Battle of the ages

A battle of the ages will take place at Turffontein today as the three –yearold Querari Falcon will take on the four-year-old Negroamaro in Race 2, a Graduation Plate over 1600m on the Inside track.

Both fillies were just behind the very best of their generation in their starts to date with Negroamaro runner-up behind Bela-Bela in May and Juxtapose in April in two top races and her rival Querari Falcon was runner-up to Maleficent before turning the tables on that rival last time out.

The fitness of both fillies will have to be taken on trust with both coming off short breaks. It must also be taken into account that both will be looking for this to be just the beginning of a long brutal season so will not be 100% fit for this race.

Even though Negroamaro will be giving 3kg to her younger rival she is the narrow preference.

Jockey Gavin Lerena booked himself off midway through the race meeting on Saturday so it will be interesting to see if he is fit for this ride.

Anthony Delpech will be aboard the Mike Azzie-trained Querari Falcon.

One could easily overlook Geoff Woodruff-trained MissTurbo at first glance as she is only a recent maiden winner and is well out at the weights but she may deserve a second look.

Miss Turbo was runner-up on debut behind Wind Chill and was quick to follow up with a victory over Fish River Canyon.

That win was at this course over 1450m and the way she finished off that race suggests this longer trip will be no problem for her.

Jockey Craig Zackey is having a good time of things lately and he could punter off to a winning start with Fearless Fred in Race 1, a Maiden Plate over 1450m.

Zackey has formed a decent team with trainer Corne Spies and Fearless Fred is improving nicely.

The Sail From Seattle gelding was heavily supported on debut but showed inexperience and was well beaten. It was a much better effort in his second start when third behind Refuge just a week later and that form has been franked with Refuge winning again.

Fearless Fred was not disgraced in his third start when runner-up behind fac

ile winner Penultimate. Admittedly, Penultimate fluffed his lines subsequently but there may have been reasons for that indiscretion.

There are some promising horses later on in the meeting that could reward followers. The Gary Alexander trained Crystal Glamour has ability and could win Race 6.

The blind-in-one-eye Springhills will look to follow up on his debut win in Race 7 and Wanted Man will be hard to oppose in Race 8.