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No. 1816 ISSN 1023 / 6996
MONDAY 12th - THURSDAY 15th MARCH 2012
ARLINGTON
12:55pm (Monday) p.4
CLAIRWOOD
12:50pm (Tuesday) p.12
TURFFONTEIN NIGHT 5:35pm (Tuesday) p.19
GREYVILLE
12:55pm (Wednesday) p.29
VAAL SAND
12:15pm (Thursday) p.36
Run For It-4th in the J&B Met last time out.
CONDITIONS PLATE over 1400m at Turffontein (stand side) on Tuesday night
juvenile last season, this son of More Than Ready has shown tremendous improvement in his recent outings, most notably when flying up late to win the prestigious Gr1 Queen’s Plate. As with a number of the better ones here Gimmethegreenlight would prefer further. He has made the frame in top class features in each of his previous outings over today’s distance though and well in at the weights with most here, he should be right there.
In terms of prize money and stature, two listed events head up the fare at the Big “T” on Tuesday evening. With eight of the eleven runners having a merit rating in excess of 100, and clearly prepping for forthcoming top graded feature events though, the Welwitschia Conditions Plate over 1400m will top The best weighted of Mike De Kock’s two the bill for most, writes STEVE FURNISH. runners in the event is the Oasis Dream filly
T
he weights tend to favour some much more than others in these types of events, as is the case with D J Detzky. One of the three runners with a merit rating less than 100, Louis Goosen’s charge is set to shoulder top weight of 60kg before taking apprentice Olwagen’s allowance into consideration. Even with that concession though, he faces a near impossible task.
Run For It
has filled a place in the Quartet in each of the last two runnings of the prestigious J&B Met and on his day is up there with the very best. Amazingly though, he’s not found the winner’s enclosure since landing the listed Racing Association Stakes at Fairview way back in Oct ’10. A runner up in the Cape Merchants earlier in the season in his last outing over today’s distance, Run For It commands a very powerful turn of foot and the long galloping straight here is sure to suit.
Gimmethegreenlight At the other end of the scale the best weighted runner is one The only 3yo in the race is of the two raiders from the West- Run For It’s stable companion ern Cape Run For It. A bit of an Gimmethegreenlight. Close to enigma, Justin Snaith’s charge the best of his generation as a
Welwitschia. One of three females in the race, the lightly raced Welwitschia has shown flashes of real ability and is close to the best of her sex. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace, Welwitschia has gained her latest two successes over 1450m on the sharp inner track, so she looks sure to be effective over today’s slightly shorter trip down a longer home straight. Having been bred in the Northern Hemisphere Welwitschia is behind at weight for age so further improvement should be forthcoming.
Gibraltar Blue Effective over all distances from 1000m up to a mile, stable companion Gibraltar Blue has won two of her four starts at this circuit. She is held here on her three most recent outings in the Western Cape, but it is fair to say that she was not at her best there. She ran up to her best rating when a runner up in the Gauteng Merchants prior to those efforts in November and she did gain her latest win over 1450m.
Mike’s Coupling The highest rated of Michael Azzie’s two runners is Two Tone. A 2,75 length third to Pierre Jourdan in the Gr2 November Handicap over 1600m earlier in the season, this son of Strike Smartly goes well around today’s distance and would have a shout if this was a similar event. He’s badly out at the weights with most here though and on that is not easy to fancy. Better in at the weights, but still facing an enormous task is stable companion Lochlorien. Surprisingly, Lochlorien has a higher rating on turf than he does on sand and yet his only win on today’s surface was when shedding his maiden tag way back in Mar ’09.
Rebel Knight Although Gary Alexander’s charge is without a win in almost a year now, he’s shown good improvement during the course of the past twelve months. He’s been coming to hand nicely since returning from a four month break in February, and he did challenge strongly when third, beaten just a length and three quarters, by Kavanagh over today’s course and distance last time out. Fairly treated at the weights with most, this son of Jet Master has his third run after the rest here and one of the few to be ideally distance suited he must be a serious runner.
Wittenberg Geoff Woodruff’s charge has won two of his five starts at this circuit and although both of those successes were over further, he has earlier in his career won twice over to-
day’s distance. He might have needed the outing when returning from a short break last time out and although he has no easy task at the weights here, he should be thereabouts.
Happy Archer Sean’s Tarry’s charge has rounded off the last two seasons with a Gr1 success in Natal. Her form in between times though has been a little in and out and she has been a tad below best since returning from a five month break in December. Although Happy Archer is in the main taking on the boys here, she is fairly treated at the weights and must hold some kind of a chance if finding her best form.
Super Trouper St John Gray’s charge gained his latest win over today’s distance and he did catch the eye running on from the rear when third, just 2,25 lengths behind Galanthus, last time out. Out at the weights that day, Super Trouper can still improve plenty. Worst in at the weights here though, he clearly has a mammoth task.
About The Pace With almost a half of the runners having done well from the front at least a fair pace should be forthcoming. That, combined with the long galloping straight, should suit those running on. Although Justin Snaith’s two runners are undoubtedly being prepared for forthcoming feature events, they are both very well in at the weights and cannot be ignored. The circuit should suit Run For It and on that he narrowly gets the vote.