4
No. 1870
MONDAY 17th - THURSDAY 20th SEPTEMBER 2012
ISSN 1023 / 6996
FLAMINGO PARK
12:20pm (Monday) p.4
VAAL 12:20pm (Tuesday) p.13
DURBANVILLE
Loves It Amber Palace (middle) enjoys the course and distance and is a big runner despite wide draw
1:00pm (Wednesday) p.25
VAAL SAND 12.55pm (Thursday) p.33
MR90 DIVIDED HANDICAP at Durbanville on Wednesday With the national interest and focus on sand racing this week, Durbanville provides the turf highlight with a ninerace programme at the rustic country venue on Wednesday.
W
hile there is ample pace in evidence in the MR90 Divided Handicap, Amber Palace would have been an automatic first choice, but has drawn wide. That complicates the issue. Justin Snaith trains the very capable Amber Palace, one of two Dynasty progeny in the race, and the Phillipi conditioner will probably be donning a collar and tie for this meeting, expecting a post-race interview commitment or two in the course of the Cape spring afternoon. Likely Favourite His 4yo Amber Palace is at his best over the trip and looks
a worthy likely favourite with Bernard Fayd’Herbe up – it is just the draw that concerns us a little and the presence of a colleague who often has Snaith’s measure. That man is Cape Champion trainer Joey Ramsden, who churns out the Durbanville winners with monotonous regularity. Ramsden prepares the Casey Tibbs gelding Bronco Buster, for his leading patrons, Ingrid and Markus Jooste. The Klawervlei bred 4yo has won two of his eleven starts, and showed the minor indication of a likely fair sort, when following up on his maiden win in February, with victory in an MR 77 Handicap a week later. He went off the boil slightly
thereafter , but has bounced back with forward efforts at his last two outings with two seconds, and a third win appears inevitable, and only a matter of time. That said, the flashing white socks often operate on one gear at the end of Bronco Buster’s fuel tank and his onepaced plod in the final stages are of some concern. And that is where Amber Palace may have the edge, with his ability to accelerate and kick on. Wind Sock The Snaith charge will be no push-over and his last win was registered over the track and trip, when he accounted for the older Jet Into The Wind by one length at level weights in an MR 87 Handicap. He ran a cracker under Denies Lee when finishing just 2,05 lengths behind General Assembly in an MR 90 Handicap over 1200m last time.
PATHFORK
prove the decider that he is the value in the race if coming out sound and fit, and must be included. Pace Ace In a race brimming with pacy sorts, Alan Higgins’ long-striding giant Great Kali, jumps next to the rail and is always a dangerous front-runner. He did run a fair fourth in a small field last time, and while the Handicapper probably caught up to him, he should be getting a little more competitive and must be considered dangerous depending how the race pans out, and if he is allowed to bowl along out front. Piet Steyn sends out two very fit campaigners. Next to Exploration, the old boy of the ten horse field, Steyn’s 7yo Doowaley gelding Pergamon Alter has been edging back to form with runningon thirds at his last two starts. The fitment of blinkers at the
age of seven, may have ignited his form resurgence and while he steps up quite considerably in class here, he has won at MR 95 level, so will not be blushing in the preliminaries on Wednesday. Grant Van Niekerk gets the chance to upset the younger horses and show that one can teach an old dog new tricks. Slipped Master Barry is a four-time winning son of Jet Master who is well-suited to Durbanville as a strong galloping front-runner. His last outing was a patent waste of effort as his saddle slipped in running and his young apprentice rider, Girish Goomamy, was unable to assist him as he drifted out in the Kenilworth home run to finish some fourteen lengths behind. He gets stronger guidance atop courtesy of Felix Coetzee, and may respond by putting in some more effort. Continued on page 2
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Kambrook may have his measure , as Amber Palace gave him 2kgs there and finished 1,85 lengths behind. And now has to concede 5kg. But Amber Palce is a different horse over the 1400m and we are siding with him rather than the older moody Bass runner. Yogas Govender’s Marchant, the second Dynasty in the race, has been rested 96 days after a Durban Champions Season campaign that saw him winning one of his three starts. That was an MR 86 Handicap over 1400m at Greyville where he caught the eye with a smart win over the flashy Tarry horse, Always Al. Marchant ran a fair third at his last start, and he is obviously held in fair regard by his connections, who have made a booming start to the new season. He won on debut at this track at 50-1 and Brandon Morgenrood rides him from a 6 draw. His touch of class may
Undefeated Champion Irish 2yo Gr1 winner
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