HAVE A GO ON NOAH AT TURFFONTEIN
De Kock’s charge well weighted
MIKE de Kock-trained Noah From Goa deserves a strong following at the Turffontein inside track today when he teams up with Anthony Delpech again and contests Race 6 and chief event, the R105 000 Racing. It’s A Rush MR 94 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1450m.
This son of Tiger Ridge was backed into the red on debut and duly obliged with a smart 2.50-length win with Randall Simons aboard over 1000m at the Vaal sand track. Delpech had the ride next time when stepping up in class at the same venue, but the gelding found 1000m too short and had to settle for third place in the SAP Sophomore 1000.
The combination repaid punters next time when the gelding relished the extra distance and powered home to an increas-
ing 6.25-length win in MR 74 Handicap over 1450m at the Turffontein inside track. The gelding takes on stronger opposition this time but the manner of his last win gave every indication that he will be up to the task again.
However, De Kock’s charge does take on a formidable opponent in unbeaten Bull Valley out of Dominic Zaki’s stable, with champion Gavin Lerena in the saddle. The Toreador gelding was heavily backed on debut with Craig Zackey aboard and ran out a decisive 2.50-length winner over 1200m at the Vaal turf course.
Subsequently gelded and out of action for five months, he returned with an impressive win with Zackey up, scoring by 3.25 lengths in a 1150m Progress Plate for threeyear-olds at today’s venue, despite losing a shoe in the running. But, the gelding could meet his match this time as he will have to shoulder 62.5kg top-weight, 5.5kg more than Noah From Goa, but he still rates a major threat.
Trainer Robbie Sage will be hoping for another stout effort from his colt Coral Fever, (Francois Herholdt) whose three runs were over today’s course and distance. Apprentice Ryan Munger had the ride in the colt’s first two runs when a fast-finishing half-length second from a slow start and the colt can be excused for being unplaced next time as he had a breathing problem in the running.
Heavily backed in his subsequent outing when Gunter Wrogemann had the ride, the colt was a fluent 0.75-length winner in a field of 14. Herholdt gets his turn today and his mount could claim a share of the prize-money.
Also in with place claims is Sean Tarry-trained Lunar Approach who will be reunited with S’manga Khumalo. The former champion was aboard on debut when the colt was heavily backed and a resounding 4.50-length winner over 1200m at this course.
Though thrown into the deep end next time with Muzi Yeni aboard in the 1400m Graham Beck Stakes (Grade 3) at the standside course, the colt was not disgraced as he finished a 4.25-length fifth in a 14-strong field of three-year-olds. The colt will relish returning to the inside track.