Multiple-times Cape champion trainer Mike Bass sends out last year’s Gr 1 Mercury Sprint winner Fly by Night in Saturday’s star-studded Gr 1 City Of Pietermaritzburg Fillies Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville and even if she bounces back from her last place finish in the Gr 1 Computaform Sprint she will have her work cut out to repeat last year’s close second.
The yard also run Ashton Park in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint and Jet Air in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion.
The five-year-old Jet Master mare Fly By Night travelled well to Johannesburg for the Computaform Sprint, but then went down to the start striding short and took no interest in the race. The yard trotted her up afterwards and found nothing wrong. However, Bass’s assistant trainer Robert Fayd’Herbe said about her from Summerveld this week, “One or two hiccups have been ironed out and she galloped well on Saturday. She always does well in KZN and I think she will be back to her best, although she is drawn near the outside.” She jumps from draw ten, but that shouldn’t be too much of a disadvantage in an eleven horse field.
Fayd’Herbe said that the five-year-old Battersea Park gelding Ashton Park had been doing very well. On paper this sprint-miler is 4kg better off with Captain Of All for a 3,6 length beating in the Gr 2 Diadem Stakes over 1200m at Kenilworth. However, that doesn’t tell the story of him being completely taken out by runner up Copper Parade when making a forward move on the outside rail, although on the other hand that was Captain Of All’s second run after a yearlong rest and he likely still needed it. Ashton Park unfortunately has a wide draw of 13 to contend with but should be running on strongly late.
Fayd’herbe described the Visionaire colt Jet Air as a “nice little horse” and felt the yard had done enough with him “to run a nice race”, but he added that his main aim would be the Gr 1 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m on Vodacom Durban July day. In his second start in the maidens in March over 1400m at Kenilworth, he showed fair pace to overcome a wide draw, before sitting in second and winning cosily. He should enjoy the tough 1200m and is a dark horse from draw three.
Stable jockey Grant van Niekerk rides all three of the yard’s Gr 1 contenders.
By David Thiselton
Picture: Fly By Night (Liesl King)
