The Rebel with a cause
PLUSSES: TAKES BIG DROP IN CLASS AND IS BEST HANDICAPPED RUNNER
Talktothestars could shine again.
So far this year Rebel’s Champ has contested the Grade 1 Betting World Cape Flying Championship, the Grade 2 Tommy Hotspur Sprint and the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint, all over 1000m.
While he did not win any of the features he was rarely far off the winner. His best performance came in the Tommy Hotspur when he finished third, beaten 2.10 lengths by Down To Zero.
This five-year-old son of Rebel King has not raced since running five lengths behind Pacific Trader in the Computaform Sprint at Turffontein on 4 May but will return to the track tomorrow to race in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m on the Vaal Classic track.
He takes a massive drop in class and it comes as no surprise Rebel’s Champ is the best handicapped runner in this line-up. He does have to carry 61.5kg but this horse runs regularly off a weight like that so that should be no problem.
The only concern is that he has not raced for 145 days but he has two factors in his favour. He looks so much better than his opposition that he should be able to beat them if even 90% fit. In addition, trainer Paul Peter does not send out his runners half-baked so that should also be an issue.
The second is that the stable is in deadly form and the combination of Peter and jockey Warren Kennedy has been almost unstoppable in the past few months. However there is a question mark hanging over Kennedy’s fitness, having been off since a fall at the weekend.
This eight-time winner is a 1000m specialist and has a record of two wins and a place from three runs over the course and distance.
If you take Rebel’s Champ out of the race then almost any horse in the race could win. Of course, many of these runners are warming up for bigger races coming up over the next few months.
Trainer Roy Magner saddles four runners and Pool Party and Dancing Queen stand out. However, jockey arrangements seem to suggest Dancing Queen could be the stable elect as Dennis Schwarz, the apprentice who normally rides Pool Party, has opted for the four-year-old filly on this occasion.
She has also been out of action for 145 days after running a shocker in the Grade 2 Camellia Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein, also on 4 May.
One horse who, although now eight years old, is capable of causing an upset is Talktothestars. He is a Grade 1 winner who at one time was the horse with the highest merit rating in the country. He then went off the boil but thanks to a large drop in his rating which has made him competitive again, this son of Overlord finally managed another win. His rating has gone back up again and it will be interesting to see if he can still manage another win.
Owner/trainer Coenie de Beer has put up a 4kg claimer to help his charge.