Brave Move hard to oppose
The remarkable Brave Move bids to make it four in a row in the TAB Telebet Handicap at Durbanville today and she is well-nigh impossible to oppose.
She won very comfortably over this course and distance last time, leading a furlong from home and was far from all out.
Indeed Ado Domeyer (pictured) was patting her down the shoulder as he crossed the line.
The just under two-length margin flattered those behind and the handicappers have been generous in only raising her five points.
Early punters have taken advantage, backing her from evens to 9-10.
Marcus
“She is in very good form although the only thing is that she has gone up in the handicap very quickly,” comments Adam Marcus.
“It is no secret what we think of her and after this she steps up in class for the Ladies Mile and the Final Fling.”
Domeyer sticks with her even though his own stable runs Intothelimelight who has been raised six points for her narrow win over two furlongs further three months ago.
“My filly has had a break but she is doing well,” says Candice Bass-Robinson. “55.5kg is a bit too light for Aldo and she is better over further. I’m not sure that she can beat Brave Move over a mile.”
Intothelimelight will be ridden for the first time by Grant van Niekerk and has been nibbled at from 3-1 to 5-2 second favourite with World Sports Betting.
Philae has eased from 28-10 to 7-2 but it’s worth bearing in mind that many of those Andre Nel horses that ran when the stable was under the weather have probably dropped to a slightly lower rating than their real ability warrants. This one made the running when just over three lengths third to Brave Move last time, is 3.5kg better and her useful rider claims a further 4kg. She looks the danger.
The probably still improving Samsara (13-2) has been upped five points for her win over 1 400m at Kenilworth and, significantly, Greg Ennion says: “I don’t think the handicappers have caught up with her yet and I’m not worried about the mile.”
Top weight Epona completes the line-up and is the outsider of the party at 8-1. She has been dropped three points for her unplaced run over two furlongs further in January.
“We discovered a couple of little things – really just bad habits – that we are working on and she has been at Lammerskraal, the new owners,” says Joey Ramsden. “Sally has done a great job with her but she needs much further and I think she will also need the run.”
Dancing For Rain
Two-year-old Dancing For Rain has drifted from evens to 21-20 in the first and preference is for 33-10 chance Vase while Giant Flag may beat 5-2 favourite Magnificent Seven in race three.
Rhustar Dow (33-10) is a course specialist but the shorter trip is a concern in race six.
The talented Made In Hollywood, not seen since starting favourite and finishing second in the Strelitzia Stakes nearly 12 months ago, will be back in action at Kenilworth on Saturday week.
Joey Ramsden has put her in both the Highlands Stud Winter Guineas and Sweet Chestnut Stakes and said: “She went wrong after running at Scottsville but she is doing exceptionally well at the moment and she could run in either race.”
Candice Bass-Robinson has the biggest hand in the Winter Guineas with a quarter of the 16 entries - Selangor winner Rocket Countdown, Ben-hur, What A Summer and What A Joker. She said: “Most of them are drawn in the bush but at this stage they will all probably run.”