R25.00 No. 1702
MONDAY 7th - THURSDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2011
ISSN 1023 / 6996
5
FLAMINGO PARK ..... 12:20pm
(Monday) p.3
CLAIRWOOD ........... 12:20pm
(Tuesday) p.12
TURFFONTEIN
NIGHT
..... 5:25pm
beaten less than a length in all four starts. His style of racing would suggest that he will enjoy the extra now Kavanagh - sports blinkers for the first time. and it is interesting that the Cape Town based Felix Coetzee has stayed with him. He can still improve and well treated at the weights with most here, should go close again.
(Tuesday) p.21
KENILWORTH .......... 1:00pm
(Wednesday) p.32
VAAL TURF ............. 11:50am
(Thursday) p.38
Kavanagh As with Galileo’s Galaxy last season, the Mike De Kock trained Kavanagh has been finishing close up to the best of his generation in top grade events. This son of Tiger Ridge has been a model of consistency and his ratings would suggest that he is at his very best around 1400m. He ran on stoutly when winning the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes over today’s course and distance in November and he only lost out in the stewards room when second in the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe over 1450m at Clairwood last July. Kavanagh is at the top of his game right now having only been picked off very late in the Gr1 Cape Guineas over 1600m last time out and now sporting blinkers for the first time, and back over a distance over which he is unbeaten, he shouldn’t be easy to beat.
Conditions Plate over 1400m at Turffontein (standside) this Tuesday evening
The highest purse on offer in midweek is that put aside for the winner of a Conditions Plate at Turffontein on Tuesday evening. Thirty three runners were originally entered for the event, but such is the calibre of some of those who have stood their ground, that only eight will go to post, writes STEVE FURNISH.
U
nlike handicaps, the top weight in these types of events doesn’t always have the highest merit rating. As is the case with Star Of Destiny here. Indeed, Romeo Francis’ gallant veteran is worst in at the weights. A winner of two of his last three starts on sand, Star Of Destiny has not found the winner’s enclosure on turf since landing a workrider’s event in June 2008. What chance here?
Mzingeli The 5yo Catcher In The Rye gelding Mzingeli has sporadically run some very good races and could just be a tad better than his current official merit rating would suggest. He has only managed three wins from 27 starts to date though, and badly out at the weights here, he is not easy to fancy.
Powerful Coupling The only coupling in the race is that of former champion trainer Charles Laird. He saddles both Galileo’s Galaxy and Western Front. Galileo’s Galaxy has the higher rating of the two and with Anton Marcus on board one would expect him to be the stable elect. More often a runner up than a winner, this talented son of Galileo finished second in two Gr1, and one Gr2 events last season. Usually one to race up with the speed, Galileo’s Galaxy has only raced over a distance this short once before and that was when finishing (you guessed it) SECOND to the mighty Pierre Jourdan over today’s course and distance in last season’s Gr3 Tony Ruffel Stakes. He’s sure to be right there again when the gauntlet is thrown down, but can he hold on? Stable Companion Western Front has a little to find at the weights, but he is still a 3yo and does have plenty of scope for improvement. He’s been a little in and out since beating a very useful maiden field over 1450m on debut and as with Galileo’s Galaxy he is yet to win anything other than plate races. He has shown flashes of real ability on occasions though and an-
Checklist More often than not seen out over further, Weiho Marwing’s charge was without a win in six starts prior to his recent 14 month layoff. He ran a fair race over a trip well short of his best on his return last month and is sure to strip much fitter here. He is very badly out at the weights here though and this is probably just a stepping stone en route to future targets.
About The Pace
other to have done best racing up with the pace, he too will be right there when the race begins in earnest.
Captain Scott Fourth in the 2009 Summer Cup, Alec Laird’s charge has bags of ability. As with Galileo’s Galaxy though, he has proven to be just a tad off the very best. He was only half a length off
Pierre Jourdan in the Gr3 Joburg Spring Challenge back in October, but he is without a win now in nine starts. He’s fairly treated at the weights, taking everything into account here, but his main rivals do have greater scope for improvement.
Count Express Usually seen out over sprint dis-
The two Charles Laird runners have both done best racing up with the speed and with Galileo’s Galaxy in particular being weighted to mount a very strong challenge, a fair pace should be forthcoming. The younger Kavanagh is at the top of his game right now though and the blinkers can only make him more focused at the business end of the race. He’s the tances, the Count Dubois gelding one to beat in our book, and he could Count Express suffered the biggest yet still improve. defeat of his career in his only start over today’s distance. He was returning from a three month break in that event though, and he has since improved considerably. He’s bumped some very useful sorts since gaining his latest success in September and has been