Reny ready to ‘spook’ her Turffontein rivals
DISTANCE: CRAWFORD’S CHARGE RAN WELL OVER 2450M WHEN SECOND IN OAKS Electric Gold looks the runner to beat in Dr Richard Maponya Handicap.
Reny’s lone foray into a race over a long distance came in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m at Turffontein last year as a threeyear-old and she did well enough to run into second place behind None Other.
However, the Brett Crawfordtrained runner returns to the same track on Sunday to contest the Listed Spook Express Handicap for fillies and mares over 2400m and this race could see her back on a winning track.
One has to go back to October 2022 to find the last time this daughter of Gimmethegreenlight paid a visit to the winner’s enclosure but Crawford, represented by his son James at their satellite yard on the Highveld, has been contesting races in strong company.
She was taken to Hollywoodbets Greyville to compete in the Grade 1 Garden Province Stakes in July and then was rested until December.
She returned to run in two strongly contested plate races where she took on the colts, finishing third on her return over 1700m and fifth in the second over 1800m.
Reny has been allotted top weight of 60kg but she does drop in class and having her peak run on this occasion and back against her own sex, looks the runner they will all have to beat Kabelo Matsunyane has ridden her in her last eight starts, so he knows this filly well.
Her main danger looks to be Red Maple, who is one of the true stayers in this field. This Sean Tarry-trained daughter of Silvano is actually the defending champion, last year beating Kind Judy by 0.25 lengths.
She carried just 50kg last year whereas this time around she will have 56kg on her back, but she will have Gavin Lerena up.
Others to consider are United Council, winner of the Non-Black Type Sun Chariot Handicap for fillies and mares over this course and distance last month, as well as Mount Etna, who carries just 50kg and could run into the places and make the Quartet pay.
The other feature is the Listed Dr Richard Maponya Handicap over 1800m where Electric Gold looks the runner to beat.
This Tony Peter-trained runner has performed really well since having been gelded and two runs back finished second in the Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes while last time he won a Pinnacle Stakes, both runs over this course and distance.
Calvin Habib takes the ride. Stable companion Meridius has yet to win over 1800m but in his two starts over the distance he has placed second and third. The latter run was at this course early in his career when he was beaten 1.50 lengths by African Torrent.
Shoemaker has been highly disappointing of late. This Mike de Kock-trained runner seems to get lost in the early stages of the race and then takes forever to get going, when he does, however, the race is over.
Last time he didn’t even do that and just plodded over the final 400m. But that was over 1600m, and he will prefer the additional 200m.
Ryan Munger, who is on a busman’s holiday in South Africa at the moment, gets the ride.