Janse van Vuuren string comes to hand
Given the cyclical nature of horseracing, New Predator is likely to have quite a few fans in the R1-million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes at Turffontein this Saturday.
And their cause will be made even stronger by his trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren’s words: “New Predator is showing some of his best ever work at the moment, although it is a tough race.”
Quite a few racehorses seem to blossom during the same periods each year and New Predator finished third as a three-year-old behind Legal Eagle in this 1600m Grade 1 race last year, when he hit the front too soon.
He meets his nemesis again in this weight-for-age race and his detractors will be quick to point out his current merit rating would give him a whopping 7.5kg advantage over Legal Eagle in a handicap. Others would suggest Legal Eagle was only toying with the youngster by allowing him to go on by at the top of the straight in last year’s race. But there’s no denying that to get within 3.80 lengths of the champ at that stage of his career was a feat, indeed.
New Predator has not hit the heights expected of him following that run, but has gone on to win two Grade 2 races, the Drill Hall Stakes and the Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile, and this seems to be his time of year. He’s a definite hope for Exactas.
Janse van Vuuren’s horses are just coming to hand after a virus swept through the yard and arguably his best chance of a winner at the meeting comes with Green Pepper in the R250,000 Man O’ War Sprint (Grade 3) over 1100m.
This Gimmethegreenlight filly has been beaten only once in six career starts and that by the narrowest of margins.
“She was one of the horses more severely affected by the virus, but we fortunately had a lot of time to get her over it,” he said. “We’ve got two decent gallops in and she’s working really well. I’m expecting a big run from her.”
British Royale will likely play a supporting role to Green Pepper in the Man O’ War Stakes because, Janse van Vuuren said, “it’s a tough race for him at the weights. He is working very well, but this race was not my first choice for him. He’s here because his owner Ian Levitan wanted him to run.”
He will be represented by Being Fabulous in the R1-million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic (Grade 1) over 1800m. The filly has finished unplaced only once in her career, when far behind Smiling Blue Eyes in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, and will improve on that effort.
“It was probably not my finest moment as a trainer, running her severely underdone in the Fillies Guineas,” Janse van Vuuren admitted. “She has improved a lot from that race, but I still feel she is only around 80% fit right now.”
He saddles Crowd Pleaser in the R2-million SA Classic over 1800m, the biggest race on the card, but said via WhatsApp: “He’s very outclassed here.”
He then went on to give the reason Crowd Pleaser is in the field: “With the work this horse shows at home, you’d be happy to take on any horse, any day and feel you have a chance.
“He’s thriving right now but I’d be happy with a minor stake.”
His popular grey charge Negroamaro will be seen out, perhaps to great effect, in the R250,000 Jacaranda Handicap (Listed).
Her merit rating has come right down from a high of 104 a year ago to 93 because she is a severe bleeder.
“I’ve been battling to get her red cell count where I want it – it’s been tough due to the constant loss of blood,” he confessed. “She is still super-talented and on this merit rating, must always be competitive."