Drageda can make good on his promise
DRAGEDA has been expensive to follow, a beaten favourite in three of his first four starts, before landing the odds at Scottsville last time out. He makes his handicap debut at Greyville today and now that he has broken the ice he does look capable of following up in the Track & Ball Fixed Odds Handicap.
Anton Marcus, who rode a superb race on Legal Eagle in the l’Ormarins Queen’s Plate on Saturday, has been making the long drive from Umhlanga to Ashburton to put a few of the Duncan Howells horses through their paces in the morning and he wasted no time on Drageda, bouncing the gelding out of the gate and keeping him going to hold Kazaar who he faces again this afternoon.
Kazaar paid tribute to that form, coming home and easy winner of his next outing for Dennis Bosch and under Marcus.
Marcus has kept faith with Drageda which may prove significant. Howells, was of the opinion that Drageda would get further, an opinion shared by Marcus, and with a smart draw over the Greyville seven on the poly. He can go in again.
Kazaar and Master Sam will have their supporters but chief threat could come in the form of Air Chief Marshall. He takes a major drop in class and has also dropped significantly in the ratings which should make him a serious threat.
Frank Robinson has been in a rich vein of form of late and if the form comments in the Computaform are to be relied upon then Autumn Rain should be difficult to beat in the Racing. It’s a Rush Maiden. However, he does take a major jump in trip which may be a reason for caution. Anthony Delpech has stuck with the ride and no doubt gave Robinson advice after their close-up second in a 1 200m sprint so one needs to show some faith.
Lord Of Glencoe
Lord Of Glencoe on the other hand is a lightly raced four-year-old who is bred to go two miles and made good improvement when Belinda Impey sent him out in blinkers for the first time.
Along with Barking Irons and Itdawnedonme, he could upset.
A more optimistic trainer you will never meet than Tony Nassif and when he makes his way into town from his Turffontein base you had better take note.
He saddles Queenie in the tabGOLD Information App Handicap and along with Madame Excess could make for a good boxed exacta.
Queenie has put in two smart efforts since shedding her maiden and with apprentice Ashton Arries claiming his 1.5kg Queenie could prove difficult to peg back. Howells has declared Madame Excess in blinkers for the first time and her best form is on the poly.
Joint bottom weight and a good draw should make her a serious contender. The Track & Ball Gaming Handicap has a wide open look about it but as the old saying goes, “when in doubt, back the top weight”. Hidden Thought shed her maiden last time out but that was only her fifth visit to the track.
She has improved with each outing and with Marcus in the saddle for good measure, she must warrant serious consideration.
Lady Lisha comes from an in-form yard and although only a narrow winner in a qualified maiden she is showing signs of improvement.
Eina, Salsa Queen and Summer In The City are others to consider in a tricky handicap.
Trainers are slowly cottoning on to the fact that barrier trials, far from leaking information, are a valuable opportunity to get in a solid gallop before a race.
Ideal Winter won her barrier trial but considering that 1000m is far from her optimum trip, the blinkers she wore for the first time did seem to sharpen her up. She has a tricky draw over the mile in the Gold Circle Facebook Handicap but first-time blinkers may be the key. She will however, have to be sharp as the Louis Goosen / Gunter Wrogemann combination is proving lethal at present and they team up with Shifting Gears who was narrowly beaten over course and distance last time out. With a better draw than her rival and possibly more at home over this trip, she will be a major threat.