Spring Man to show his class

SPRING MAN, fifth in the Investec Cape Derby at 30-1, reverts to handicap company at Kenilworth tomorrow and can show that his Met-day run was no fluke.

He had won his previous two starts, also over 2 000m, and the one concern is that the Play Soccer 6 Handicap is only a mile but the Brett Crawford runner looks a smart sort and races off the same mark as the one he was given before the Derby.

Professor Brian also went into the notebooks on Met day when fifth under top weight to all-theway winner Quickfire who reopposes on 3kg worse terms in the Supabet Handicap. Quickfire finished more than three lengths clear of Professor Brian and that should be enough for him to confirm the form at the weights but the Joey Ramsden hope didn’t get a clear run that day and was crucially bulked for several strides approaching the furlong marker.

The selection and Quickfire are joint 33-10 favourites with World Sports Betting which makes Valbonne (fourth that day and now closely handicapped with the two principals) on 9-2.

Vase

Vase is a big price at 15-2 in the Betting World Maiden and looks worth an interest at those odds even though she has not raced since November. She showed plenty of promise first time and then started second favourite only to finish second last.

Not the virus apparently – “She lashed out in the pens and hit the back very hard. She was sore afterwards,” explained Andre Nel.

Waiting For Rain (5-2) and Friendly Tibbs (2810) both worked well yesterday encouraging Piet Steyn to turn them out again for the TAB Telebet Handicap even though the pair ran last Saturday when the first-named ran below form.

“He was working exceptionally well and he shouldn’t have been out of the first three but maybe he needed the run a bit,” said his trainer.

Friendly Tibbs

Friendly Tibbs ran on well from quite some way back over a furlong less last time and gets the vote but a case can be made for all five runners.

The first and third race maidens are tricky because they are modest-looking affairs but maybe the improved form shown by Robert Frost (18-10) last time will enable Corne Orffer’s mount to beat Head Of The Pack (22-10) and 9-2 chance Boy Scout in the Itsarush.co.za Maiden.

There is almost nothing in it on ratings between the top four in the Tabonline.co.za Maiden but Harvest Wind may have come on enough to add to the Crawford-Orffer tally.