Ten Gun springs a surprise
THE bookmakers were left a bit confused by the result of the Gr2 Betting World 1 900 at Greyville on Friday night and there lack of any knee jerk reactions might have been due to the testing going conditions in which the race was run coupled with the moderate pace.
The July log panellists will also be left with a few headaches.
The famously hard working Ashburton-based trainer Duncan Howells was rewarded again for the commitment of himself and his team when Ten Gun Salute recovered from a pulled muscle in his back, suffered just two weeks previously in the Drill Hall Stakes, to put in a sterling performance.
It was ironic that Howell’s discarded former stable jockey, Muzi Yeni, was aboard.
Yeni has now been aboard for all four of the Australian-bred four-year-old’s career victories and it was his good relationship with the horse which prompted owners, Hein and Hester Kuhn, to offer him the ride.
Howells had said before the SA Champions Season began that this horse had greatly benefited from a farm holiday and gelding.
“He had become very headstrong and difficult to hold in work, but he is now a completely different horse,” he had said.
That was proven in no uncertain terms on Friday night.
Yeni circled the field from the near the back as they entered the straight.
Ten Gun Salute then moved up effortlessly under the hands and hit the front at the 300m mark.
Yeni only had to get to work in the final 150m and Ten Gun Salute won by a cosy 1,5 lengths.
The Henrythenavigator gelding raced off a 100 merit rating and under the conditions of the Betting World 1900 can be raised a maximum of only six points.
That means as things stand he will carry exactly the same weight as he did in last year’s July, 55,5kg.
He will thus be 2kg better off this year if weight for age is taken into account.
Furthermore, he was only 3,25 lengths back last year, but had clearly improved this year with gelding.
Ten Gun Salute
However, Betting World only have Ten Gun Salute at 25/1 for the July, although he did shorten from 80/1. This suggests they are not taking the 1900 result too seriously, especially when comparing him to Elusive Silva.
The latter finished a 3,25 length fifth on Friday night, despite receiving 2kg from the winner.
Ten Gun Salute will only have to give Elusive Silva 2,5kg in the July, as things stand. Yet Elusive Silva only drifted out slightly to 10/1 in the July betting.
The going on Friday night was soft, heavy in places, and the official penetrometer reading was 29,3 and in Elusive Silva’s defence he did become cramped for room at a crucial stage in the straight.
He was staying on at the line in a race which was not run fast enough for him. He will relish the extra trip of the July.
However, the July log panellists have a headache as Elusive Silva was in 16th place on the first log and in the 1900 was beaten by three July entries who were all below him, Ten Gun Salute, Tilbury Fort and It’s My Turn.
Dean Kannemeyer might also be tempted to supplement the progressive Silvano gelding Mr Winsome, who deadheated for third, beaten two lengths running at level weights with the winner.
The three-year-old Horse Chestnut colt Tilbury Fort has always been noted for his courage and having run a good 2,8 length fourth in the Gr 2 Betting World Gauteng Guineas, he proved his disappointing run in the Gr 1 SA Classic had nothing to do with his stamina capacity.
He had the advantage of pole position draw on Friday night.
He was able to get into the box seat behind his stablemate Serissa, who set nothing more than a steady pace.
From there he stayed on resolutely for a 1,5 length second, receiving 4kg from the winner.
On weight for age terms, he was only 1,5kg better off with the winner.
It’s My Turn
It’s My Turn was one of the best value horses in the early ante-post betting at around 22/1 as he has the beating of Marinaresco on the form of the Met and the latter remains the joint July favourite with Betting World at 15/2.
On Friday night It’s My Turn overcame a draw of ten to be alongside Tilbury Fort in the running and he stayed on well to dead-heat for third, despite having to be switched from behind a slowing horse at the top of the straight. He gave the winner 2kg and was beaten only two lengths.
Under the conditions of the race, placed horses can’t be raised, so he will carry 55,5kg in the July as things stand.
This puts him on an even keel with Ten Gun Salute on the form of the 1900, but will also have come on from this run as it was his first since The Met.
It’s My Turn finished fourth in the July last year as a three-year-old carrying the same 55,5kg. Betting World have shortened him to 14/1.
Mr Winsome weaved his way through the field from last and was finishing fastest of all. Three-time July-winning trainer Kannemeyer often arrives in KZN without a July runner, but then one merges, and that one looks to be Mr Winsome this year.
It would be no surprise to see him supplemented after this fine effort, particularly in light of him being part-owned by long-time stalwart KZN owners Roy and Gladys Meaker.
Prince Of Wales, a borderline horse on the first log did not enhance his chances of making the final field, as he could only stay on steadily for a 4,4 length eighth.
Master Switch was 20th on the first log, but his 10,15 length eleventh was the third time in three outings at Greyville he has finished out of the frame.
Banner Hill, Macduff and Copper Pot did not enhance their chances of making the field, finishing 7th, 9th and 12th respectively. The long-striding Rocketball finished tailed off last and remains a massive disappointment.