Guineas champ returns
WARM-UP: TARRY HAS BIGGER THINGS ON THE AGENDS FOR IKIGAI
Biggest threat could come from De Kock-trained Fired Up.
Gauteng Guineas winner Ikigai returns to action on the Highveld tomorrow when he lines up in Race 7, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track.
Sean Tarry clearly has a high opinion of this son of Vercingetorix as his last three races have all been in Grade 1 event.
Ikigai was most impressive when winning the Gauteng Guineas over 1600m, beating Frosted Gold by 1.75 lengths in that Grade 2 race. Tarry was not sure whether his charge would see out 1800m but opted to run him in the Grade 1 SA Classic nonetheless.
With 200m to run the race looked as if it would be a two-horse affair between Got The Greenlight and Ikigai but the Guineas winner faltered late and ended up in fifth spot.
He then went to KwaZulu-Natal and his first port of call was the Grade 1 Golden Horse Sprint over 1200m at Scottsville. That was his first run in four months and Ikigai did not perform badly, ending up 3.45 lengths behind stable companion Warrior’s Rest.
From there he went into the Champions Cup over 1800m at Greyville but ended up 4.25 lengths behind Golden Ducat. If one considers that the next three past the post were Rainbow Bridge, Cirillo and Do It Again, that was certainly a decent effort.
Tarry obviously has some races planned for his charge in the upcoming Summer Season, and one would imagine the Charity Mile on 31 October would be an option, so this race over 1450m is probably more to keep him ticking over than anything else.
But he does run well over the track and trip and should be fit enough to dispatch this field. He is not the best handicapped runner in this Pinnacle Stakes – that goes to six-year-old mare Saragon – but in all likelihood Ikigai is better ran his current merit rating of 118.
However, he will have to give Saragon from the Gary Alexander yard 8kg.
A bigger threat could come from Mike de Kock-trained Fired Up. He is another who does well over this course and distance and has established a record of two wins and a second place in three runs.
He comes in carrying just 52kg and De Kock has engaged Muzi Yeni to ride the five-year-old gelding.
One runner who could be worth including in bigger exotics is Dan The Lad. On paper he is 3.5kg out with Ikigai but he does get a 4kg allowance courtesy of apprentice Philasande Mxoli, which will see him carry just 46kg.
If the youngster can get him away from the opposition he could prove difficult to catch. In addition, Paul Matchett has his runners in excellent condition and has produced a number of winners of late.