Mighty High, Lerena the real heroes
Hero’s Honour can bounce back to best
The Listed Swallow Stakes will headline proceedings on the Turffontein Standside track tomorrow, and it could pay to side with trainer Johan Janse van Vuuren’s Grade 1 winner Mighty High when she reunites with the in-form Gavin Lerena.
Pick 6 players, you can banker this daughter of Pathfork, but if you’re looking to go a bit wider, All At Once (who renews rivalry) is all you need.
Returning from a layoff of almost three months, Mighty High, previously undefeated in three efforts, was unfortunately victim to ring-rust in her most recent performance when tasting defeat for the first time, finishing 0.75 lengths behind All At Once.
Lerena has been riding like a man possessed and his mount is clearly far better than that last performance suggests.
She’ll strip a fitter horse tomorrow, and if can reproduce her Allan Roberson performance when outclassing highly-rated thoroughbreds like Celtic Sea, Ghaalla and Ronnie’s Candy she will have absolutely no trouble showing this lot a clean pair of heels.
This three-year-old filly is unlikely to lose despite the fact she is at a massive disadvantage at the weights. Unfortunately she meets All At Once on identical terms – shouldering a mammoth 6kg more!
The latter is a two-time winner from three starts and there was a lot to like about her penultimate start when a game second behind Mardi Gras.
If the Quartet tickles your fancy, consider floating All At Once and Mighty High with Vida Es Bella, Blonde Vision, Three Stars, Mazari, Firdoas and Cordillera.
The jockey-trainer combination of apprentice Dennis Schwarz and Gary Alexander has been firing on all cylinders and it could pay to go the TAB Eachway route when they team up with SA Derby winner Hero’s Honour in Race 5, an Assessment Plate over 1600m.
This Await The Dawn gelding caught the eye in his first performance since that Grade 1 triumph, beaten a commendable 4.70 lengths into fourth place by Greek Fire over 1450m – a trip far too short, plus he was drawn worst of all!
He tops the best-weighted column, is drawn at No 7 and that last form line has produced a winner, in the form of runner-up Dhabyaan.
Alexander’s charge will have to get the better of the Sean Tarry-trained Zillzaal, who seems to have found his niche over 1600m.
He made an absolute mockery of his rivals on the second time of asking, winning by three lengths. He shoulders 4kg less than Hero’s Honour and jumps from a plum No 2 draw.
Perhaps take boxed Swingers and Exactas featuring the pair. For the Pick 6 consider adding Armstrong, Zodiac Ruler and Approach Control.