Puller looks to Solar Night
GLEN Puller, out of luck with Western Storm on Saturday, had compensation with Harlem Shake in the last and he can strike again with Solar Night in the Midweek Winter Racing Maiden at Kenilworth tomorrow.
Brandon Morgenrood’s mount has finished in the first three on all his three starts and now steps up from 1 200m to a mile. “He should be a better horse going round the turn and I think this trip is what he needs,’’ says the trainer.
League Of Legends is the obvious danger. He is rated Solar Night's equal and was favourite in the TAB sheet forecast. He is drawn widest of all although Paul Reeves believes that this is not a problem, saying: “He has plenty of gate speed, he is doing very well at home and I think he is a big runner.’’
La Flambee looked a certain future winner when second at 100-1 on debut but she coughed after working on Saturday and Adam Marcus has scratched her from the opening maiden. Variance from the in-form Vaughan Marshall stable raced green when showing promise on debut but Silver Banshee makes more appeal despite being unfavourably drawn.
She finished fourth to Star Academy on debut when Like Janis and Sandton Rocker (both placed on Saturday) were second and third.
“She was working well before her first run and she has done well since," says Brett Crawford. “With normal improvement she should run a good race."
Hard Day's Night caught the eye first time - he ran on well from a long way back and was not given a hard race - and is a Winning Ways horse to follow.
That run was nearly three months ago but the Joey Ramsden-trained colt may still win the Place Your Bets Maiden.
Rodney, who lost ground at the start on debut, seems sure to go close while Union Jack and Marshall's Banderos also have claims.
“Don’t ignore Salinger either despite last time's expensive Durbanville outing.
“He didn’t like Durbanville and we want to see if he can do better here,’’ says Justin Snaith who cautions: “But this is a very competitive race.’’
Donovan Dillon may get off the mark in Cape Town on Ilium in the next. The Snaith filly is the best on merit ratings - although she is meeting the four-year-olds on terms 5kg worse than weightfor-age which nullifies that advantage - and she had Preoccupation a length and a quarter behind when they met over a mile at the beginning of last week.