Je Ne Sais Quoi shares Minnesota’s Dream
Vendee Globe to shed maiden tag
With an impressive 22.86% win-strike rate, there is clearly no better combination to follow than that of jockey S’manga Khumalo and conditioner Joey Ramsden at the moment. They team up four times at Kenilworth today and are likely to increase this percentage when Minnesota Dream lines up in Race 1, a Juvenile Plate over 1200m on the Summer track. This smashing Visionaire colt lost three lengths out the gates on debut but somehow managed produce a devastating turn of foot over the last 400m or so – impressively passing rivals like they were standing still – to defeat Kamadeva a lot easier than the 0.75-length margin suggests. In fact, Khumalo was easing up this twoyear-old passing the 50m marker. He was full of running! “He definitely gave me a nice feel. The manner in which he won was great,” said Khumalo on Tellytrack. Ramsden added: “You just don’t see many horses get left like that over 1000m, pick it up, get back in the race and still manage to finish off like he did. He is a big strong horse.”
If Minnesota Dream can reproduce anything close to that triumph, he will be very hard to beat, making him a worthy BiPot banker.
The Vaughan Marshall-trained Ground Control was backed to 19-20 hotpot favourite on debut and wasn’t disgraced, finishing a length behind Double Alliance over the minimum trip. He will improve many lengths now that he knows a thing or two about racing. His chances of disappointing the selection are further increased by the fact he shoulders 3kg less. It is advised you keep an eagle eye on the betting for guidance as the remaining eight runners in this contest are first timers.
For the TAB double go with Minnesota Dream (Race 1) and the Andre Neltrained Vendee Globe who contests Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1200m. Considering this Gimmethegreenlight gelding was returning from a 10-month stint off the racetrack in his most recent effort, he ran an absolute cracker, finishing 2.50 lengths behind Gimmetherain.
Aldo Domeyer’s mount will strip a fitter horse and, as a result, should have no trouble outclassing a field of this nature. Plus that last form line has produced a winner.
Glen Kotzen-trained Je Ne Sais Quoi looks very hard to oppose when she reunites with jockey Craig Zackey in Race 4, a FM Maiden Plate over 2000m.
This Duke Of Marmalade filly has been the unluckiest of losers in her last three offerings, and was beaten a narrow 0.30 lengths into third by Principessa over 1800m last time out. The manner in which she finished that event strongly suggests she’ll prove most lethal over the extra 400m. Je Ne Sais Quoi is also drawn at an advantageous No 3.
Although she is the joint best-weighted runner in this 12-horse field along with Danger Zone, the latter finished ahead of Kotzen’s charge in their most recent outing and gets apprentice jockey Sandile Mbhele in the irons, who claims 2.5kg. To take a bet go to www.bettingworld.co.za or www.tabonline.co.za