Winter Five looks a strong contender
WINTER FIVE looks the business in the TAB Telebet Maiden Plate at Durbanville today when Bernard Fayd’Herbe rides her for the first time.
Forget her last start.
It was in a work riders’ race when the form is usually about as reliable as last year’s rainfall.
Reeves
Look at her previous two runs and the fact that Paul Reeves is taking off the blinkers is hugely significant.
“She gets a bit uptight and I am hoping that she will be more relaxed without them, enabling her to save more for the finish,” says her trainer.
“In any case she doesn’t need them and she has good gate speed.”
She was an 18-10 chance yesterday with World Sports Betting which makes Mumtaz favourite at 9-10.
Richard Fourie’s mount is rated 1.5kg behind the selection although it is worth noting that she got stirred up in the pens when a warm favourite here last time and that may well have had something to do with her managing only a four-length fifth.
The Joey Ramsden newcomer Skidaddle (by Do It Again’s sire Twice Over) at 4-1 is the only other priced at less than 10-1.
Ramsden
Ramsden and Donovan Dillon may win the first with Apollo Ace who was reported to be making an abnormal respiratory noise after finishing only fourth when favourite here last time.
Dillon said that the horse was choking during the race.
The colt’s form in his previous Kenilworth start was good, he is reasonably drawn at six and he has already been backed from 33-10 to dispute favouritism at 28-10.
Augustina (another by Twice Over) is the other joint favourite but few Justin Snaith newcomers win first time and Rob Roy (9-2) is probably the main danger after two good runs here - despite his double figure draw.
Trippi’s Express first caught the eye when second to Pleasedtomeetyou in that celebrated August 11 maiden when the third and fourth were also newcomers and both went on to win.
He was almost unbackable at 2-10 here a fortnight ago when he led a furlong out and came away under hands and heels to score comfortably from Rob Roy.
Crawford
The Betting World Handicap (race four) will be a much tougher proposition but the Brett Crawford runner looks a bit special.
He shouldn’t really be odds-on – particularly with Captainofthesea and Photocopy in opposition – and he has eased from 17-20 to evens.
Harold Crawford is really striking while the iron is hot and his Spectra Force appeals at 11-2 in the Interbet Handicap.