Unless you have the means and prepared to ‘buy’ money, you are unlikely to get rich backing Rodney in the All To Come Graduation Plate at Durbanville tomorrow – but you may at least add to your bank for the exotics to follow.
Although only having won twice in nine starts, the stable has pitted him against some useful opposition and given that the gelding comes from a top yard he should prove difficult to beat. Rodney started odds-on for his first outing under the new stable banner of Candice Bass-Robinson but cast a shoe in the running and emptied out over the final furlong. That was his first run since June and he should strip a much fitter horse in a race that under handicap conditions he would be giving lumps of weight.
If there is to be an upset then it could come in the form of Bishop’s Bounty although Justin Snaith’s charge could be short of a gallop or two. The country’s current leading trainer will no doubt be warming up his charge for the Cape summer after the colt showed smart juvenile form. However, he has not been out since May where he finished fourth in the Cape Nursery. Bishop’s Bounty does have scope to improve but given the conditions of tomorrow’s event it can only be class that carries him through.
Snaith is in for a busy afternoon saddling 15 runners and although things did not work out quite as expected last Wednesday where he only had a single winner from what looked to be a solid card, he can still add to his total with Overshadow in the eighth. The Trippi gelding has hardly put a foot wrong in a career spanning 10 starts including wins in his last two outings. He was given a short break after a hard-fought win over Solar Night at his penultimate outing but took a four-point rating rise in his stride, winning comfortably next time out.
He has been shunted up a further five pounds for tomorrow’s race but from a good draw looks capable of a winning hat-trick. Stable companion Star Chestnut strikes as the most likely danger but with stable first call Richard Fourie aboard Overshadow the inference is obvious.
Joey Ramsden could round off the Pick 6 with I Travel Light in the ninth but although showing promise after winning two of his first three, he has a tricky draw of 13 to overcome on the notoriously sharp Durbanville turn. Victory will stamp him as a horse for the Classic notebook.
Andrew Harrison
