Don’t nod off into ‘Lala’ land
PUNTERS didn’t have things easy at Scottsville on Sunday and it doesn’t look to get any better at the same venue this afternoon. The return to turf, especially turf that has hardly seen a horse for two months, has resulted in big, competitive fields which makes for interesting racing but those punters who do their homework should be well rewarded.
The mare Lala has always had a touch of class and now that she has found form again after a spell in the wilderness, she rates the horse to beat in the Pinnacle Stakes that heads the card. She is well in at the weights, made even more favourable with 2.5kg claimer Denis Schwarz in the saddle, and she ran a cracking second to the well thought-off Neptune’s Rain at Greyville last time out.
She steps up in trip here but the addition of blinkers at her last two outings appear to have give her a new lease on her racing life and she should go close to adding a seventh victory to her CV.
It is unlikely to be straight forward however, as she faces some useful opponents of which Onesie looks to be the chief protagonist.
Onesie has had one outing for Mark Dixon and is was a smart return from a break on the Greyville poly when second to Osprey. Given that she is seldom far back and over what looks to be her optimum trip, she will be a serious threat to Doug Campbell’s mare.
The Grey Crusader has been fighting a losing battle to date, threatening but not quite able to close the deal. That could all change in the first leg of the Pick 6 where Campbell has a chance of getting one on the board ahead of Lala. Unplaced only once in six outing, The Grey Crusader sports blinkers today which may be what he needs to keep his mind on the job at hand.
One to keep an eye on is Minaloushe Venture who has his first outing for Dennis Bosch. He was eight lengths back to the Bosch ‘hottie’ Billy Silver last time out but is sure to have come on from that effort.
Everlasting Love
Barrier trials have yet to yield a winner, although Special Force ran the hot favourite Vertical Decent close at Scottsville on Sunday, but that could change in the fifth where Robbie Hill sends out the imported filly Everlasting Love for owner/breeder Bernard Kantor. She didn’t break any records in her trial but gave the impression that she could be fairly useful.
Veteran trainer James Goodman hands in his trainer’s brief mid-way through this month and will surely be looking to have a winner before he leaves Summerveld. Anton Marcus will no doubt have been the oracle after he partnered Gimme Hope Johanna into third behind the strongly fancied Meet The Logans last time out and he stays aboard as Gimme Hope Johanna stretches to seven furlongs.
But there are plenty of others in with chances including Victorious Diva from the currently inform Michael Roberts yard, Kinglassie and Silver Raisin all fitting the bill.
Brett Crawford has had one runner and one winner out of his new Summerveld satellite yard and it could be two-from-two as assistant Peter Muscutt saddles Miss Carrera in the seventh where Girl In Gold and Minnie The Moocher strike as the most likely threats.