Turffontein has a nine race meeting on the Inside track and punters will have their work cut out on a competitive card.
One of the most interesting races is the second, a Graduation Plate over 1450m. Mogok Master is the best in at the weights and returns from a layoff of over a year having run 2,55 lengths behind Rabada in the Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes over 1600m. He has been with the Joe Soma yard for three months now and has been given two hard gallops, among other work.
Soma said on what he has shown he looks to be a horse who could compete with the best, although he added tomorrow’s race would tell him more. He also said he would need further and would come on from the run. However, he was nevertheless expecting a good performance from a horse who was as fit as he could possibly be under the circumstances.
Nephrite is officially 7kg under sufferance with Mogok Master but on Premier’s Champions Stake form is 3kg better off for a mere 0,5 length beating. Furthermore, he bounced back to form in his penultimate start over 1400m when a 1,25 length second to the useful Jubilee Line in a Novice Plate. The form of that race was confirmed next time out over 1600m, although the pair were way behind two classy sorts in Unagi and Samurai Blade. Nephrite should enjoy the course and distance and has a fair draw so is the tip to win.
He could beat home Enbharr, who is also officially 7kg under sufferance with Mogok Master but looks to be on the up being by the outstanding Australian sire Fastnet Rock. He won commandingly over 1800m last time so this might be a touch sharp. However, he does make respiratory noises on occasion so the third time tongue tie might have done the trick last time and it might have been the secret behind that win rather than just the trip, considering he doddled in over 1600m in the maidens in January. Mogok Master is tipped to finish third. Africa Rising is the second best in at the weights officially and is only 3,5kg under sufferance with Mogok Master.
However, the form of his 1,3 length fourth in this year’s Gr 1 Premier’s Champions Stakes is questionable. His stablemate Rightful King could be anything, having impressed with a facile win on debut before making a respiratory noise when well beaten behind Cloth Of Cloud in the Gr 1 SA Nursery. He hasn’t run since that race in April but on pedigree, being by Right Aproach, he should enjoy this trip. Dreamuponadream has shown ability over this trip before but he returns from a three-and-a-half month layoff having been off for about a year-and-a-half before that. Le Clos enjoys this course and distance so can’t be ignored.
The value bet of the day could also be from a newcomer to the Soma yard, Cambridge Choir, who runs in the seventh over 1600m. She has snuck into the handicap with the minimum weight in this uninspiring fillies and mares event and the yard report her to be working well. Fort Ember is interesting as she won a Novice Plate returning from a year’s layoff after finishing a 2,75 length sixth in the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes. However, she was officially weighted to win the Novice Plate easily and it will be tougher back in a handicap. Secondly, the form of the Thekwini has not worked out well so she still has something to prove. However, she is well regarded and it would be no surprise to see her win. She’s A Looker could also run a good race here from a good draw over a course and distance she has a good record over.
The last race is quite tough, it being a MR 72 Handicap for fillies and mares over 2000m. However, Consequentially, being by Silvano, should be coming into her own and off a merit rating of only 59 she could follow up on her maiden win over an ideal course and distance. The progressive Laurel Cherry could be the chief danger. She might have been sent for home too soon last time, but Anthony Delpech is back aboard and will know a bit more about her, although he does now have a tricky draw to overcome. Tobesuretobesure gets a good draw for a change over an ideal course and distance so could also be in the shake up, despite being seven points higher in the merit ratings since a comfortable win over 2200m on this course in her penultimate start.
David Thiselton
