Pin hopes on Goede Hoop
LIGHTWEIGHT: ROBBIE SAGE’S RUNNER WILL CARRY 5.5KG LESS THAN MAIN RIVAL Chariot Of Gold and Gottalottaluv in an Assessment tussle.
Trainer Robbie Sage is having an excellent season, with a winnersto-runners ratio above 21% – the best strike rate among the top 20 trainers in the country.
He could enhance that stat at the Vaal on Tuesday when his filly Goede Hoop contests Race 6, a FM 84 Handicap over 2400m. The daughter of Byword took a little time to show her talent but has looked most progressive in recent months, with three wins in four runs and a close-up third in the other.
This successful profile is in contrast to Goede Hoop’s early career when she returned three rather dismal results as a threeyear-old. Sage decided to give her a six-month break from racing to allow her to mature a bit – and it worked a treat.
Since stepping out again in May, she has looked a different proposition, while testing her over more ground has completed the transformation.
Despite the three victories, the handicapper hasn’t gone crazy with her and a merit rating of 73 looks pretty friendly – and gets her into this contest with a trifling 53kg. Her closest rival in the race, Sunshine Silk, also a threetime winner, must carry a whole 5.5kg more.
The way in which Goede Hoop won her last outing – over this course and distance, accelerating impressively from near the back of the field at the 800m pole to cruise to the line 2.75 lengths clear of Cranberry Crush – suggested this was a classy stayer in the making.
Sage regular Muzi Yeni was aboard for all her wins and does duty once again.
Sunshine Silk, from Geoff Woodruff’s barns, is no slouch, though, also having a courseand-trip credit to her name. The daughter of Silvano was deemed good enough to be taken to Scottsville for the KwaZulu-Natal Oaks in June, where she finished a sixlength fifth behind Witchcraft on that challenging course.
Fresh off a four-month break, Sunshine Silk ran Noceur close over 2000m on the Turffontein Inside course. Gavin Lerena rode that day and does so again.
It shapes up as an intriguing clash between two up-and-comers, but Goede Hoop might shade it thanks to the weight pull and more evidence of current fitness. She is even worth considering as a banker as all other exotic bet legs look tricky.
Since their introduction, Assessment Plates, with their vast discrepancies in class, have handed punters some copper-bottomed bankers.
Chariot Of Gold, in tomorrow’s Assessment Plate, Race 4 over 2400m, might have been one of those, with her merit rating of 80, but for the presence in the field of Gottalottaluv. The latter filly is on a lesser mark of 75 but has had the better of her rival in two recent encounters.
Sean Tarry-trained Chariot Of Gold was among the best threeyear-olds of her generation, claiming the Oaks Trial at Turffontein in May. She was then plunged into the feature-race cauldron – notably finishing four lengths adrift of Oh Susanna in the Woolavington – but has not been able to add to her win tally.
Her last effort, in the Yellowwood Stakes, was disappointing, with Gottalottaluv finishing 3.5 lengths ahead of her at level weights. Stuart Pettigrew’s charge is now 3kg better off.
There are others with chances in this seven-runner field and it might be worth remembering the adage that the smaller the field the bigger the upset.