Lafferty has the perfect Sniper Shot
March Music the best bet today
Trainer Paul Lafferty’s charge Sniper Shot’s consistency was finally rewarded on Friday when impressively winning the R400 000 Grade 2 Post Merchants by 0.50 lengths under a masterful ride by Keagan de Melo. “He’s a brilliant horse,” said Lafferty. He ran second in the Guineas. “He was drawn 13th here and he lost to Undercover Agent – running second that day. He’s just a really good horse.” Back Cat Black was backed to 7-2 favourite following the late scratching of stable companion and favourite Sunset Eyes. Brett Crawford’s charge led the pack gallantly with Wonderwall, Attenborough, Our Mate Art, Legislate and Wynkelder next best. Sniper Shot had 5.65 lengths to make up with the leaders passing the 400m, and did so effortlessly catching Back Cat Black over the last 50m. Most impressive about this win is that De Melo didn’t pull his stick out until the last 100m! They were followed by Wynkelder and Pure Blonde who rounded off the Quartet which paid R1401.90. Legislate showed early pace but finished last, beaten a disappointing 26.90 lengths. Keeping true to form, there was another massive Pick 6 Carryover on the Highveld circuit, this time at Saturday’s Turffontein meeting where only three favourites were victorious on the tenrace card which caused a spine tingling R1.4 million pay-out! The horse to follow going forward is Mike de Kock-trained Royal Crusade who finally regained winning form to justify 10-3 favouritism in a Graduation Plate over 1600m under jockey Callan Murray following three decent efforts in the Triple Crown. This Silvano gelding was stone last passing the 400m marker under a comfortable ride by Murray behind long time leaders Full Mast (Piere Strydom) and Alssakhra (Calvin Habib). The latter’s stride began to shorten drastically once pressured by Strydom who looked to have ridden the perfect winning ride on Full Mast, but Murray had other ideas! He switched Royal Crusade to the inside rail and once he asked the gelding to run, he produced a devastating turn of foot in the dying stages impressively passing rivals with each stride to outclass Full Mast by an extending 0.50 lengths. Racing is on the Fairview Polytrack today and apprentice jockey Lyle Hewitson’s dominance on the South African racing scene is set to continue courtesy of March Music. She runs in Race 1 a Fillies Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1300m and is regarded as being the best bet on the card. A daughter of Bold Silvano, she has finished inspiring second in two consecutive outings on the turf. March Music’s style of running suggests that she will be as lethal on the Polytrack as she has proved to be on the turf.