Crown Towers rating takes a rise

BERNARD FAYD’HERBE has been given a compliment by the handicappers who, in a press release explaining their adjustments to the merit ratings following last Saturday’s big Kenilworth meeting, said that they raised Selangor Jet Master winner Crown Towers from 103 to 109.

They added: “Crown Towers actually achieved a mark of 112 but we felt that he may well be flattered by this mark and we attributed the performance to an enterprising ride from Fayd’Herbe.”

Crown Towers’ trainer Justin Snaith is expecting what he calls “a monster day” on Saturday when he runs Strathdon (Richard Fourie) and Swift Surprise (Anthony Andrews) in the Kenilworth Cup.

He made this prediction after springing a 20-1 shock with August Leaves (Craig Zackey) in the first at

Kenilworth yesterday and apparently the gelding came close to adding his name to those recent ‘sold without engagement’ scratchings.

Snaith said: “We had a few offers from Mauritius and it was 50:50 whether to sell but owner Michael de Broglio said it was not that lucrative a price and we had waited this long for the horse to go over ground.”

Devin Ashby was out of luck on his only ride yesterday but he has come in for praise from Eric Sands for his handling of Cape Derby winner Golden Ducat in his work at home. “Devin is a horseman who is much under-rated,” said Eric Sands. “He and Golden Ducat’s groom Lucky are probably the only ones to have sat on the horse and he has done a great job with him as well as with the reschooling of Rainbow Bridge.”

Ashby rides Lady Of The Lake for Sands in the 1 400m handicap on Saturday.