Bank on Mont Loisir

FORM: CRAWFORD RUNNER LOOKS READY TO SCORE AT KENILWORTH

Winter Pearl to close out Cape meeting.

Punters are faced with a tricky nine-race card at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth today, but the combination of trainer Brett Crawford and jockey Richard Fourie should get Pick 6 bettors off to a winning start in Race 4, an Open Maiden over 1400m where they team up with Mont Loisir.

The three-year-old Vercingetorix gelding returns from a 114-day layoff, his last race coming at Hollywoodbets Durbanville where he finished fifth, beaten 3.75 lengths by stablemate Willie John over 1600m with Fourie aboard.

That was only his third run and he has shown enough in all of those starts to give one the impression he has the ability to win a race of this nature on his reappearance. The break has also given Mont Loisir the opportunity to mature a little and it is worth noting that winners have come out of all his three runs to date.

Durbanville suits some runners better that others and one feels the return to Kenilworth will improve this gelding.

In what is a relatively modest lineup, feedback from the yard regarding Mont Loisir's well-being has been encouraging and the booking of Fourie also bodes well for Crawford's charge.

The concluding race, a Class 4 event over 1200m, looks a race in two between Winter Pearl and Hammies Hero.

Hammies Hero, trained by Candice Bass-Robinson and to be ridden by Aldo Domeyer, has had his merit rating chopped from 94 to 77 in the last nine months and that brings the four-year-old Twice Over gelding strongly into the reckoning.

He had an improved race last time when fitted with blinkers and that saw him finish a decent 2.70-length fourth behind All About Al. The winner has gone on to go well in his two follow up runs.

However, Winter Pearl has performed remarkably of late and has really done well under trainer Ricky Maingard. He joined the stable as a one-time winner and has now won three of his last six starts. He also has consistently performed well against stronger opposition than he meets in this event.

Interestingly, Maingard has engaged Morne Winnaar to take the ride and it looks an excellent opportunity for him.