No. 1874
4
MONDAY 1st - THURSDAY
ISSN 1023 / 6996
4th OCTOBER 2012
FLAMINGO PARK 12:20pm (Monday) p.4
VAAL 12:45pm (Tuesday) p.13
CLAIRWOOD 11:40am (Wednesday) p.20
VAAL. 12:45pm (Thursday) p.34
MICHAELMAS HANDICAP (LISTED) at Clairwood on Wednesday
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Our midweek racing is bolstered and considerably brightened by the running of the R125 000 Listed Michaelmas Handicap over 1900m at Clairwood on Wednesday. While jockey Anton Marcus may hold the upper hand on the mercurial Roman Wall, Alec Laird’s fast improving Pessoa may be good enough to take his next step up the ladder.
he frustrating financial and emotional woes suffered in the recent past by Roman Wall’s loyal supporters have been well documented in these pages. Sean Tarry’s good-looking Count Dubois gelding cost a fortune as a youngster and has oodles of ability, but has frankly long run out of excuses in a game which amazingly tends to forgive and forget. But this fellow has pushed the envelope.
collateral confidence to boost Roman Wall’s claims. He was runner-up at his last start to the very smart In A Rush, who was to have run in Africa’s richest sand contest. That didn’t happen though, as well all know. In A Rush is on his way South to Cape Town, and we are none the wiser. But looking at Roman Wall’s generally consistent form and some of his better efforts – including a good fifth in the Schweppes 2200 – then Roman Wall looks the right selection. And considering minor collatChampion eral of Top Mark and Ice DiaWednesday could be Roman mond, who both ran behind RoWall’s day though, as Anton man Wall in that MR 100 HandiMarcus rides him for the first cap, then the Tarry runner has a time and our champion jockey few of these held and has always has a way of extricating the oplooked to have something better timum effort out of talented than the bread and butter fare in equine layabouts. In a small field him. And as a R2 million purhis draw of 1 won’t be a chase, one would like to believe dealmaker, but every little bit that this Listed feature is well counts. within his scope. Last Saturday’s Emerald Cup Tarry also sends out Kolkata, washout denied us further opa solid staying sort who will probportunity of establishing some ably find this too short, and ap-
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to be sat on a little longer and ridden with more restraint. The second of the Laird runners is Roll Count, who should need the run after a break over almost 5 months. He is a powerful front-runner, who has an impressive record of 6 wins from 17 starts. He reeled off four in a row late last year, and pears unlikely to have the toe to is loaded with ability. get the better of the more acZestful complished middle distance Yogas Govender’s Danish sorts. Silver won this event in 2009, Never Say Die and while now an 8yo has lost The biggest threat to Roman little of his zest for racing. Wall could come from another The son of Silvano will be Gautenger. Alec Laird’s KZN partnered again by Donovan Sattelite yard has been in hot Dillon who won on him over the form of late, and the quietly spo- course and distance at his last ken trainer sends out a coupling start, just over a month ago. He of Pessoa and Roll Count. moved up smoothly there to The grey Go Deputy gelding beat De La Danza going away Pessoa just seems to get better by one length. Admittedly there run by run. He goes for a fourth was not too much in the way of win in a row, the last two under inspiring ability following in his Stuart Randolph, who rides him wake, but it was a timeous rehere. Pessoa is very different in turn to form for his assault on physical make-up to Roman the delayed Michaelmas douWall. He is a pretty non-flashy ble. grey, who races handy and puts Garth Puller’s Ice Diamond his head down when neces- last won in June, when he got sary as he just keeps powering up under 61kgs to beat Barney on. Barnato over the Clairwood One concern in Pessoa’s 2000m. He was outclassed in case is obviously the fact that the Schweppes 2200, but has he tries this trip for the first time, produced two fringe efforts in and his style of racing would lesser company at his last two suggest that he is going to have outings. He should be fighting
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On The Up - The improving Pessoa looks to register a career highlight in the fit going in here, and could be the Michaelmas Handicap surprise package. Lion In Winter is a talented individual on his day, but has gone off Fourth Estate steps up in class the boil since his flying fourth only and this two-time winner ran on two lengths behind Chesalon in steadily when running fourth 6,25 the Gr2 Premier’s Trophy, way lengths behind the promising Ice back in December last year. Machine in an MR 93 Handicap His six starts since have all over a mile at Scottsville at his been at Group level and he has last outing. He is a horse that not sparked at all. He had his last was quietly highly regarded and start some two months ago in the thought of after his maiden win. Gr2 Schweppes 2200 on July He has probably been an overall Day, when running a dismal fif- disappointment though and teen lengths off Tribal Dance. Joey would be a surprise winner. Ramsden’s charge lumps Corinne Bestel sends out the topweight of 62kgs as the class Two Oceans Racing coupling of horse in the race, and must have Sun City and Posh Boy. Both a place prospect if returning to would probably prefer a further anything near his better form. 400m at least, and neither have sparked since their relocation Ripcord Mike Bass’ New Zealand bred from the Western Cape. Golden Parachute has always been regarded as an out-and-out stayer, but ran on smartly at his last outing over 1950m. He dashed through late for third on slightly soft going, to finish 2,25 lengths behind Dennis Drier’s Top Mark, and had Ice Diamond, from whom he was getting 2kgs, 0,75 lengths behind.The two meet on the same weight terms, and there should not be much between them again. The six-time victor Eton Mess was a shock winner of his penultimate start and then ran a fair fifth five lengths behind Kolkato over 2400m last time.
Opportunity The race presents Roman Wall with an ideal opportunity to redeem his flagging reputation and register a confidence boosting victory. He will have to be at his best though to peg back the powerful little grey bomber Pessao, who doesn’t give up without a blow or two being exchanged. Anton Marcus will give Roman Wall every chance and more from the saddle though. The former Michaelmas winner Danish Silver and Puller’s Ice Machine may be the best of the rest.
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