St Tropez is expected to do better than his hot-shot stablemate The Conglomerate in this Saturday’s R400,000 Joburg Spring Challenge (Grade 2) at Turffontein.

The race, on the Inside track, is run at weight-for-age plus penalties for Grade 1 and 2 wins.

Alson Ndzilana, assistant trainer to Joey Ramsden, believes The Conglomerate will need a sharpener in his first run since scoring his historic win from the widest draw in the Vodacom Durban July.

Ndzilana says: “The 1450m of the Spring Challenge is sharp for him but this is a prep run – he’s going for the Emperors Palace Charity Mile early next month and his main aim is the SANSUI Summer Cup at the end of November.”

The Conglomerate has also not drawn well over a course and distance where many regard a low-number draw as essential. “I am concerned about the draw, but we’ll drop him out and I’m hoping to see him run on strongly at the end,” said the assistant trainer. “He should run a pretty good race.”

Donovan Dillon will be in the saddle instead of jockey Piere Strydom, who rode The Conglomerate in Durban July and who does not have a mount in the feature.

“Joey only likes using Piere when we’re expecting to do well,” explained Ndzilana.

Anton Marcus, who is in tip-top form since a three-week hiatus with five wins and six places from as many mounts in the last week, is the jockey booked for St Tropez.

The five-year-old Silvano gelding ran a fair race over this course and distance last month, when fourth behind Bulleting Home in a Pinnacle Stakes. He will sport blinkers for the first time “to sharpen him up a little bit because 1450m is not his trip”.

Added Ndzilana: “He’s also in Johannesburg to run in the Charity Mile and the Summer Cup and his prep is going nicely. He has a good draw on Saturday. I’m hoping for luck in running.”

Goodhope Racing’s third runner is Tabreek in a 1450m MR 80 Handicap. Take the hint – Strydom is riding him!

He won well over 1600m on the Inside track last time out and Ndzilana is hoping an eight-point hike in his merit rating will not impact too much on his future.

He also drew wide but with only nine runners in the field that should not be too much of an issue.

“He’ll run a very nice race,” said Ndzilana.

TABnews