked race over when he cruised past Parisian Walkway at the 200m mark in the Gauteng Guineas. However, the latter than came back to beat him. Did Greaterix not stay or did he idle in front? Whatever it was,  Muzi Yeni is likely to be leaving his run for as late as possible on Saturday after dropping him out.

Barbaresco is a classy sort who should be ideally distance suited and has a plum draw of two and he should be right there under Aldo Domeyer.

White Pearl has drawn in pole position and proved in the Gr 2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe challenge that she sees out the course and distance. However, she has a tough task with Main Defender, considering the last time they met over 1400m, Main Defender beat her by 4.5 lengths and he will now be 3,5kg better off with her.

Texas Red is a talented sort, but he has to overcome a 6kg weight turnaround in Main Defender’s favour from both a 1600m and a 1400m race and Main Defender beat him both times.

Fire ‘N Flames is an enigmatic sort who is capable of a top class display on his day, but he is none too reliable and he is also no less than 14,5kg under sufferance with Main Defender.

The only out of province runner in the field is Imilenzeyokududuma, who is 8kg under sufferance with Main Defender and has a tough number eight draw. He is a talented sort who should relish the Turffontein Standside track with its long straight as he has a powerful, resolute finish, but he has never faced a field as tough as this one.