Timkat a banker in all bets

Timkat was all the rage to win the final leg of the Pick 6 at Flamingo Park on Saturday 3 August but when the opportunity arose for the four-year-old gelding to take his place in the Betting World Sprint (Non-Black Type) the connections had no alternative but to go with the more lucrative race.

As a result he was pulled out of a race over 1400m to contest another over 1000m. Trainer Cliffie Miller put a set of blinkers on his charge in order to keep him alert as they jumped but he proved no match for the Kom Naidoo raider Tweed Valley, who was well supported.

Naidoo’s charge was an outand-out 1000m runner while Timkat, who is by Fort Wood, would have preferred a little further and also a race around the turn. While Timkat did look dangerous going through the 400m mark he was outsprinted by Tweed Valley who went on to win by 1.40 lengths. To his credit, Timkat finished 6.60-lengths clear of third-placed Rock A Bye Baby so that was clearly an outstanding performance.

Today he returns to 1400m in Race 8, a MR 72 Handicap, and could prove very hard to peg back. He takes a massive drop in class which is best indicated by the average merit rating. In the Betting World Sprint it was 85 and is only 58 for today’s race.

In addition, Timkat did not receive a penalty for that run so he looks well in and should be a banker in all bets.

Regular jockey Collen Storey takes the ride and they will jump from barrier No 6.

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