Athena gets the green light
WAR OF ATHENA IS QUITE CAPABLE OF WINNING THE SA TRIPLE TIARA
Malmoos remains the horse to beat in the SA Classic.
It’s Classic Day at Turffontein today and it is a big day for me as War Of Athena continues on her path to the Wilgerbosdrift SA Triple Tiara. She won the Gauteng Fillies Guineas last time, and her journey will continue in the Grade 1 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic over 1800m on the Standside track.
This is one of the best days’ racing in the country and it’s the first Grade 1 for three-year-olds of the Joburg season.
Many champions have won the Grade 1 WSB SA Classic and I’ve been fortunate enough to triumph on Lobo’s Legend in 2018.
These races will no doubt sort out the pecking order for the three-year-olds and I’m really looking forward to the day.
Besides the two Classics, there is high-quality racing all round and we see the return of top-class Got The Greenlight, with whom I have had the privilege of been associated.
We will discuss these races at length later.
Race 1 is a Juvenile Plate over 1160m and it’s a small but competitive field.
Of the horses who have run, I feel Hope Is Power is the horse to beat. He won well on debut and showed signs of inexperience in his next start when third in a Listed race.
Piere Strydom takes the ride and he definitely sets the standard.
Captain’s Run, There She Goes and On Cue all have claims and must be included. Watch the betting on the first-timers because there are some well-bred runners.
Race 2 is also competitive, but I like the look of Clarkson. He finished very strongly on debut and will enjoy the step up in trip. He is drawn No 1 and any natural improvement will see him take all the beating.
Al Qaasim has been disappointing but is now being tried over further. This could prove decisive. West Coast Lover and Swingthewillow are others to include.
In Race 3 I feel Lucy Belle could easily win a race of this nature. She was drawn wide last time and the race didn’t pan out for her.
Slightly disappointing Belle Of Belize, who now has the addition of blinkers and a tongue tie, could improve and rates the danger.
These two horses should get you through all bets.
Race 4 starts the carryover Pick 6 and it looks wide open. My recommendation is to include as many horses as the budget allows.
For those who want to go narrower, I would focus on All Aglow, who looks the most progressive filly in the line-up. She enjoyed the step up in trip and off a good draw could follow up off a very low rating.
Twice The Act won well last time and rates a danger while Veld Flower and Lady Amherst definitely need to be included.
My first ride comes up in Race 5 in the form of Tyrus Express. He is in good form and definitely stays 2400m. Off a good draw and a light weight I think he rates one of the main contenders.
I believe my main danger is African Adventure, a high-class stayer on whom I have won. He is the horse to beat and should reverse his defeat by Chitengo at the weights.
Chitengo won that race well and must be included, while improving Don’t Look Back is going for five on the trot and off a light weight will be right there.
These four horses should get you through all bets.
Race 6 is the Wilgebosdrift SA Fillies Classic and I ride the superstar War Of Athena.
It’s every jockey’s dream to be associated with a filly of her standard and I really believe she will take all the beating in the second leg of the Triple Tiara.
On form she has the beating of nearly the entire field and I’ll be extremely disappointed if she doesn’t win.
Sparkling Water is one of the fillies we haven’t competed against, but she looks decent and progressive and could rate the main danger. Gee For Go and Netta should fill minor places.
Race 7 is the WSB SA Classic and we will see Malmoos go for WSB SA Triple Crown glory.
He won well in the Gauteng Guineas and in my opinion, still remains the horse they have to beat.
I am not convinced there will be a strong pace and for that reason I think it will suit Malmoos.
Catch Twentytwo is the obvious danger and I believe he will appreciate the 1800m and should be very competitive. I would have made him the horse to beat if this was a 2000m race.
Second Base is another very interesting runner and won very well over this trip two starts back. He has the ability to win a Grade 1 and must be included in all bets.
Bingwa is an outsider worth including because I have always believed the further they go the better he will be.
My ride, Bold Jazz, will have to raise his game quite a bit to be competitive but he has always given me a good feel and I think the addition of blinkers is a major positive. It would be a dream to win the race with a horse owned by the sponsors.
Race 8 is the Hawaii Stakes and as mentioned previously, I ride a multiple Equus champion horse Got The Greenlight. This is the start of his season which is aimed towards another crack at the Durban July and I am really thankful to Mr Soma and the owners for keeping me on board.
There is no doubt he will improve with the run and although he is not tuned up for this, you can’t discount these exceptional horses in any race, so he must be included in all bets.
Cirillo returns from the Cape and the blinkers go back on so he rates a danger. MK’s Pride is the only three-year-old in the line-up and is in really good form. Threeyear-olds have been hammering the older horses so he could be the one to beat.
Others to include are Lady Of Steel and Expressfromtheus.
In Race 9 I ride Battleoftrafalgar. He has a definite chance and must be included in all bets.
Forever Mine has quite a big weight for a three-year-old but must also be included while Down To Zero and Old Man Tyme have claims.
These horses should be enough to get you through but go as wide as the budget will allow.
Race 10 is also wide open, but I really do rate Battle Force. He has won his last two starts impressively and I make him the horse to beat.
His main dangers are Sea Virescent, Namaqualand and Written In Stone.
BEST BET
Race 6 No 1 War Of Athena
VALUE BET
Race 10 No 6 Battle Force
PICK 6 R1600
1, 2, 4, 6, 7 1, 4, 8, 9
1
1, 2, 4, 5 1, 2, 3, 9, 11 3, 4, 5, 10