Starflash to sparkle
STARFLASH can defy top weight in the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap at Kenilworth today because he has around 2kg in hand judged on his running in last month’s CTS Sprint.
He was a 100-1 supposed nohoper that day but he finished a creditable sixth of 20 behind Live Life and he races off the same mark. He was 5-2 favourite with World Sports Betting yesterday with Ovar and Caballo Blanco next best at 33-10 and Le Harve a 7-2 shot.
Aldo Domeyer reported that he felt something wrong with Ovar when he disappointed last time and, although nothing showed up when the racecourse vet examined him, it did at home. “He had knocked at sesamoid. He tends to do that but on this occasion he knocked it open and he was sore,” says Andre Nel who, cautions: “I think the ground is too firm for him at the moment.”
Zodiac Jack looks the one in the opener after destroying the opposition 17 days ago and Greg Ennion is understandably bullish, saying: “He has woken up and I think he has improved.”
Richard Fourie’s mount is 14-10 favourite with Sir Frenchie, also shouldering a 3kg penalty for his win in December, on 2-1.
“I give him only a small chance because Greg Ennion’s looks hard to beat,” says Justin Snaith who expects the speedily-bred R400 000 newcomer Mochavar (5-1) to need the outing.
Vaughan Marshall says much the same about fellow first-timer Nutcracker Prince (7-2) and adds that the colt will need further.
The market for the 1 200m maiden (race two) is dominated by Junta and Shrewdy who were separated by only half a length when sixth and seventh behind Dance At Dawn over the trip a fortnight ago.
As that was Shrewdy’s first outing and Junta’s third, the Nel runner should reverse the placings. He is favourite at 15-10.
But don’t ignore 5-1 shot Oakley Court just because she disappointed last time.
Her previous run puts her in with a chance and Ennion says: “The race proved to be too soon after the previous one (only 15 days) and she ran a bit flat as a result.”
It’s hard to choose between 11-10 favourite Pop The Question and Birds Eye View at 22-10 in the Summer Of Champions Maiden, particularly as Paul Reeves has struck a rich vein of form with four winners at the last three meetings.
The handicappers make Corne Orffer’s mount just half a kilo better although the sahorseracing computer has him winning by two lengths. He gets only marginal preference.