Surcharge draws wide
TRAINER Stuart Pettigrew, talking about Surcharge, said before the Gauteng Guineas that if his charge got a good draw in the R2-million SA Classic on April 7 “they can bring what they like”.
Sadly for the connections, if Surcharge is to win the Grade 1 race over 1 800m at Turffontein, he will have to do it from the widest draw of all. When the entries came out yesterday the Gauteng Guineas runner-up had landed up with No 18 draw of the 18 entries.
However, while it is not good, the horses will have a 400m straight before they hit the turn and that should allow his jockey, who presumably will be Piere Strydom, time enough to get his charge well positioned.
Majestic Mambo, who had a disappointing run in the Gauteng Guineas when finishing 12th, 13,25 lengths behind Monks Hood, fared not much better and Paul Peter’s runner has drawn in barrier No 14. Peter did say on Saturday that the stable was ticking over nicely again and that Majestic Mambo should be on song on the day of the race.
He added that one of the big differences is that he has now employed a stable jockey in Keagan de Melo who comes up once a week to ride work.
Trainer Mike de Kock will be delighted that four of his runners got single figure draws. Top of the group is Like A Panther, who was fancied to win the Grade 1 Investec Derby at Cape Town in January, and he will jump from barrier No 1.
Pietro Mascagni drew at No 3, Noble Secret, fourth in the Guineas, at No 4, and Royal Crusade, third in the Guineas, at No 8.
With SA Guineas Monks Hood sold and heading for Hong Kong, there is no chance of getting a Triple Crown winner this year but Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner, Takingthepeace, has been entered to run in the R1- million Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic and will be aimed at the Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara.
A R1-million bonus will go to any filly who can win the Gauteng Fillies Guineas, the SA Fillies Classic over 1 800m and the Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks over 2 450m on May 5. Takingthepeace came from the back of the field to beat stable companion Silver Thursday by a neck. Both fillies are expected to be suited to the extra 200m third time.
Green Point, who finished third in the Fillies Guineas, is among the entries and has drawn in barrier No 8 while Folk Dance, who started favourite for the Fillies Guineas but could only finish fourth, is once again drawn at No 11.
Supplementary entries close at 11am on Friday with declarations closing at 11am on Wednesday March 28
The final fields will be announced on Tellytrack.