Vodacom Durban July runner-up Marinaresco is reported in good shape for Saturday’s Champions Cup but there are serious concerns about another wide draw, particularly as it proved his undoing in the big one.
Candice Robinson, who takes over her father’s licence a week today, said: “Marinaresco is doing well but we are going to have to hope for a bit of luck because we again have a bad draw (14). We will have to again drop him out because he doesn’t race up with the pace.”
Grant van Niekerk’s mount is as short as 8-10 with Betting World to score for Mike Bass whose most recent victories in this race have been with African Appeal in 2007 and Africana Lion four years earlier. Favourites have won the last three runnings. Exit Here is second favourite at 9-1 with Punta Arenas, Saratoga Dancer and Baritone all on 10-1.
Zodiac Ruler (Nkosi Hlophe)
Justin Snaith is optimistic that his Golden Horseshoe winner Zodiac Ruler can follow up in the Premiers Champion and said: “The colt has done well since July day and he has improved. In fact he is improving all the time.”
Piere Strydom takes over from Richard Fourie who will be on duty for the stable at Kenilworth’s Champagne Stakes meeting. Fred Crabbia’s Australian-bred is 12-10 favourite with World Sports Betting which has already priced up all 12 races. Mike Azzie’s Rivarine is 9-2 second favourite with Golden Horseshoe fifth Palladium next on 7-1.
Snaith may have seen his wins-in-a-season record (198) fall to Sean Tarry but he reached 189 when Fourie followed up their Fairview Friday treble on Northern Ballet at Kenilworth on Saturday. However 5-2 favourite Acrostar proved expensive in the Final Fling, managing only eighth.
Fourie reported: “The race didn’t work out for me – the pace was too slow . Had it been faster I would have tried to get a run up the inner but I had to come up the middle where the ground wasn’t the best.”
Harlem Shake at 12-1 was the longest priced Final Fling winner since Glen Kotzen sprang a 50-1 shock with Escapology ten years ago and a was a triumph for the CTS Million Dollar combination of Glen Puller, Heavelon van der Hoven and an ownership group that includes Frank Carruthers and Ian Robinson.
The last-named had positive news of Illuminator, saying: “He is still only walking around the yard but there is no sign of the injury and the vet says he can now start trotting. We are still hopeful and we haven’t gelded him.”
Donovan Dillon, enjoying his best season so far, reached 60 on Prize Peg for Mike Robinson while work rider Lungisani Geledu’s all-the-way win on Flying Monarch gave Vaughan Marshall’s his 70th success of the campaign. The Steyn brothers scored a notable family double – Piet with Friendly Tibbs and Andres with Power Grid.
The last-named and the Harold Crawford-trained Cream Soda Green completed a double for leading first-season sire Gimmethegreenlight, much to the delight of Hassen Adams whose deep-rooted faith in the horse now looks fully justified.
Ian Sturgeon could be the next South African jockey to try his luck in the oft-volatile cauldron of Mauritius. According to the Turf Club trainer Jean-Michel Henry has applied to bring him out to replace Anthony Andrews who has cut short his contract and returns to South Africa at the weekend.
Michael Clower
