We’re on the cusp of the
Highveld Spring Feature Season and over the next few weeks runners of a higher calibre will be stepping out in preparation for targeted Johannesburg features or with a view to competing later this Summer in the Western Cape.
Mike de Kock has returned from a visit to Australia and reports that his Randjesfontein stable is almost ready to send some of its most promising runners to the track after a late winter break. All is well.
Mike saddles the rested Forever Mine in a Pinnacle Plate (R120,000) over 1450m that tops the bill at Saturday’s meeting on the Inside Track at Turffontein.
The five-year-old son of Vercingetorix hasn’t raced since February and while he returns to racing off a low and handy galloping weight, he’ll be facing a number of talented rivals. Mike said: “Forever Mine enjoyed a good rest on the farm at Mauritzfontein and he’s come back fresh. He has a bad draw, however, and while my gut feeling says he’ll need the run, he’s capable of earning a minor stake cheque and has a Place chance.”
Forever Mine’s hottest competition will come from the well accomplished top weight, William Robertson, and Sound Of Summer, who is all of 6kg better off with the former for a 3.50-length beating in a Pinnacle Plate over 1400m in June.
Mike’s first runner on the day is newcomer Red Emperor, an Admiral Kitten colt from a mare by leading broodmare sire Jet Master. This is a weak form race, but there are a few other first-timers entered which makes the outcome difficult to assess. He said: “Red Emperor has put up some good work in the sand, he has caught my eye. I haven’t been able to try him on grass so I don’t know if he has another gear, but certainly on what we’ve seen on the sand he’s a horse that can finish in the money first up.”
Mr Bodacious (Race 3, 1400m) is the third De Kock runner entered at Turffontein. He’s had three unsuccessful attempts so far but is being stepped up from 1400m to a mile and on his pedigree may well enjoy the extra ground. Also worth noting is that the form from his last run (25 August) was franked when his conqueror Kentallen Bay won another good race at the Vaal this week.
Mike commented: “Mr Bodacious is well exposed, it looks as if he will eventually win a race but I’m not sure it will be here because he is drawn wide. There are no really outstanding runners among the others, so he has a Quartet chance.”
There are a few other interesting races on the card, including Race 7, a Graduation Plate for fillies over 1200m in which a number of promising sorts will go to post. Stuart Pettigrew’s July Day winner Feather Boa is on a hat-trick of wins; Glittering Girl has a close second in the G1 Alan Robertson Championship to her credit; Rockets’ Red Glare won her debut by eight lengths and Piere Strydom’s mount Typeset is highly thought of.
Sunday’s race meeting will be held at Scottsville and Shasta’s Pride (Race 3, 1400m) is one of the best bets on the card following her pleasing 1200m debut.
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Sandwiched in between is a Saturday meeting at Kenilworth at which it is interesting to note that top jockey Smanga Khumalo has taken three rides for Candice Bass-Robinson in the absence of her stable jockey, Aldo Domeyer. The stable’s Gold Poker Game is a leading contender in Race 2 over 1200m and On The Road Again tries 1000m in Race 7 and could spring a surprise.
Justin Snaith’s colt Future Turn, narrowly beaten in his last two, will be hard to oppose in Race 4 over 1600m and should come to light as a banker for the exotics.
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