LERENA TO HAVE HIS SAY AT THE VAAL
Has improved with blinkers fitted
THREE-YEAR-OLD Talk-to the stars from Coenie de Beer’s stable has struck top form since equipped with blinkers and will be tough to beat at the Vaal turf course today when he steps out with log-leading Gavin Lerena in Race 5 and chief event, the R80 000 Racing. It’s A Rush MR 80 Handicap over 1200m.
This son of Overlord was a smart maiden winner third time out over today’s course and distance but was never a factor in his next three outings.
However, the gelding showed marked improvement in his subsequent three runs when fitted with blinkers, finishing strongly to claim a 0.60-length second in MR 68 Handicap over 1000m at the Turffontein inside track.
Ridden by Gunter Wrogemann again next time, the combination scored impressively by five lengths in a MR 68 Handicap over today’s course and distance. Lerena had the ride in the gelding’s subsequent and most recent outing when he justified strong betting support with a convincing 2.75-length win in a MR 84 Handicap over 1200m at Flamingo Park.
Dropping in class today, the three-time winner has a bright chance to complete the hat-trick.
De Beer’s charge can expect a strong challenge from St John Gray’s three-time winner Call Kelly (Andrew Fortune) who has not been out of the money in his last seven starts. Lerena knows this four-yearold’s ability as he was aboard in his three wins, the last of which was in his penultimate outing when he came from near last to snatch victory in a MR 74 Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein.
In-form Fortune had the ride in the gelding’s subsequent run when he carried 61.5kg in a similar big field and flashed up late again but just failed by a short-head in a MR 76 Handicap over the same course and distance. The combination should be in the final call again.
Not to be overlooked is Mike de Kock-trained two-time winner Foyle (JP van der Merwe). The four-year-old’s last win was six runs back when he scored impressively by four lengths in a MR 89 Handicap over the course and distance. The gelding missed the frame in his next four starts but gave a warning in his subsequent and last start that his next win will not be long in coming as he ran on well to claim third place in a MR 92 Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein with Van der Merwe up.
Despite having to carry 62.5kg top weight, highly rated novice Rough Justice (Johnny Gerou- dis) deserves respect. Though unfancied on debut, he won fluently over 1000m at this course but failed to reproduce that form and was subsequently gelded and rested for nine months. Since his return to competition he has been placed in four of his six starts, the last of which was an encouraging 1.30-length third with Geroudis aboard in a MR 91 Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein.
The pick of the others is Bradley Maroun-trained seven-time winner Cohiba (Sherman Brown). The five-year-old has been threatening another win for a while, more so, in his most recent outing when he came from last after a bad start to finish third in MR 80 Handicap over 1000m at this course. Should the gelding get away on level terms for a change, he could be involved in the finish.