Merit ratings – take note of a drop
HANDICAP ratings are a handy spanner in the toolbox of any serious punter and when a runner starts to come down in the handicap, it more often than not pays to follow.
Mr Roy was one such runner at Scottsville yesterday, down from a rating high of 104 to yesterday’s 96 in a Pinnacle Plate and with apprentice Jason Gates claiming 4kg, Mr Roy was the equivalent of an 88. That said, it was a fixed weights race but the inference was obvious and Gates, a talented rider not lacking in confidence or an opinion, got the best out of Alyson Wright’s charge to hold off favourite Tribal Fusion and Anton Marcus.
Give Gates the microphone and he is not short of a word or three and this being the 20th win of his career and his claim cut to 2.5kg, he was not going to let the opportunity pass forcing Wright to forego her interview in order to saddle her next runner.
Marcus looked set for a redletter afternoon as he booted home the first two winners on the card and in direct contrast to Gates in what has become the norm, he was not back for the interview, leaving the limelight to the owners and trainer. Marcus partnered Hondo in the card opener for Garth Puller, the gelding having his second run for Puller who took over after the sudden death of Lennie Taylor last year. Always in the vanguard and travelling in first-time blinkers, Hondo kept running to hold off the first timer Ruby Spirit who showed pace and kept running to hold off Krishnies Jet for second.
It was another second for Duncan Howells who is currently top of the KZN trainers log courtesy more to his 40 second places than his 29 winners.
Marcus was back in the winner’s circle for Dennis Drier in the second aboard favourite Home Ruler although he had to work a touch harder than expected as Mantle refused to give in and chased him hard all the way to the line.
The third turned into a duel between Marcus aboard another favourite Amex, and reigning national champion Lyle Hewitson. It was a case of two of the best riders in the country up against each other this time it was Hewitson who triumphed narrowly. The two left the balance of the field chasing shadows, Thru’ The Trees in front, then Amex and Thru’ The Trees when it counted to give Lowan Denysschen a welcome winner.
King’s Cove
There were more than a few patrons hanging on to the lead rope as King’s Cove made his way into the winner’s box for Doug Campbell.
Under a smart ride from Warren Kennedy, who made a telling move to the outside rail in the straight, the Campbell home-bred won comfortably from Frankie Two Shoes with favourite Father’s Frost fourth but reported lame after the race.
If Howells was cursing his luck with his run of seconds, he was joined by Ashburton colleague Shane Humby whose runners finished runner-up in successive races. Top weight Tribal Fusion, game in defeat, was unable to give Mr Roy 6.5kg while Wayward was unable to peg-back the speedy Ronnie Rocket who ran all the way to the line for Pat Lunn and Keagen de Melo. From the day Solid Gold won his first heat, Michael Roberts knew he had a good horse on his hands and the gelding confirmed that view with a solid win in the seventh, fighting off a determined challenge from favourite Exclusive Quantity with the rest a long way behind.
Sacred Castle
Ante-post favourite Sacred Castle didn’t make it to the track as both Paul Peter runners on the day were scratched - injured in transit. Marcus and Puller rounded off the meeting, with Jack Of Hearts tracking the pace all the way before Marcus delivered his mount with a telling run to win cosily from pacemaker, Roy’s Physco and stretch the riders tally to 120, a lead of eight over Muzi Yeni in the championship race.