Peruvian jockey out to prove his worth in SA
If you overheard someone saying “Carlos Herrera Gomez is in town” it’s a fair assumption that a South American fighter is in Johannesburg for a boxing bout.
Not so. Senor Gomez is, in fact, a successful Peruvian jockey who — mainly due to the urgings of his uncle Guillermo Figueroa — has decided to try his luck in SA. In his home country, he has won their equivalent of the Durban July — the Derby Nacional — three times taking the race in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Figueroa, who retired a few years ago, enjoyed a successful career here winning a number of big races.
Gomez had his first mounts on the highveld last Saturday and one could say he scored a second round knockout when riding his first SA winner at Turffontein on Tuesday.
Trainer Paul Peter has given Gomez his break and he was rewarded when the Peruvian scored on his four-year-old filly, Angelic, in Tuesday’s fourth race beating Gavin Lerena on the favourite, Redberry Wood.
Gomez is back at the city track on Thursday where he has four rides for Peter — Rosario (third race), Royal Future (fourth), Rebel’s Champ (eighth) and Quebec Queen in the 10th.
Of his quartet, possibly Royal Future has the best chance as the daughter of Mogok ran two
promising races before finishing unplaced at the Vaal in August. The four-year-old was reported not to be striding out that day, but Peter will have fixed that problem for today’s race.
Nevertheless, Royal Future certainly does not rate a Pick 6 banker and punters should include Pink, Miss Patriot and Vega Fox in this exotic bet. Pink, trained by Lucky Houdalakis and the mount of Gavin Lerena, will be out to recoup recent Turffontein losses.
Gomez has an each-way shout on Quebec Queen in the final event on the card as the five-year-old has not run badly all year and did finish second behind Gold Dawn in August. The top selection is Believe Me whose merit-rating has dropped after three unplaced runs.
Believe Me’s stablemate, Keyboogie, could notch his second win in the seventh race. Hennie Greyling partnered the four-year-old into second place here in September and he will be delighted that trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren has entrusted him with the ride again. There are a number of runners who could make life tough for Keyboogie, including Alpine Glacier, Pillaroftheearth and Copper Jay.
It might be best not to mention New Zealand in the presence of Springbok rugby fans, but a horse of that name could also emerge victorious in the sixth race.
Trainer St John Gray won last Saturday’s Joburg Spring Challenge with long-shot Captain Aldo, but his runner in this race, Stunned, will be one of the leading fancies with Lerena booked for the ride.
Muzi Yeni has ridden Miyoshi twice this term and he will be hoping it is third time lucky for trainer Gary Alexander’s runner, who could start favourite following his good second behind Royal Utopia.