Louis The King tops Summer Cup log
FORM: BOTH BLAZING AL AND TRAINER SEAN TARRY ARE IN TOP FORM
T Tiger Territory has a weight advantage over his rivals.
here has been an interesting debate on whether Trip Tease is as good a horse on the turf as he is on the sand and whether his merit rating of 112 is justified. This issue is not the purpose of this preview, only to note that as Trip Tease has gone up, he has brought Blazing Al along with him.
The pair have run against one another in their last three starts with Trip Tease winning twice and Blazing Al once so each time Louis Goosen’s charge has had his rating adjusted, Blazing Al has not been far behind him.
However, while Trip Tease has been given one rating for both surfaces Blazing Al runs off a 94 on turf and 91 on the sand. Considering he has won three times on sand – one of them being a 2.75-length victory over Trip Tease – but has not been victorious in four runs on turf, most racing followers would be totally mystified by this.
So when the son of Captain Al contests Race 2 on the Vaal sand tomorrow, a Conditions Plate over 1000m, he could be a little better than his rating suggests. Tiger Territory is by far the best handicapped runner and is 4.5kg better off than Blazing Al, who is next best.
The problem is Tiger Territory has not run particularly well in his last three starts although there have been excuses. In his first run for the Mike de Kock yard the four-year-old son of Trippi clearly needed the run. In his next start he was making a respiratory noise and last time out he was reported to be coughing.
If Tiger Territory can get rid of all the ailments he has to be a massive runner, but considering all his issues it is perhaps safer to go with Blazing Al who is the inform runner.
Another interesting runner is One Cool Cat who has had two good runs since joining the Tyrone Zackey stable.
The four-year-old son of Tiger Ridge has shown a particular penchant for the inside track at Turffontein but ran well last time out when 1.50 lengths behind One Man’s Dream over 1160m at Turffontein. According to Zackey One Cool Cat is actually one naughty dude and that has worked against him in the past. This will also be his first run on the sand so he is an unknown quantity.
Salute The Sun finished 3.50 lengths behind Blazing Al in the Grade 3 Hampton Handicap and at the same weight differential should not be able to turn the tables but he could finish in the Quartet.