MONDAY 20th - THURSDAY 23rd APRIL 2015
No. 2140 ISSN 1023 / 6996 The evergreen Uncle Tommy could follow up on his 2014 win in this race
9 lots This week . . . 44 LING SALES AR NATIONAL YE mplex Germiston Co at the TBA Sales ril to Friday 24th Ap nd Wednesday 22
FLAMINGO PARK 12:20pm (Monday) p.3
VAAL SAND 1:05pm (Tuesday) p.11 KENILWORTH 1:00pm (Wednesday) p.23
VAAL 12:15pm (Thursday) p.29
R200 000 HIGHVELD SAND CHALLENGE (Listed) at Vaal on Tuesday Weiho Marwing’s scrupulously honest 7yo Kahal gelding Uncle Tommy has his 54th run and goes for what could be a lucky 13th win when he bids for a double in Tuesday’s R200 000 Listed Highveld Sand Challenge. It won’t be a simple task with Corne Spies’ all conquering recent Northern Cape Stayers Handicap winner All The Bids lurking in the shadows. he 3yo All The Bids – a rising star of the sand racing scenewas slapped with a 114 merit rating after his emphatic and beautifully facile victory last Monday in Kimberley, and no, his trainer is not smiling.
Competitor But Spies is a tough competitor and he says he is ready to take on the older horses once again – and from a wide draw, just to add the extra poke in the other eye.
rating is close to half of his sand status. But the yard is keen to get a run there and see how he goes on turf over the 2450m trip – that is if an opportunity arises and one of the carded runners fall by the “This is obviously tougher opposition wayside. than we met in Kimberley. But my boy Serious Force is fit and, while the mile is probably on the short side, they underestimate us Just as All The Bids has it all at their peril,” he said. to do, last year’s winner Uncle The conditions of the race dictate Tommy looks an exciting that the runners are weighted in terms possibility off his weight. of their nett ratings in the designated The gelding returns from a bands. But sadly for All The Bids, his stint in KZN, where he did well rating is already at jet-plane cruising on the Greyville polytrack, but altitude and he carries 60kg – even with pulled up lame after the Gr3 his nett! Kings Cup on turf. Ironically, he couldn’t get a run in The 2014 Emerald Cup next Saturday’s SA Derby as his turf runner-up is a serious force
on this surface and beat current Dubai-based Pylon in the Highveld Sand Challenge last year. Taptap Makhatini finished fourth there but was 16,50 lengths off Uncle Tommy and meets him on the same terms. The son of Albert Hall should again finish behind the Marwing runner. He also has his breathing issues but won his last race on the surface in style and Piere Strydom sticks with him.
De Kock Duo Mike De Kock’s imported 3yo coupling of Olympic Bolt and Masnoon rise in class but
First Crop in 2015
(USA) Distorted Humour – Visions of Clarity by Sadler's Wells
Champion Irish 2yo
•
Gr1 winner
•
TFR 119 at 2
10
YEARLINGS at National s Yearling Sale l ri p A 22-24
have the ability to trouble the top three. This applies particularly to Olympic Bolt who has some cracking course and distance runs to his credit. Uncle Tommy’s stablemate The Royal Rumba has not drawn favourably, but impressed with a course and distance win at his last jump, defeating the Spies’ Hawksworth. That was his first try on the Vaal sand after relocating from Durban and was a substantial improvement on his turf form. cont on next page
Our Best Adverts Aren't Written They Are Running!
Tel: Mike Sharkey 082 372 2682 www.highlandsfarmstud.co.za