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No. 1780 ISSN 1023 / 6996
MONDAY 7th - THURSDAY 10th NOVEMBER 2011 Link Man finished runners up in the Gauteng Merchants over 1160m at Turffontein last season
FLAMINGO PARK
12.20pm (Monday) p.4
SCOTTSVILLE
12.15pm (Tuesday) p.9
TURFFONTEIN
5.20pm (Tuesday) p.20
KENILWORTH
1.00pm (Wednesday) p.31
VAAL SAND
12.50pm (Thursday) p.37
Missing Link
CONDITIONS PLATE over 1160m at Turffontein (stand side) on Tuesday With the Western Cape and Gauteng season’s now underway plate races come to the fore in midweek. The most interesting of these is a conditions event at Turffontein on Tuesday evening where only one of the ten runners has a merit rating less than 100, writes STEVE FURNISH.
M
ore often than not it is the top weight that is best in at the weights in these types of events, but that isn’t the case here. Link Man
Indeed, last season’s Gauteng Guineas winner Link Man is the most favoured and he carries just 56kg. Link Man has more often than not been seen out over further during the past twelve months and returning from a six month break here he is in all probability being prepared for forthcoming features. He has proven to be almost as effective sprinting though, as his second placing to Arabian Mist over today’s course and distance in the Gauteng Merchants a year ago will attest. This son of Toreador meets Arabian Mist on 4,5kg better terms here and Mike’s runners do usually come out firing after a break.
to Arabian Mist in the last season’s Gauteng Merchants, Ormond Ferraris’ charge went on to run Shea Shea to just a half length in a progress event on 6kg less favourable terms than they meet here! He’s been battling to find his best form since then though and having been reported as not striding out in his first start following a four month break last time out, he is perhaps best just Shea Shea watched here. Geoff Woodruff’s charge was Snowdon beaten comfortably on more More likely to be a threat from the favourable terms by Link Man in Ferraris stable on the day then is both the Tony Ruffel Stakes and Gauteng Guineas last season and at Snowdon. He’s been mainly first glance would look held. Those campaigned over further and having two events were over much further finished in the first five in both the than they race here though and Dingaans and Gauteng Guineas, he is since reverting to sprinting after the clearly not far off the best of his guineas, this National Emblem colt generation. What is interesting here showed considerable improvement. though is that Snowdon has won his Indeed, after finishing a close up only two starts when sprinting and third to the very talented filly Val they were both over today’s course De Ra in the Gr1 Computaform and distance. He too returns from a Sprint over 1000m, he then went break here, but he has to be a factor if on to win the prestigious Gr1 ready. Moroccan Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville. As with Link Weiho Marwing’s charge has gained Man, Shea Shea returns from a six three of his six career wins over today’s month break here, but if ready he course and distance and interestingly, will be right there. they were all in soft going. He’s been sparingly raced after running fourth Count Express After flying up late to finish third in the Durban Merchants back in Jun
• Top class son of DANZIG out of unbeaten Gr1 winner • top class pedigree • $1.5 million yearling • Timeform 123
’10 though and his form since has been a little in and out. He did run a very promising third to the useful Mannequin on his return from a six month break last time out though, and he would be thereabouts if putting his best foot forward. Arabian Mist
raced over a trip this short. He races for the first time since finishing eighth in last season’s Gold Bowl in April and is clearly just being warmed up. The Plunderer A winner of four races in Port Elizabeth, The Plunderer was only beaten half a length by last season’s J&B Met third placed runner Run For It when conceding 4kg in the Racing Association Stakes at Fairview last season. He’s done well around today’s distance, but he is returning from an eight month layoff here and will more than likely need the run. About The Pace
Gary Alexander’s charge has won three of his eight starts over today’s course and distance and those victories include the last two runnings of the Gauteng Merchants. Now a 7yo, Arabian Mist has failed to find the winners enclosure in nine starts since the latest of those successes though and badly out at the weights to boot Although a number of the runners here, he looks unlikely. have proven to be at there best racing Winking Jack handy, with no confirmed front runners After reverting to sprint distances in in the field there has to be concerns the middle of last season, the veteran about the pace. Winking Jack won three of his next Link Man and Shea Shea are most four starts and then went on to run favoured at the weights and although within 1,1 lengths of Shea Shea in the both return from a six month layoff Golden Horse Sprint. He’s been below here, they will in all probability fight it best since being reported as not striding out. out in his next outing though and now 5kg worse off at the weights with Shea Shea here, he clearly has a very stiff task. Winning Leap The 2010 Gold Bowl winner Winning Leap has never previously
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