Greyville turf back on track
THE Greyville turf track, closed for spring treatment for three months, gets its first taste of racing today. The first seven races on the tenrace card are on the poly but the final three are on the turf starting with the Beekman Management Services KZN 3YO Series for Fillies, eighth on the card.
Run at level weights over 1 600m, one would expect those at the top of the handicap ratings to be favoured but there is very little separating the first seven and punters have their work cut out.
Adding to that is that much of the current form has been on the poly track and a few of the more fancied runners take a step up in trip.
Miss Minver heads the handicap ratings and Dean Kannemeyer’s filly comes off a quick winning double on the poly. She has won three of her six starts, the last over 1 600m, and is clearly on the up. Just how she handles the switch to the turf may be key to how she fares.
Weichong Marwing has made the trip to the coast to partner Beaute Noire for brother Weiho which may be a pointer to the way the stable are thinking. There are no question marks about her handling the turf surface after winning her maiden at Scottsville and following up with a close-up second.
She then followed up going one better on the poly and easily lasted the mile. Like Miss Minver she is also improving.
Michael Roberts saddles Simona who shed her maiden at second time of asking. Both starts have been sprints so just how she handles the step up in trip will be key to her chances.
Charles Laird’s runner African Sunbird won on debut but runner-up Night At The Proms is still a battling maiden. However, she too steps up to a trip which may possibly be more to her liking so any market support will be significant.
Online was disappointing on her two outings on the poly and according to Duncan Howells ran way below her best last time. She too should enjoy the rise in distance and the switch of surfaces although a wide draw is not in her favour.
In a tricky race, Beaute Noire is taken to get home ahead of Miss Minver with African Sunbird a danger to both. GEOFF Woodruff continued his stranglehold on the Gr1 Gauteng Sansui Summer Cup as Master Sabina recorded back-to-back wins at Turffontein yesterday. It was also Woodruff ’s fourth consecutive win and sixth overall threatening Mike de Kock’s record of seven.
It took 26 years for back-to-back winners after the filly Roland’s Song but it was not all plain sailing as Gavin Lerena punched his mount through a narrow gap to deny The Conglomerate a rare Vodacom Durban July and Sansui Summer Cup double. Master Switch, who delayed the start when bursting through his gate, finished a close-up third with Liege some way back in fourth.
Anthony Delpech was quickly away from his outside gate to race Master Switch up into third as the Sean Tarry pair of Stonehenge and Liege set the gallop. Master Sabina was another who did not get the best of breaks. “Things did not work out for me early,” said Lerena. “But he is all heart and determination,” he said of his mount.
Once clear of traffic in the straight Lerena found himself confronted with the battle between Master Switch and The Conglomerate and quickly running out of track. So he took the direct route. With the gap between the two closing and still plenty of horse still under him, Lerena barrelled his way through to the line. Woodruff was almost matter-of-fact. “This is a handicap and in a handicap, you need luck. He nearly got cleaned up by my other horse.”
There was little place for the small stables at Turffontein yesterday as Sean Tarry, Woodruff and Johan Janse van Vuuren held sway. Tarry won five of the first eight races with Woodruff a double including the Gr2 Investec Dingaans and the very smart Green Pepper winning the Gr3 Magnolia Handicap for Van Vuuren.