Paul Peter’s comments are always worth listening carefully to as he is one of the most transparent trainers in the country and of his team of five runners on Vodacom Durban July day he regards Miracle Rising as his best.
Judpot filly Miracle Rising ran in a few features while still a maiden, including the Gr 1 Alan Robertson over 1200m, and when stepped up to the 1400m last time at Scottsville she beat a well regarded sort in the Mike de Kock-trained Gain Ground. The latter then franked the form. She is now drawn five in the Gr 1 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper over 1400m. Ian Sturgeon rides. Peter said, “She’s come on so much in work. She had a small niggle when she ran in the Allan Robertson, but she’s improved a lot since she won her maiden and I think at that price she’s definitely worth including in all exotics.”
Mogok Master (Nkosi Hlophe)
Peter’s Mogok colt Mogok Master was most unlucky in the Listed Gatecrasher Stakes over 1400m last time out when his running was taken up when travelling well at the top of the straight, so he is better than his six length fifth suggests. He runs in the Gr 1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m from draw 18 with Sturgeon up and Peter said, “He’s a very nice horse. He is looking for a bit further. He’s come on a lot from that last run and is working exceptionally well, but with that bad draw he can end up in the back end of quartets.”
He runs Mod Barley in the tenth, a Compendium Insurance Brokers MR 104 Handicap over 1000m on the polytrack, and said, “He loves the poly even at work. He’s up in class but he’s a nice horse, he’s quite honest and I think he will run in the placings. Keagan de Melo knows him, he’s worked him, and he’s confident he will be right there.” He is drawn well and Peter confirmed that not only does he have plenty of early speed, but he should stay all the way to the line too as the Vaal 1200m course record holder.
He runs the talented three-year-old Dupont gelding Forest Fox in the Non-Black Type eThekwini Sprint over 1200m on the poly from a nice draw and said, “I just feel he doesn’t stay, he just doesn’t finish his races, over a mile he moves up like a winner and then starts plodding. If he can produce his homework that field will never beat him, but he comes to the races and is a bit of a thief, he tries to get out of it. He was squeezed on the fence last time, but being Forest Fox he looks for any excuse and that was one of them.”
He runs the Just As Well gelding Just Africa in the KZN Yearling Sale Million over 1300m from draw eight and said, “He’s been working exceptionally well since we gelded him, he needed gelding, so put a line through his last run. If he gets the 1300m he will be a big runner, but it’s a 50/50 call whether he will. If it was a 1000m you could have your maximum on him, but I’m worried about 1300. He eats well and we have been able to put the work into him after his gelding. He’s fit.”
By David Thiselton
Lead Picture: Miracle Rising (Nkosi Hlophe)
VDJ betting now open: Jackpot ONE Leg 1 starts in race 5 – estimated pool R2,1million.
