Weights suggest that London’s calling
LONDON CALL, beaten by Bull Valley in two high class features in Champions Season, is back in Pinnacles Stakes company over what is arguably his best course and distance at Scottsville on Sunday.
Mark Dixon’s runner has had his issues over the years but under Dixon’s care and some careful placing London Call has managed to win eight of his 15 starts. He showed good pace in both the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint and the Gr1 Mercury Sprint before being run out of it late by Bull Valley.
London Call is back in Pinnacle company on Sunday in the Nashua Maritzburg Pinnacle Stakes and is rated 3kg better than anything else in the line-up that makes him an attractive proposition.
However, he does face a couple of younger rivals who may have yet to hit their straps.
Secret Captain
The Howells-trained Secret Captain was gelded after a couple of disappointing showings towards the tail end of Champions Season.
Prior to that he was second in the Gr2 Daisy Guineas to Janoobi, but he had shown his better form over sprints. “He’s a much better in himself since gelding,” says Howells and although he his way out at the weights with London Call he could prove a threat.
So too Di Mazzio. Louise Goosen’s Australian-bred has only had three outings but caught the eye when finishing stoutly in his Scottsville debut behind Prime Suspect. This is a far stronger test but he gets weight all around and the best may still be to come.
Goosen, recently relocated to Ashburton, holds a strong hand in the Yogas Govender Racing Stables Handicap where he saddles two speedy fillies in Effortless Reward and Hastag Strat.
Regular pilot Gunter Wrogemann will have made the trip from the Highveld to partner Effortless Reward who, along with Hastag Strat, were both given a strong blow-out on the sand at Ashburton in Tuesday morning.
Both fillies are quick over five furlongs but so too is Muscatt.
Although eight-years-old at the beginning of the month, he has lost none of his speed and is arguably over his best course and distance.
Michael Roberts was confident that he would run a good race last time out after returning from a break and is was only caught out over the final 50m.
Apprentice Craig Bantam, back from a successful stint in the Western Cape, takes 2.5kg off his back and the two fillies will need to be close to their best to put one over the veteran.
Brighteyebushytail
Brighteyebushytail is held in high regard by the stable and looks the part in the Sugar Hill Stables Handicap.
The son of Dynasty made a modest sprint debut but stepped up in trip second time out he finished with a rattle to beat the well fancied Kapen Pride.
The opposition on Sunday are mostly well-exposed handicappers and Brighteyebushytail should have a host of supporters.
The South African Jockey Academy is hosting a group of apprentices from the gulf state of Qatar and they have been given an opportunity to show what they have learnt at the academy when they ride in the Al Rayyan Apprentice Cup, marked down as the tenth race on the Scottsville card and not included in any of the exotic bets although it will be run between the fourth and fifth races.
Most of the riders have limited racing experience but the Paul Lafferty pairing of Freddie Flint and Simply Scrumptious have some useful form over the course and distance while Astroman is way better than his last showing over a mile and can do better over this trip.