Sing Out Loud for the Stormsvlei

PEOPLE who don’t like surprises, probably don’t punt, because every horse race has the potential to spring a pleasant – or sometimes unpleasant – surprise.

Well, with 10 races carded at Kenilworth today, the biggest surprise is that there are two carryovers into the Pick 6 and first Jackpot pools respectively.

That means there will probably be more than R1.2 million up for grabs in only two of the day’s exotics.

The second surprise is that two horses are regarded as bankers by the bookmakers. And both these runners are in the two pumped-up exotics.

The first comes up in Race 5, the Listed Winter Solstice Stormsvlei Stakes over 1 800m where Sing Out Loud is priced up at around 6-10. There’s obviously a lot of money, and expectations, riding on Brett Crawford’s charge.

Her first win came over 1 200m, where she was a runaway-winner with more than seven lengths separating her from second-placed What A Jewel in a magical display of speed at the second time of asking.

Three runs later – on her last outing - she did it the hard way over 1 600m, fighting her way from stone last at the 800m mark to win by an extending 2.25 lengths.

There’s absolutely no reason to believe that she can’t win over 1 800m today, no matter how she decides to tackle the opposition.

The second “good thing” on the day is Katak, who will contest Race 8, the Grade 3 Abe Bloomberg Legal Eagle Stakes over 1 800m.

This Potala Palace colt, trained by Piet Steyn, is the talk of the town. Unbeaten after three runs, including the Grade 3 Kuda Variety Club Mile last time out four weeks ago, it will come as quite a surprise if he doesn’t see the inside of the winner’s enclosure again.

The Kuda Mile saw him display a tremendous turn of foot when it mattered, turning a 1.8-length deficit at the 400m into a 5.5-length victory. So, going the extra 200m should not be a problem.

With the added bonus of the R100,000 carryover, the Pick 6 pool should give punters a bite at an estimated R800,000 cherry.

The first Jackpot pool is expected to reach R400,000 thanks to R50,000 carryover.

Meanwhile, Pretty Ballerina yesterday added her name to the growing list of horses finding a new lease of life after moving to the Eastern Cape.

This five-year-old recorded her first win for trainer Tara Laing after moving from Paul Peter’s yard in only her second run at Fairview and her first on the Polytrack.

Considering that before yesterday she last won a race 578 days ago, it’s no wonder she paid R15.30 for the win on the tote in Race 6, a Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 2 000m.

Now that she’s found her proverbial sea legs, it might pay to keep an eye on her. PHUMELELA

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