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The progressive Pillar Of Hercules can make it three off the reel in the Itsarush.co.za Handicap at Kenilworth on Thursday but watch out for Lord Balmoral.
It is rare to have racing in Cape Town on a Thursday but the Joey Ramsden-trained colt is well bred enough to win whenever and wherever. By Captain Al, he is out of the Rock Of Gibraltar mare Gibraltar Blue who won both the KZN Fillies Guineas and the Tibouchina for Mike de Kock in 2010 after showing smart form in Britain and Ireland as a two-year-old.
Donovan Dillon’s mount followed up a good-style win at Durbanville by scoring first time out of the maidens at Kenilworth a fortnight ago. He has gone up 2kg for that and probably didn’t have 2kg in hand but he is almost certainly still improving.
Lord Balmoral owes punters plenty after disappointing when hot favourite in his last two runs but he looked the business in his previous two and he has been dropped 2kg for last time when there was a valid excuse. “We found he had a bit of an upper airwaves infection,” says Vaughan Marshall who thinks enough of the horse to run him again on Saturday week in the R2.5 million Lanzerac Ready To Run.
Pillar Of Hercules opened at 5-2 with World Sports Betting on Tuesday and hardened to 22-10 yesterday while Lord Balmoral is on 5-2. According to the sahorseracing computer they will finished first and second. Fire Master looks fully exposed and is a 15-2 chance, Zud Wes (9-2) beat him a head in July and is half a kilo better but has been off ever since while Desert Fighter has not raced since just holding on in a blanket finish on the polytrack on Durban July day.
Surely not even the in-form Dennis Drier can get him to win this although the bookmakers are taking no chances and will only offer 22-10. It is difficult to find a realistic reason for supporting either Seven Wood (15-1) or Tiger Tiger (18-1) even with Richard Fourie in the irons.
Over Drive opened favourite for the first (and hardened to odds-on yesterday) despite proving expensive in his two Durbanville outings although stable expectations are not that high. “We are hoping that he will run a good race but we are not confident of winning,” says Chris Snaith.
I thought it would pay to side with 18-10 chance Maxamore instead. Darryl Hodgson has booked Grant van Niekerk for the gelding who showed promise on debut at Durbanville last month despite losing ground at the start and running green. However Gstaad, who finished half a length in front of him when third that day, let the form down here last Saturday and so Over Drive is given another chance.
Captain Gambler, who gave weight to the three who finished in front of her in last month’s Durbanville graduation, could be the answer to the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap at 7-2.
The money has already come for Pure Logic in race four and the Dean Kannemeyer colt has shortened from 9-2 to 5-2. That looks a tip worth taking.
Drier should again provide the winner of the getting out stakes and Mogostar has already been backed in the last, shortening from 15-10 to 11-10.
Preview and form for the meeting at Kenilworth on Thursday. Selections by Warren Lenferna.
Race 1
Preview: MAXAMORE made a smart debut and can improve to go close to winning. OVER DRIVE has the form to be very competitive here and if he were to win it would not be out of turn. FLOWER BLUE has a quartet chance at best in this field. (Warren Lenferna 8-2-4)Race 2
Preview: PILLAR OF HERCULES has won his last two in the manner of a good horse and I can find no reason why he cannot reel off the hat trick – hard to beat. KZN raider DESERT FIGHTER returns from a long rest and might just need this run. In saying that, he seems talented and if fit enough will be very competitive. ZUD WES also returns from a rest but has solid form – do not ignore his chances. LORD BALMORAL has been so costly to follow recently that I am nervous to go with him again – wait for a form return rather. (Warren Lenferna 5-3-7)Race 3
Preview: BRAAISTIN has been knocking hard at the door recently and is way overdue his maiden win – without too much confidence he is selected to get it right this afternoon. GIVE IT AWAY has tons of scope to improve and could well be the horse to beat. AIM FOR GLORY is by a stallion that is not really firing but his debut effort was good enough to warrant including in the quartet. (Warren Lenferna 1-12-9)Race 4
Preview: SOARING PAST is seldom far off the action and looks ready now. PURE LOGIC and DESERT WISDOM all have fair maiden form to warrant inclusion in most bets. (Warren Lenferna 6-5-3)Race 5
Preview: OUR LADY PEACE should relish the 1800m trip she tries today. Her last run over the mile was good – she was staying on and showed good improvement. Stable and jockey in form and rates the horse they all have to beat – confident selection. RUBYANA and JACK AND JILL are worth including in the quartet. RUBYANA has fair form and is seldom far off the action – she has a big chance. (Warren Lenferna 16-9-11)Race 6
Preview: CAPTAIN GAMBLER has consistent and solid form and should be very competitive here. MY EMBLEM ran a cracker last time when nearly winning and a repeat and improvement on that run will see her produce another bold run. SILVAN STAR is honest and it would be foolish to not include her in your play. (Warren Lenferna 5-7-3)Race 7
Preview: PETE’S GIRL was an impressive maiden debut winner and she looks above average – she is selected to win again and remain unbeaten. MISS MALBEC won her maiden last time – it is always tough first time in open company but her form is consistent and she could run well here. NOT ON MY WATCH is better than her last run and should do better here. (Warren Lenferna 2-3-1)Race 8
Preview: GLORIOUS GOODWOOD (recent maiden winner), ARGO SOLO (returning from a rest but was seldom far off the action before that and lightly raced) and ASTRAPI (the value bet on the card) have chances in this race. ASTRAPI could provide some attractive each way value. (Warren Lenferna 7-3-14)Race 9
Preview: CREAM OF CHROME showed good improvement from run one to run two and rates a strong winning chance here. Others in with strong chances are: MOGOSTAR (good debut in KZN) and RELAXED WANDERER (well bred first timer from the Snaith camp) (Warren Lenferna 11-15-16)
