Gimme Hope for the Duchess

IF Gimme Hope Johanna and Flaming Duchess both run to their potential today at the Vaal, those lucky enough to be at the track could witness one cracker of a race. As for the rest of us, well we will just have to tune into TellyTrack on channel 239 on DStv to watch the action live.

Trained by Mike de Kock, the two will line up in Race 7, a FM 90 Handicap over 1 400m.

Tejash Juglall is tasked with steering Gimme Hope Johanna for a consecutive race and the pair are aiming for a consecutive victory after they edged out none other than Flaming Duchess last time out 25 days ago over 1 600m.

Young Juglall seems to bring out the best in this five-year-old with the pair recording a win and a second from their two runs together.

Flaming Duchess has had another run since being beaten by her stable companion; finishing third behind Now You See Me over 1 600m two weeks ago.

The three-year-old Duke Of Marmalade filly can, however, be “excused” for only finishing third after she lost her rhythm completely in the final stretch when misjudging the running surface and trying to jump a shadow.

This mishap cost her at least two lengths and she eventually ended up 2.25 lengths behind the winner.

Marco van Rensburg is back in the saddle and will want to make amends today.

Flaming Duchess has finished in the top three in her last six runs and she definitely looks set to continue this hot streak.

With Gimme Hope Johanna and Flaming Duchess drawn to jump from gates 11 and 10 respectively, they will also be able to keep a close eye on one another.

In their previous encounter Gimme Hope Johanna carried 1kg more than her stable companion, but that difference is stretched to 2kg today.

The first race is off at 1155.- PHUMELELA

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