Timkat’s back in action
A number of very interesting runners will be in action today at Fairview, where eight races are carded for the Polytrack.
In Race 8, a MR67 Handicap over 1300m, Timkat will be making his local debut at the age of 6 under the guidance of trainer Cliffie Miller.
This Fort Wood gelding was originally in Alec Laird’s stable, but after six unsuccessful attempts on the Highveld to escape the maidens, he was sent to Miller, then based in Kimberley. That was three years ago.
Timkat immediately took to the dirt track and was sensational.
He won first time out in Kimberley and in 13 runs in the Northern Cape, he finished outside the top three only once, while recording seven victories.
With the closing of Flamingo Park in Kimberley, Timkat moved to Kwazulu-natal with Miller.
He was out of action for more than a year when he popped up in a MR78 Handicap on the Greyville Poly in October last year, running seventh.
Three months later, in January this year, he tried the Greyville Poly for a second time and again disappointed.
Now in Gqeberha with Miller it will be interesting to see if he can emulate the form that made him a star in Kimberley.
A number of older runners have in recent months found a second wind so to speak when “retiring” to Fairview and it won’t come as a shock if Timkat finds himself in that company.
He comes up against the more fancied What A Cracker, Wangan Midnight, I Love Mambo and Atkinson Grimshaw.
Another runner worth looking out for today is Reef Knot in Race 5, a MR74 Handicap over 2200m.
This four-year-old filly recorded both her career wins as well as a second-place finish on the Fairview Polytrack after a disappointing start to her career in the Western Cape.