Hewitson out to make history
APPRENTICE Lyle Hewiston, pictured, is on the cusp of taking the lead in the race for the national jockey’s title.
A winner at Fairview on Friday and another in the last race yesterday, took him to within one of equalling current leader Anthony Delpech on 136 winners for the season and he could well equal, or even pass Delpech at Greyville today where he has five rides on the eight-race card.
Third placed Muzi Yeni has not given up the chase and his three winners yesterday took him to 109 for the season so far but with Delpech unlikely to be back to defend his title after being side-lined through injury, it will take a monumental effort by Yeni to stop Hewitson becoming only the second apprentice to land the National title after the legendary Michael Roberts, and this in only his third year as professional jockey.
Falkland
One likely success this afternoon could come in the form of Fakland for Brett Crawford in the fourth but he faces a hard-knocker in Winter Blues, going for his fifth straight victory while Falkland has just managed his maiden win.
Winter Blues is not the biggest of individuals but he can get along a bit as he has shown by winning his last four starts and is unbeaten with a tongue-tie.
Winter Blues put in a smart piece of work at Ashburton on Tuesday which pleased trainer Louis Goosen.
“He’s not the biggest and is carrying a big weight. I’m old school. I don’t like my horses carrying too much dead weight so have put Bernie (Fayd’herbe) on. He’s a smart little horse and although possibly not top class he’s good enough to win a small feature.”
Winter Blues takes on some hardknocking handicappers in the opening leg of the jackpot and also some quickly improving three-year-olds so will have it all to do under top weight, but he does look to have a touch of class which could carry him through to his fifth successive victory.
The Paul Gadsby-trained Gunner gave sire Gimmethegreenlight his first stakes winner and a Gr1 at that, when winning the Premier’s Champions Stakes at the end of last season.
It has been a drought since as Gunner has not managed a win this season but that could all change when he lines up in the seventh, a handicap over 1400m.
Gunner is slowly dropping in the ratings and Gadsby appears to have got him in the right race for his first win this term.
The gelding found good betting support last run over the distance on the Greyville turf but although the gamble went astray, Gunner was far from disgraced behind the useful Legend, beaten a length into sixth place.
He meets a lot weaker here and with four-claiming apprentice Khanya Sakayi keeping the ride, Gunner looks to have as big a chance as any in a competitive handicap.
Antony Hotspur
Hector Heathcote, a smart winner on debut, will have his supporters along with Antony Hotspur, who also impressed on debut.
Dark horse could be Drageda. Duncan Howells’s runner has been disappointing after showing early promise but is showing signs of his full potential and is a must inclusion in all exotic bets.
Punters took a pounding this past week with Pick 6 carryovers galore so every race meeting country-wide this next week has seeded pools.
Tomorrow’s Pick 6 starts with a R300k injection but backers are faced with another tricky card with bankers in short supply.
Best prospect could come in the eighth where Dennis Drier’s charge Silver Prancer stacks up as a possible.
Being the last leg of the exotic, most going through would like to have as wider spread as possible to ease the nerves, but Silver Prancer comes from a top, inform yard with good poly form to back her in spite of letting the side down at her last two starts when starting favourite.
The field here is not the strongest and blinkers for the first time can, hopefully for her supporters, bring out the best in her.
Liverpool Lass
Those not confident could look to Liverpool Lass as back-up with Johan Janse van Vuuren raiding from the Highveld and the lightly raced Josephine Baker makes her local debut and has shown some potential in two starts in the Cape.
Joey Ramsden has his first runner and possibly first winner of Champions Season when Lily Theresa lines up in the fifth.
Ramsden put one over his Highveld rivals with Attenborough winning the Gr1 Computaform Sprint last Saturday and although Lily Theresa did not break the ice in her two starts on the Highveld, she was a close-up second in a tough handicap last time out.
She takes a major drop in class here and although also a corresponding jump in the weights, she looks good enough to put one over the likes of Love Theme and the lightly raced, The Bungalow.