Hat Puntano entered
IMPROVED: LAST RUN SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT ARGENTINIAN IMPORT ON SIGNIFICANTLY
Three-year-old Wonderwall could be looking for this kind of distance.
One can see the Charity Mile and the Sansui Summer Cup in the future of these runners when one looks at the entries for the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge and the equivalent for fillies and mares.
Both races carry prize money of R400,000 and will be run over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track on Saturday 7 October.
Top weight for the race has been allotted to Argentinianbred Hat Puntano from the Mike and Adam Azzie yard. He was a top performer in his home country but had a disappointing local debut when trailing in at the back of the field, 11.75 lengths behind Amazing Strike two weeks ago.
However, that was his first run in a year and he was reported to be changing legs around the turn. That run should have brought him on quite significantly and one can expect some improvement.
Runners like New Predator, Coral Fever and Matador Man are likely to be using this race as a stepping stone to something bigger.
Another interesting runner is Sean Tarry-trained Wonderwall who looks to be a three-year-old to watch. He won his maiden at the third time of asking and then found star colt Mustaqeem far too good when third in the Grade 1 SA Nursery.
He is by Querari out of a Silvano mare and in all likelihood will be looking for 1600m.
Entries for the R400,000 Joburg Spring Challenge (Grade 2) over 1450m
6 HAT PUNTANO (M/A Azzie) 59.5; 13 BEZANOVA (A G Laird) 59.0; 4 NEW PREDATOR (J J van Vuuren) 59.0; 15 ANGEL'S POWER (M/A Azzie) 58.0; 10 CAPTAIN ALDO (S J Gray) 58.0; 17 CORAL FEVER (R R Sage) 58.0; 14 FINCHATTON (S G Tarry) 58.0; 12 SPRING STEEL (M/A Azzie) 58.0; 11 TANDAVA (G Terzi) 58.0; 1 WILL PAYS (M/A Azzie) 58.0; 9 JIFFY (E Verdonese) 57.5; 5 MATADOR MAN (S G Tarry) 57.5; 22 MAXIMIZER (P A Peter) 57.5; 7 ROMI'S BOY (A G Laird) 57.5; 23 AL DANZA (G V Woodruff) 55.0; 8 BI POT (G V Woodruff) 55.0; 20 BROADWAY TRIP (A G Laird) 50.0; 18 FULL MAST (M/A Azzie) 50.0; 21 HAKEEM (M F de Kock) 50.0; 2 MUJALLAD (M F de Kock) 50.0; 19 WARRIOR'S REST (S G Tarry) 50.0; 3 WONDERWALL (S G Tarry) 50.0
Entries for the R400,000 Joburg Spring F&M Challenge (Grade 2) over 1450m
13 INTERGALACTIC (S G Tarry) 59.0; 4 BELLA SONATA (G H van Zyl) 58.0; 2 SHATOOSH (M/A Azzie) 58.0; 7 SHE'S A DRAGON (C Mayhew) 58.0; 6 TAHINI (S G Tarry) 58.0; 17 AL DANZA (G V Woodruff) 57.5; 10 ALILEO (M F de Kock) 57.5; 19 BI POT (G V Woodruff) 57.5; 16 MYFUNNYVALENTINE (S G Tarry) 57.5; 11 POOL PARTY (R R Magner) 57.5; 14 ROUGE ALLURE (S Moffatt) 57.5; 18 SECRET STAR (S T Pettigrew) 57.5; 9 SHE'S A GIVER (J J van Vuuren) 57.5; 3 SMOKEY AFFAIR (M F de Kock) 57.5; 12 SYLVAN ON FIRE (C Dawson) 57.5 8 AURELIA COTTA (S G Tarry) 50.0; 1 MRS O (M/A Azzie) 50.0; 5 ROCKIN RUSSIAN (S G Tarry) 50.0; 15 WINTER'S FORGE (S M Ferreira) 50.0.