A pearl of a card for bettors
JAMPACKED: THREE FEATURES, 12 RACES, TWO BIPOTS AND THREE JACKPOTS AT TURFFONTEIN ʂ White Pearl stands out in Mother Russia Stakes.
With last Sunday's meeting having been abandoned after just three races, the trio of feature races got washed away in the storm.
As a result, we have a bumper race meeting on the Standside track at Turffontein tomorrow as the three have been added to the original races on the calendar to create a 12-race epic.
In addition, a decision was made to reopen the entries for the three features – the Grade 3 Betway Got The Greenlight Stakes for threeyear-olds and Grade 3 Mother Russia Stakes for three-year-old fillies, both over 1400m, as well as the Listed Betway Wolf Power 1600 over 1600m. That has changed the landscape somewhat for them all as Sandringham Summit, a strong fancy to win the Got The Green Light Stakes will not be running.
The other major change sees trainer Mike de Kock, who had originally had two very strong fillies in the Mother Russia Stakes, opting to split his two runners, with Champagne Cocktail now taking on the colts in the Got The Greenlight Stakes.
He has also added consistent Gimmeanotherchance to the field.
Trainer Tony Peter has left Main Defender in the field and in the absence of Sandringham Summit, he will now carry top weight of 60kg.
The three-year-old Pathfork gelding has raced six times for five wins and a 2.40-length second behind Sandringham Summit in the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Greyville as a juvenile.
He is, at this stage of his career, a better performer over 1400m and he remains the runner they will all have to beat.
In October he contested the Grade 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over 1450m on the inside track at Turffontein, thrashing a group of talented older horses by 6.50 lengths, including Thunderstruck, who last Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth beat arguably the best sprinter in the country, Isivunguvungu, to win a Non-Black Type feature over 1000m.
Main Defender is also the best weighted runner in the line-up by at least 2.5kg.
But there is no question De Kock has thrown a spanner in the works by introducing his two runners.
Gimmeanotherchance might only be a two-time winner but he has placed in all of his other six starts.
Last time he looked all over a winner of the Grade 2 Dingaans for three-year-olds only to be snared close home by Purple Pitcher. He does have a lot to find on Main Defender in their run in the Graham Beck Stakes over this course and distance which Peter's charge won by 3.25 lengths as they meet at the same weight differential.
However, De Kock's runner was gelded after that race and we could see major improvement this time.
Champagne Cocktail is a full sister to 2022 Durban July champion Sparkling Water and she is hard to fault in her because she has not come off the bit winning both of her races. She gets a 2.5kg sex allowance and that sees her receiving 4.5kg from Main Defender.
The main concern is that 1400m could be on the short side for her but there is sure to be a hot pace and that could play into her hands. Muzi Yeni takes the ride. By taking Champagne Cocktail out of the field, White Pearl stands out in the Mother Russia Stakes as the best weighted runner by at least 4.5kg and she can end her frustrating run of three successive seconds.
Gavin Lerena rides her, and the Danon Platina filly looks to be the best bet on the card.