Day fitting for a Royal Victory
MUZI HOPING TO ADD CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE TO SUMMER CUP SUCCESS Sensational day of racing expected at Turffontein.
It’s Champions Day at Turffontein today, one of the biggest, if not the biggest, meeting on the Joburg calendar. Nine features, comprising four Grade 1s, four Grade 2s and a Listed race, will provide the highest quality racing on offer and it is a great day to come to the racecourse and be part of a special occasion.
The headliner is the Grade 1 World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge and it includes seven Grade 1 winners – Puerto Manzano, Cousin Casey, Winchester Mansion (Durban July winner), Royal Victory (Betway Summer Cup winner), Son Of Raj, Aragosta and Safe Passage.
Other star attractions include Almond Sea in the SA Fillies Nursery and Pistol Pete in the SA Nursery, both unbeaten in three starts; the clash between star three-yearolds Sandringham Summit, Lucky Lad and White Pearl in the Grade 2 Hawaii Stakes; and Silver Sanctuary in the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks.
In the other Grade 1 races, unbeaten Gimme A Nother will be going for her seventh successive victory in the Empress Club Stakes; Dyce and Thunderstruck take on each other once again in the Computaform Sprint; and Purple Pitcher going for another leg of the Triple Crown when he takes his place in the SA Derby.
What’s also incredibly exciting about those four Grade 1 races is that they are Hong Kong World Pool events, which means there will be massive internationally commingled TAB pools for those races so people can take huge bets on TAB without having a negative impact on the payouts.
It is also beneficial to our industry and gives us great exposure, so well done to all concerned in getting this set up.
I have seven rides carded and I’m excited by their competitiveness but unfortunately Lady Of Power has been withdrawn from the Empress Club Stakes. However, I do believe I’ll be able to get on the board.
I was able to ride seven winners during the last week which was a nice boost and I’ll definitely be hoping to carry on that form. Now straight on to today’s card.
Race 1 is a Maiden Plate (A) over 1160m and one of my best rides on the day comes up in Lets Play Poker.
He returned after a lengthy rest last time and although I thought he would win, he just needed the run but did put up a bold showing.
He is a really nice horse, and I am expecting him to win.
So Seductive is having her third run after a rest and she comes in cherry ripe. She has some really good form and is my main danger.
Vibe SA is having his first run for the Tony Peter yard and there has been a lot of rumblings about him, so watch the betting for a good guide to his chances, as you should do with the unraced runners.
Race 2 is the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery over 1160m and in my opinion the best bet on the card comes up in the form of unbeaten potential superstar Almond Sea.
This filly has won all three of her races and the closest margin of victory was 5.25 lengths.
She looks a class above any two-year-old filly that has run, and on what we have seen, she’s a banker in all bets and will prove very hard to beat.
Little Ballerina had her first run in the province after a few successful runs in the Cape. The form of her races has worked out really well and she rates the main danger.
You Bring Me Joy has won her last two starts well and should enjoy the step up in trip, while maiden Mountain High will improve and must be respected for Trifecta money.
Race 3 is the Grade 2 TAB SA Nursery over 1160m and once again I think the Peter stable have a very special horse on their hands with unbeaten Pistol Pete.
All three of his wins have been over 1000m but on what I’ve seen, I really don’t think 1160m will be an issue and he will prove very hard to beat.
Proceed was ultra-impressive last time out when he wore a tongue tie for the first time and stepped up to the trip. He is definitely the main danger and I believe these two horses will fill the first and second positions.
Mount Pinatubo won a good race last time out and could be anything, so he must be respected for minor stake money.
Race 4 is the Grade 2 TAB Hawaii Stakes over 1400m and I ride very classy White Pearl, who was extremely unlucky not to win last time out.
Her work has been exceptional and off bottom weight of 53kg and from No 1 draw, I’ll be very disappointed if she’s not in the first three.
However, we do have sensational Sandringham Summit to beat. He won the Guineas in terrific fashion before putting up a bold showing in the TAB SA Classic from a bad draw.
He drops in trip and that’s my biggest concern, but he is still the horse to beat.
Lucky Lad returned from a lengthy break last time out and ran a really creditable race. He was a really top-class two-year-old and I’m confident he can bring that class into his three-year-old career, so he’ll be the biggest danger.
Anfields Rocket and At My Command look the best of the older horses and can be included if you want to go wider.
Race 5 is the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2450m, leg three of the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara, and I really believe Silver Sanctuary will take all the beating and is a banker in all bets.
In both legs of the Triple Tiara she only found Gimme A Nother too good, and I think she’ll love the step up in trip. She will be very hard to beat.
Let’s Go Now ran on really well in her latest start and she’ll also love the step up in trip. She rates the biggest danger and she’ll pick up the pieces if the favourite fluffs her lines.
Beating Wings and Frances Ethel are both high-quality fillies and will enjoy the step up in trip. They must be considered for wider bets.
Race 6 is the Grade 1 TAB Empress Club Stakes over 1600m. As mentioned, my ride Lady Of Power has been scratched.
I believe most will be running for place money only because Gimme A Nother looks extremely difficult to beat.
In my mind she is no doubt the best filly in the country but could easily be the best horse in the country, and she is going for seven out of seven in this Grade 1.
On form, and on visuals, it’s impossible to see her being beaten and she looks to be a banker in all bets.
Mrs Geriatrix was unbeaten as a twoyear-old and things did not go according to plan in the Cape. If she can return to that sensational form, she is the main danger.
Grade 1 winner Bavarian Beauty ran a better race last time out and can fill a minor placing.
Race 7 is the Grade 1 Jonsson Workwear Computaform Sprint over 1000m and I ride Ziyasha who is a very classy three-year-old and on his penultimate run over 1000m, I believe we have an each-way chance even though this is his toughest test to date.
Thunderstruck had a lovely Cape season and returns racing fit. He was a close second in the Cape Flying Championship and on that I believe he is the horse to beat. Dyce won that race, but subsequently ran well below par.
Hopefully he can return to his best form and if he does, he is a definite danger.
Golden Sickle looks to be a very highclass individual who comes in with bottom weight and I think she had the ability to win this Grade 1, so she must go into all bets.
Race 8 is the Grade 1 TAB SA Derby over 2450m, leg three of the SA Triple Crown, and I ride Mondial who was gelded before his last start and might have still needed the run.
This race has always been the plan, and his work is really good.
I am hoping for him to be able to run into the money and he must be included in wider bets.
Purple Pitcher won a phenomenal race in the SA Classic last time out and he is the class horse in the race. My biggest concern is if he’ll be able to stay the trip, but if he does, he is the horse to beat.
Hotarubi was running on strongly last time out and there is no doubt he’ll love the step up in trip and he rates the main danger.
Pure Predator is a very classy horse who will also appreciate the step up in trip and on his last start, he is a massive runner who must go into all bets.
Marauding Horde could be anything because since the blinkers were fitted, he is a different horse and has won both starts with consummate ease.
He looks to be special, so he must go into all bets.
Race 9 is the headliner on the card, the Grade 1 World Pool Premier’s Champions Challenge over 2000m and I ride Betway Summer Cup hero Royal Victory who I make my value bet on the card. We are going to try and make it a memorable double.
The way in which he won the 2000m Summer Cup was absolutely sensational and since then he has had a lovely prep run.
His gallops have been really good and based on what I’ve felt, he is in very similar form, if not even better.
Son Of Raj has had a beautiful prep into the race and he rates my main danger as he will absolutely love the step up in trip.
Cousin Casey has also had a really good prep into the race and if the distance isn’t an issue, then he rates a definite runner who must go into all bets.
Dave The King ran a lovely race last time in the Grade 1, and even though the 2000m is a major doubt, he must be included in wider bets.
Race 10 is the Listed 4Racing Caradoc Gold Cup over 2850m and I ride Breeze Over who is returning after a small break, but he is doing well and I’ll be hoping for a good effort.
Good Council is the horse I believe we all have to beat.
He ran slightly below par last time but the race never went for him at all and off a good draw, he’ll be right there.
Crimson King won a really good race last time out over 2400m and if he sees out this trip, he should contest the finish.
Red Maple finished the race off really well which suggests she’ll love the trip and must go into all bets.
Nebraas is the class horse in the race, but it won’t be easy to give weight all round.