Charles eyes another victory
CHARLES begins his journey to what could lead to the Cape Guineas in the Settlers Trophy Handicap at Durbanville today.
But for now the all-important question is whether he will win this.
The R6 million purchase gets into the 1 400m race with bottom weight and yesterday afternoon he was sharing 2810 favouritism with Jailhouse Rock in the books of Betting World.
He was good enough to win at the first time of asking – no mean achievement - and he was then a more than respectable third to One World in the Langerman.
“It is not easy to find races for him but we have a programme mapped out and this is the first leg,” says Brett Crawford.
“He is taking on experienced horses and it will be a nice test for him. He has only had the one grass gallop since the Langerman but he is very well and I am happy with him.”
Francois Herhodlt takes over because stable jockey Corne Orffer has to really struggle to do 52kg and Crawford does not want the colt to have to carry even half a kilo overweight.
He is rated 92, the same as Hemmingway but nine points inferior to Mac De Lago, and gets the weight-for age allowances from his rivals – and at this stage he has more potential than any of them.
But Jailhouse Rock is preferred. Justin Snaith said in a Tellytrack interview on Saturday that anyone who made money that day should play up their winnings at today’s meeting.
Seemingly he expects to have a good day. He did not specifically mention this horse but the colt was unable to get a clear run when beaten a short head by Hemmingway last time and is half a kilo better. Admittedly that was three months ago but at 28-10 Richard Fourie’s mount makes considerable appeal. Hemmingway is next in the market at 3-1 and Andre Nel expects him to run a big race.
“He had two weeks in a paddock (after his last run) and has had two gallops since. One of those was here and he went well. This is his trip.”
There is no such confidence behind 81 top weight Mac De Lago.
“His prep has gone haywire,” admits Dan Katz.
“I was hoping to get two races into him before the Algoa Cup but both were cancelled so I am using this as his prep run.”
A much bigger danger is Zeb who is on a hat-trick after two wins over this trip and Greg Cheyne’s mount has been backed from 5-1 to 7-2 with World Sports Betting.
Front And Centre carries a firsttime-out-of-the-maidens warning in the 1400m handicap (race seven) but she won so well on debut that she should go in again. She has already been backed and, if you can get better than 15-10, you will be doing well.
Stable companion Engage And Beware appeals at 33-10 in the first while 22-10 favourite Minona looks another for the Snaith-Fourie combination in race two.