Slinky to edge out Billy
CONDITIONS: DISTANCE, FITNESS TO BENEFIT SLINKY MAPIMPI OVER BILLY BOWLEGS Excellent 10-race card a curtain raiser to Classic Day.
There is great racing on the Highveld this week. Starting off tomorrow we have a fabulous 10-race card on the Inside track at Turffontein tomorrow and this is just a curtain-raiser to a champion-laden meeting on Saturday on the Standside with the running a host of feature races which include three Grade 1 races the TAB SA Classic and Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic, both over 1800m, as well as the Wilgerbosdrift HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes over 1600m.
One of the best races on tomorrow’s card comes up in Race 3, a Progress Plate over 1500m which sees the return of Billy Bowlegs. Last year this time the name of this son of The United States was on most pundit’s lips and the talk of him being an SA Classic and SA Derby winner looked a strong possibility, especially after his gutsy win over None Other in the Grade 3 Sea Cottage Stakes.
However, he finished third in the SA Classic and found Son Of Raj too good in SA Derby. He was backed to favourite to win the Grade 1 Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m but ended up a 1.10-length fourth behind Puerto Manzano.
In October he changes stables, moving to Brett Crawford but after a shocker in the Betway Summer Cup the decision was taken to geld him. He returns after a 96-day break and his connections will be looking for a forward performance.
However, he could well need the run and could find 1500m on the Inside track a bit sharp but as he is well drawn at No 2 and is the best weighted runner, it would be wise to include him in all bets.
So, that could open up the race somewhat and there could be more value in going for Slinky Mapimpi from the Phillip and Jeannique Vermeulen yard. While he has yet to race at this course, he does have an excellent record over this sort of distance and has won both of his starts over 1450m on the Vaal Classic track.
There was also a lot to like about his second place behind Barbaresco last time, giving him 1.5kg. The winner was coming off a second place behind Main Defender and was very well weighted under the race conditions so Slinky Mapimpi’s run was full merit.
Marco van Rensburg rode him last time and he will be back in the irons for this event.