Marcus, Hewitson go for gold
Shortstop to show clean pair of heels
KwaZulu-Natal based jockey Anton Marcus rarely travels to the Highveld and back without having ridden a winner or two. He should draw first blood aboard worthy BiPot banker Invidia in Race 1, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1000m at the Vaal Classic track today. This Ashley Fortune-trained Twice Over colt was beaten into second place at the first time of asking and then, in his follow-up, ran an cracker to be 3.75 lengths behind Frosted Gold in the Grade 2 SA Nursery – suggesting he is a decent sort in the making.
If the two-year-old improves on that performance he will have no trouble fending off his main danger, Gunner Runner from the Candice Dawson yard. Although drifting out from 10-1 to 16-1 in the betting on debut, racing green and losing a length out of the starting stalls, this son of Captain Al did very well, beaten no more than three lengths into fourth place by Alramz over 1200m. Expect massive improvement.
For the Quartet, float Invidia and Gunner Runner with as many runners as your budget allows. The TAB All To Come bet looks the way to go today, featuring places on Africa Rock in Race 3, Shortstop in Race 4 and a win on Chariot Of Gold in Race 5. Champion jockey Lyle Hewitson is currently second on the national jockeys’ log and will try to creep closer to Muzi Yeni’s No 1 spot when best-weighted Africa Rock lines up in Race 3, a Maiden Plate over 1500m.
Considering this Sean Tarry-trained three-year-old gelding was returning from a layoff of almost three months and drawn badly, you cannot fault his recent 1.50-length third-place finish. Plus, that form-line has produced two winners. Africa Rock also ran 2.75 lengths ahead of his main danger Captain Flynt on that occasion, so should have no trouble confirming superiority.
Shortstop was an unlucky loser in his most recent offering, running on a touch too late and getting beaten by a whisker 0.15 lengths into third place behind Miyoshi.
If in-form jockey Gavin Lerena can get Roy Magner’s charge to produce a similar performance, he will show his rivals a clean pair of heels in Race 4, a MR 72 Handicap over 1500m. Tarry-trained Chariot Of Gold made a mockery of rivals when justifying 16-10 favouritism by a whopping eight lengths recently. On that effort, she looks hard to beat in Race 5.