DURBAN JULY’S NUMBER ONE
RATINGS: WHILE NOT BEST HANDICAPPED, FORM IS WITH BASS-ROBINSON’S CHARGE
Jockey Bernard Fayd’Herbe wins the Vodacom Durban July on Marinaresco at the Greyville Race Course on Saturday. Al Sahem (9/2) finished in second place, with Edict of Nantes (5/1) third. Read more about the glamour and glitz
Milton and Fayd’Herbe could be tough to catch if allowed a soft lead.
For a mid-week meeting there is really some excellent racing at Kenilworth tomorrow with some talented horses in action. Topping the meeting on the Winter Course is a Pinnacle Stakes over 1600m.
As is the norm in races like this one first looks at the best handicapped runner and in this case that honour goes to Milton. He has 1.5kg advantage over Brilliant Crimson but this is one of those cases where recent form does not match the handicapping.
Last time out Milton and Brilliant Crimson met in another Pinnacle Stakes over 1400m and faced each other at the identical weights. On that occasion Bril- liant Crimson ran fourth, beaten 3.50 lengths by Black Cat Back while Milton was 4.25 lengths further back in seventh.
Milton was unable to use his customary tactics of building up a big lead in front and he will be more likely to get away over the extra 2000m, but it is worth sticking with Brilliant Crimson to win this.
Aldo Domeyer won on the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained runner and he is back aboard this time.
Turbulent Air is a very interesting runner as he has been racing against African Night Sky in the Winter Series.
He finished fifth in both the Grade 3 Winter Guineas over 1600m and the Grade 3 Winter Classic over 1800m but was not far behind in either race. He finished fifth behind Table Bay in the Grade 3 Cape Classic over 1400m but just 0.40 lengths ahead of him was Edict Of Nantes, winner of two subsequent Grade 1 races and third in Saturday’s Vodacom Durban July.
He takes a drop in class in this event and although not well handicapped based on merit ratings, Justin Snaith’s charge could trouble this sort of field. Grant van Niekerk takes the ride on the Australian-bred son of So You Think.
MJ Byleveld, who usually rides Milton, is aboard Annigoni for the Vaughan Marshall yard.
There is nothing untoward in that as Byleveld is the frontline jockey for Marshall but one can expect a forward showing from the five-year-old Silvano gelding. He is a five-time winner and has run well over this distance.
Interestingly Bernard Fayd’Herbe, who rode Marinaresco to victory in the Durban July, has been engaged to ride Milton so if Bill Prestage’s runner does pull his way to the front and get a comfortable lead, Fayd’Herbe will be a very tough jockey to get past so it could be advisable to include him in all bets.