De Kock stable in with a chance
Secret Captain, a half-brother to star filly Bela-Bela, is unlikely to reach the heights of his famous relative, but the grey looks the most likely winner of Saturday’s R150,000 Drum Star Handicap at Turffontein.
The four-year-old cost R1m as a yearling and to date has earned R539,000. The Captain Al gelding is one of three runners from the De Kock yard, which is also represented by Kilrain and Fareeq.
Jockey bookings — Anthony Delpech rides Secret Captain — suggest his mount is the stable elect although his stablemates, Kilrain and Fareeq, have enjoyed successful seasons. Both will have to overcome wide draws while Delpech has the luxury of pole position.
Pilou, a son of Western Winter, is a three-time winner, but has not lived up to his early promise and beat only two home in a 12-horse field at the Vaal in February.
Lyle Hewitson’s booking for stablemate Shenanigans is a pointer to the chance of the Dynasty colt, who has won three of his past five starts. The four-year-old could be the right horse to couple in the swinger with Secret Captain.
Saturday’s race is named after a top performer, Drum Star, who won 13 races in the care of Gary Alexander. The Turffontein trainer has two runners in this, Top Shot and 2017 winner The Elmo Effect. They will both be outsiders in the betting.
St John Gray’s Dawn Assault nearly beat Orchid Island on his most recent appearance. A reproduction of that effort will put him right in the mix.
Chepardo has won six races and his pedigree suggests he should stay this 1,800m. The six-year-old could be the surprise package in this event.
Mpumelelo Mjoka rides Chepardo and he can go close in Eleanor, and she will strip fitter following her run behind Yellow Metal at the city track in February. Stablemate Lady Val could be anything as she won her maiden for James Goodman on the Greyville polytrack in October 2017 and makes her Highveld debut in this race.
A runner with the same low weight as Lady Val is Geoff Woodruff’s Var filly Schippers. The three-year-old could go well in the hands of in-form jockey Marco van Rensburg.
Friday’s Cheltenham Gold Cup is the highlight of the famous festival and Might Bite is favourite to win the race for trainer Nick Henderson and jockey Nico de Boinville.
Henderson is worried his bold-jumper might not appreciate the likely heavy ground, and this view has resulted in support for Native River in the ante-post market. The Duke also has his supporters, but Might Bite’s jumping could tip the scales in his favour.
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