Fortune sets early pace
ANDREW Fortune has come out of the starting blocks like Wade van Niekerk at the Olympics and at his current strike rate he could well lead all the way to his second jockey’s championship albeit only two weeks into the season.
Enigmatic Fortune signalled before the start of the current season that he had his eye on the championship and his name has been pencilled in at meetings around the country.
It was Kimberley on Monday - where one winner took his total to 13 - Kenilworth yesterday and back to the Vaal today where he teams up with Vaal-based ‘Lucky’ Houdalakis in five races.
Best of those rides could come in the sixth, a Novice Plate over 1400m, where he partners the lightly raced Nephrite.
The four-year-old has only had six outings in two seasons but his form has tailed off of late after making a promising start to his career.
He has had his problems much to Houdalakis’s frustration but he showed a glimpse of his better form when fading late in a tough handicap last time out.
The handicappers gave him a generous nine-pound relief in the handicap and although this is a conditions race, had he run off his previous mark he would be on a par with Jubilee Line who is weighted to win.
Jubilee Line
Mike de Kock’s runner is more at home over ten furlongs and further and although he does like to race handy, this 1400m trip could find him out while Nephrite is over his optimum trip.
The year younger Sky High Flyer shed his maiden comfortably at second time of asking but has a tough task at the weights as he is 11kg under sufferance with Jubilee Line.
But he does look progressive and cannot be written off lightly.
Fortune is aboard the Houdalakis runner Counterstroke in the second. The gelding is dropping in class and running off a reduced merit rating over an ideal trip so he should be competitive.
Apple Crumble
However, the lightly raced Apple Crumble has won three of his five starts and was not unduly punished by the handicappers for his recent win, only getting three pounds. He should enjoy the rise in trip.
Apprentice Lyle Hewitson is finding life a lot tougher now that he has lost his claim but he is a wise head on young shoulders.
Champion trainer Sean Tarry has kept him aboard beaten favourite Tennessee Red in the opening leg of the Pick 6 and the pair can make amends for their recent disappointment.
Tennessee Red made a late start to her career and has only had three outings.
The penny should have dropped by now and she is taken to get home ahead of Bank The Bill and Realist but it may also pay to keep an eye on the market as De Kock saddles an Irish-bred daughter of Epson Derby winner High Chaparral who does not have to be any kind of star to win in a weak field.
The Australian-bred filly Khetiwe has shown some promise but has proved a bit headstrong in her last couple of starts.
She drops back to a sprint and this could prove her best trip.
Nine O' Clock News is also lightly raced and is a possible danger.
Pippi Shortsock has shown some ability and can run into the money. These three look the principal runners in another moderate maiden field.
Our Miracle
Fortune and Houdalakis look to have another bright chance in the fifth with top weight Our Miracle.
The daughter of Mogok has been taken to the front by Fortune in her last two outings over 1400m and although the drop to 1200m is not always a recipe for success she has shown enough speed to pull it off.
Tripadvisor has been up against stronger in recent starts and found some market support at her last start. She steps up in trip but has shown a tendency to be tardy out of the gate so the extra furlong could work in her favour.