Have faith in Riverboat Queen
ANDRE Nel’s lightly raced three-year-olds have been proving a boon to punters but one that flopped can recoup the losses at a decent price in the Itsarush.co.za Maiden at Kenilworth today.
This is Riverboat Queen who was only beaten half a length in an admittedly modest-looking maiden early last month but she was ominously reluctant to load when heavily backed a fortnight later and she beat only one home.
There is plenty in the form book about her running so badly but at the time nobody could come up with a reason – and perhaps that is why World Sports Betting opened her at 9-2 and why she only shortened marginally to 4-1 yesterday. But have a look at the small print at the end of the reams of the Met day stipes’ report and you will see the answer.
Nel found her to be slightly sore on her leftfore the morning after the race and that evening she was running a temperature. The following morning she was lame on both front legs and still had a temperature. The vet recommended no exercise for ten days.
Golden Wine is the obvious form choice and is favourite at 2-1 with I Lived (13 lengths in front of Riverboat Queen) on 33-10 and Seattle Silva next on 4-1.
The Brett Crawford runner is interesting as she also ran way below her best last time although it was her first race for nearly three months and she lost ground at the start. “I think the 1 400m was too far for her,” says her trainer. “She is back to 1 200m, is working well and should run much better.”
Nanna Anna’s experience may be just enough to win the first at 5-2 – she was unlucky not to win first time and was then fifth when Anthony