Astrocyte to strike for Peter

Trainer Paul Peter has become a regular raider to KwaZulu-Natal this season and he is back at the Greyville course where they race on the Polytrack today.

There have been heavy showers in Durban and yesterday’s race meeting was washed out after 130mm of rain had fallen over the course. At the time the meeting was called it off there was still further precipitation over Greyville.

Fortunately, they have the Polytrack which can handle quite a lot of water so racing can continue, but it is very difficult to assess the affect it will have on the horses.

Peter has had some good results raiding in KwaZulu-Natal recently and he can add another winner to his record when Astrocyte lines up in Race 6, a MR 78 Handicap over 1700m.

Astrocyte, who won his maiden last time out over this distance, will be making his debut on the Polytrack so that has to be a slight concern, but Peter seems to know which horses will suit the surface and probably gets good advice from jockey Warren Kennedy who rode the three-year-old gelding to victory and will be back in the irons this time.

He will be meeting Polytrack specialists such as Maxiumus, Straight Up, Galway and Sea Master and it could be tough, but while those runners have been adding wins to their tally, their ratings have also gone up and they will have to give away chunks of weight to the son of Indigo Magic.

He comes into this race carrying just 54.5kg and has the added benefit of jumping from No 3 draw, which is ideal at this course.

Having improved with each start since joining Peters’ Highveld yard Astrocyte impressed when racing from the front last time and this suggests the Poly-track could be ideal. He looks to be the best of the stable’s four runners.