Anton to end Louis blues
CONSISTENT: WINTER BLUES RARELY RUNS A BAD RACE AND LOOKS READY TO WIN
Return to Scottsville could work for Hey Boy.
One has to go back to June last year to find Winter Blues’ last victory and unfortunately for owner and trainer Louis Goosen, the form has been too consistent for the handicappers to have dropped him appreciably.
In his last 10 starts he has placed seven times, and his worst position behind the winner has been 4.85 lengths. That was actually in his last start on the Polytrack when fourth behind Big Blue Marble, and it did result in 0.5kg coming off his merit rating.
Goosen has the six-year-old What A Winter gelding lining up in a MR 88 Handicap over 1000m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday and he may have found his runner the ideal race. It is competitive, but Winter Blues is a fourtime winner on the turf and three of those have been over this course and distance.
He has had 12 runs over the Scottsville 1000m and other than the trio of win, Winter Blues has also notched up two thirds and three fourth places.
It is also worth noting that Goosen is bringing out the big gun as he has engaged Anton Marcus to ride this gelding for the first time.
There could be some value with Duncan Howells-trained Hey Boy, who returns to the course and distance which has produced some of his best results, including his only turf win which was in May last year.
It might be significant, but Denis Schwarz rode him on that occasion and Howells has engaged the same jockey for this race.
This Var gelding’s merit rating has come down 3.5kg since the start of the lockdown and he could now be racing off a mark low enough to make him competitive again.
Baron Rodney is another who might enjoy a return to the turf track. He has not raced on the surface since moving to Cliffie Miller from Geoff Woodruff, but his form on the grass is far better than on either sand or Polytrack.
In fact, his two career wins were both at Turffontein over 1160m.
Lyle Hewitson takes the ride on the five-year-old Sail From Seattle gelding.
Dennis Bosch has his yard in good form and he saddles Treading Water. This four-year-old must have his issues as he has only raced three times and tends to take a rest after each run. Bosch brought him back in a barrier trial on two previous occasions but that option is no longer open to him.
Whatever his problems, this son of Pathfork does seem to have some ability and could surprise.
The other runner with some weird form is Green light of heaven who won a barrier trial and then his debut race with ease, but followed up with two shockers behind Tempting Fate.
The son ofGim me the green light has since been gelded and trainer Gavin Zyl has out up a 4kg claimer, but one would first like to see some improvement in this race before putting any money down.