De Kock wary of Catch TwentyTwo
The title of the 1994 hit movie Clear And Present Danger perfectly sums up trainer Mike de Kock ’ s feelings on Saturday ’ s grade 1 WSB SA Classic at Turffontein.
Talking to Business Day on Thursday, De Kock said: “I rate Catch TwentyTwo a huge danger against my runner.” His runner is the ruling 14-10 favourite Malmoos.
However, the eight-time champion trainer remained bullish. “My fellow is 100% fit and if he wins on Saturday, I believe he’ll go on and take the Triple Crown.”
Turffontein trainer Paul Peter and jockey Gavin Lerena will fancy their chances of turning the tables on Malmoos as Catch TwentyTwo was closing in throughout the final 200m of the Gauteng Guineas. The slight concern is the Elusive Fort gelding’s wide draw.
If a punter is in the De Kock camp, the quandary is when to back Malmoos. Last Friday The Gatekeeper was quoted at 15-10 for the Cape Derby, but bookies freely offered 4-1 close to the race. It might be prudent to leave a wager closer to “off” time.
Stablemates Copper Mountain and Second Base are again in the line-up, but there seems no reason to believe they might upset the two fancied candidates. Still, it must be said both geldings have done their connections proud this term.
Malmoos’s stablemate Al Muthana has been a disappointment since winning his maiden and the Aussie import now gets the blinkers fitted. He looks unlikely to cause an upset, a remark that also applies to the Sean Tarry duo of Shah Akbar and Flying Carpet.
With the defection of Anything Goes, the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic should be little more than a lap of honour for Paul Matchett’s star War Of Athena. Victory will take the Act Of War filly’s earnings to more than R1m.
Sparkling Water carries the colours of the sponsors and De Kock’s comment was: “It’s a rise in class but I’m hopeful she’ll make the first three.”
Despite her habit of forfeiting valuable ground at the start, Piere Strydom’s mount, Miss Elegance, goes to post in good order and should earn another place cheque.
A much better betting race is the Aquanaut Handicap, in which 12 runners compete over 2,400m. The principals are likely to be Don’t Look Back, Tyrus Express, Odd Rob, Smoking Hot and African Adventure.
Warren Kennedy is a realist and will know his Classic mounts have little chance, but it could be a different story on Candice Dawson’s runner Smoking Hot. While the filly always loses ground when the gates open, this may not matter too much over this marathon trip and she makes plenty of appeal with just 52kg on her back.
The handicapper must be wondering when he’s going to catch up with Don’t Look Back, with St John Gray’s five-year-old given a six-point penalty for his latest win. Still, he is carrying only 53.5kg compared with 58kg last time out.
African Adventure is weighted to turn the tables on Chitengo, and Muzi Yeni should not be far away on the Matchett inmate Tyrus Express.
Got The Greenlight returns to action in the Hawaii Stakes with his first appearance since his gallant second in the 2020 Durban July.
Expressfromtheus is weighted to get the better of Lady Of Steel this time, but there are plenty with chances, including Paul Peter’ s MK ’s Pride and Clinton Binda’s consistent sixyear-old Whorly Whorly.