R25.00 No. 1714
MONDAY 21st - THURSDAY 24th MARCH 2011
5
ISSN 1023 / 6996
Martial Eagle - well drawn, goes well at Greyville Orbit War As with Thandolwami, Orbit War has bags of ability on his day, but his wins are few and far between. He would certainly have a shout if reproducing his effort when winning the KZN 1600 at Scottsville in his penultimate start, but he is returning from a three month break here and he doesn’t have the best of the draw.
TURFFONTEIN
1:00pm (Monday) p.3
FAIRVIEW
1:00pm (Tuesday) p.11
GREYVILLE NIGHT
5:20pm (Tuesday) p.19
KENILWORTH
Fork Lightening
1:20pm (Wednesday) p.30
The 9yo Fork Lightening was up there with the best earlier in his career. Since returning from a lengthy absence in December 2009 though, he has only managed one win in seventeen starts, and on his most recent efforts, he does look held by others in this race.
VAAL
1:00pm (Thursday) p.36
Dance With Mikey
Gr3 KING'S CUP over 1600m at Greyville this Tuesday
H
ighest rated of the fourteen is the Neil Bruss trained Winter’s Night. Usually one to race up with the speed, the flexible Winter’s Night has won over today’s distance and he does have a fair draw. This is his first start since returning from two tough races in the Cape though, and he would ideally prefer further.
Powerful Coupling The biggest of the two couplings is that of Dennis Drier. He saddles all of Dance At Daylight, Martial Eagle and Paraquayito. Dance At Daylight has gained four of his five career wins over 1600m and he has won one of his two starts over today’s course and distance. Sparingly raced in recent months, this son of Rambo Dancer was gaining quickly when only beaten a neck by Winter’s Night on 1,5kg less favourable terms in September, and he was finishing best of all when only losing out by a short head to Rich Strike in the listed Michael Roberts Handicap last time out. Dance At Daylight had a number of today’s rivals behind him in that latest outing, and on that alone, he has to be a serious runner here.
The Gr3 King’s Cup over 1600m at Greyville tops the bill in midweek. Run under handicap conditions, the King’s Cup is always a very competitive affair and with only one runner in under sufferance this time around, plenty have chances, writes STEVE FURNISH. Martial Eagle was improving nicely before being given a break in December and he too goes very well at this circuit. He was finishing best of all when having a number of today’s runners behind him on his return in the non black type Fever Tree handicap over 1400m here last time out, and he is sure to appreciate the extra. Making up the trio is the 4yo son Orpen, Paraguayito. He’s unbeaten over 1400m at the this circuit and on his only previous try over today’s trip, he was only run out of it in the dying strides by stable companion Martial Eagle. Paraquayito is now 4kg worse off at the weights with Martial Eagle here though, and setting off from gate 13, he clearly has no easy task.
gained three of his five career victories over today’s distance. The only female in today’s race, Lady Magpie commands a nice turn of foot and has caught the eye running on stoutly on a number of occasions. She was well overdue when picking up her third career win last time out and could still improve plenty. Glen Hatt takes the ride and she has a nice draw.
Keat’s Drift
Alistair’s Bid
Equally at home on both good and soft ground, the veteran Keat’s Drift has won three of his five starts over today’s trip. He would be thereabouts if finding his best form, but with most having greater scope for improvement, he does seem unlikely here.
With both the in form Hypothetical and the improving Lady Magpie representing the stable, trainer Alistair Gordon also holds a very strong hand. Hypothetical showed considerable improvement during the course of completing a hattrick in his penultimate start and he was gaining at the finish when a runner up last time out. He goes well at Greyville and he has
Last year’s winner Thunder Creek has been going from strength to strength since returning from a layoff in January. Indeed, at his best from the front, his two most recent wins have been particularly gutsy. He fought on determinedly when holding off a wall of horses over 1400m here in the Fever Tree Handicap last time out, and he
Thunder Creek
Since winning against weaker in December, Colin Scott’s charge has been keeping very good company. He has been outpaced at the business end of has earlier won over today’s trip. Glen the race by others in this race in Kotzen’s charge is clearly still improv- each of his last three outings ing and if able to get to the head of though and on that, a win looks affairs before turning for home, com- unlikely. pletion of the hat trick must be a Fastnetrock possibility. At first glance Mark Dixon’s Safwan charge is in under sufferance by Mike De Kock’s charge impressed 0,5kg here. However, if you when winning his first two starts on his take into account that his best return from a four month layoff in ever rating was four points November and at that stage it looked higher than today’s mark, he is as if he would go on to bigger things. not badly treated. He won well He was a little disappointing when over today’s distance at stepping up in class in his next two Scottsville last time out and he starts, but did then look to be coming did run on particularly well back to his best when only picked off after being hampered twice in late in the Umthombothi Stakes last the Michael Roberts Handicap time out. He would ideally prefer a in his penultimate start. If overbit more ground, but with Anthony coming the widest draw, he Delpech in the saddle and setting off could surprise. from a nice draw, he must have a About The Pace shout. They usually set off at a fair Thandolwami clip at this circuit and with a A runner up in the prestigious number of candidates for the November Handicap in both 2008 role of front runner here, the and 2010, the 6yo Thandolwami is pace should be on. Plenty have a bit of an enigma. He’s capable of chances and in what could quite producing a nice turn of foot and on easily turn out to be a blanket his day is not far off the best. His finish, I’m going to bank on wins have been few and far between Africa’s large eagle to fly up late. though. Indeed, Thandolwami is without a win now in 24 outings. He is in very good form at the moment though and on 7kg less favourable terms, he was only beaten a whisker in this race by Thunder Creek last year.
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