The Citizen (KZN)

Good early bets at Scottsvill­e

IMPROVERS: KOTZEN, ROBERTS HAVE PROMISING RUNNERS IN FIRST TWO RACES Imposing stands out back in Maiden company.

- Jack Milner

Punters can get off to a flying start at Hollywoodb­ets Scottsvill­e on Sunday with two decent bets in Races 1 and 2. Glen Kotzen has some useful young horses in his yard right now and the stable has been in deadly form.

Cousin Casey, in particular, has been a revelation, having won four races as a juvenile including the Grade 2 Golden Slipper and the Grade 1 Premiers Champion Stakes.

Kotzen sends out Imposing in Race 1, a Maiden Plate over 1200m. This Visionaire gelding has the subject of a betting coup on debut but got too far back early on before flying up late to get touched off by Vasilikos.

Kotzen wasted no time in entering his charge into the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over this course and distance but once again he got lost early on but although finishing up in sixth place, 4.30 lengths behind Thunderstr­uck, the Visionaire gelding once again produced the fastest 400m to finish.

He was entered to run in a Maiden Plate subsequent­ly but was a late scratching although he then took his place in the Grade 2 Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Hollywoodb­ets Greyville. Unfortunat­ely, he kicked the starting gate, had to be reloaded and never go into the race, going down seven lengths behind stablemate Cousin Casey. Back in maiden company on Sunday he should take a power of beating. Calvin Habib takes the ride.

Race 2 is another Maiden Plate over 1200m and Michael Roberts sends out See It Again who appears to have a touch of class about him. He is a three-parts brother to brilliant Do It Again and certainly displayed ability when runner-up behind Tony Rivalland-trained Captain Casey (not to be confused with Cousin Casey) on debut, despite going off at 25-1.

Like Do It Again, See It Again is by Twice Over while his Granddam, Sweet Virginia, is the dam of Do It Again.

There are some positive comments coming from trainers Dean Kannemeyer and Mike Miller about their respective first-timers, Cheeky Laddie and Aerial Display, but not only has the Robertstra­ined colt got a really good run under his belt at Scottsvill­e, but Captain Casey franked that maiden form when he went on to run a smart 0.50-length fourth in the

Grade 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m at Greyville.

In addition, in-from Rachel Venniker will take a valuable 1.5kg off his back.

Another possible banker comes up later in the card in Race 6, a MR 75 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m, where Kannemeyer saddles Dawnofanew­day.

The Futura filly put up an excellent effort last time when a 2.50-length second behind Humdinger with the winner going on to take the Listed Off To Stud Stakes over this course and distance a fortnight later.

Dawnofanew­day is perfectly drawn at No 1 and has Keagan de Melo in irons.

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