Crowd Pleaser to live up to his name
DEAN Kannemeyer has a strong hand in the World Sports Betting 1900 with two talented horses, It’s My Turn and The Slade, neither of whom will have any problem seeing out the trip.
The five-year-old Dynasty gelding It’s My Turn won the Investec Cape Derby for Justin Snaith as a three-year-old and joined the Kannemeyer yard this season after being farm rested following joint chip surgery.
Kannemeyer said, “The surgery was very successful and he is very sound. I put him in a Scottsville race over 1400m to sharpen him up and he then ran a very good third in the King’s Cup. That was very encouraging. He will now be at peak racing fitness. It is a tough race but will be a good test for him.
I think he is a 2000-2400m horse. He is a borderline for the Vodacom Durban July and is ready for the race and doing well. He galloped nicely recently at Summerveld, so is fit and Keagan de Melo knows him well."
It's My Turn does have quite a tricky draw of seven.
However, Kannemeyer said it could have been worse and he hoped for some luck in running.
Kannemeyer has now taken on De Melo as his first choice rider for the SA Champions Season following the unfortunate injury to Anthony Delpech.
He said, “He rides my first and second strings. He is a top man and is a light weight.
He is beautifully balanced and has great potential.”
He said about the progressive four-year-old Philanthropist gelding The Slade, “He is looking exceptionally well.
We had expected a better performance last time (1,8 length fourth in The Sledgehammer) but Anton Marcus said afterwards the slow pace had not suited him. It was also his first run since January and after he was switched out he kept on rolling all the way to the line.
“I have always thought him to be a 2 000-2 400m horse. I have kept him in the July because he has continued to improve. This will be a good test for him and will show whether he is good enough for the July.
If not another route will be planned for him, like the Lonsdale etc, as I have always wanted to put him in staying races.”
Warren Kennedy rides from a tricky draw of nine. The frontrunner Crowd Pleaser could be the key horse in the field and Kannemeyer’s pair would both appreciate a good pace.