Expert trainer, Mike de Kock bought Malmoos down from Joburg to extend his unbeaten sequence, in the G2 Avontuur Estate Concorde Cup at Kenilworth and the son of Captain Al duly won the 1600m contest without too much bother. He received a perfect ride from Luke Ferraris, one back/on the rail in the box seat and warded off the challenge of a game, Linebacker easily enough.

Malmoos has twice scored triple digit speed scores which is excellent for an early three year- old. Here he ‘only’ got 98 ++, lower that what he could achieve if fully extended off a faster pace.

There are a couple of horses to take out of the race for future betting decisions: Rascallion ran on tremendously well from a hopeless position at the top of the short Winter course straight, to be beaten under two lengths. He remains a threat in the Guineas, (to be held on the Summer course with a longer run in) and possibly the Derby, too.

Hoedspruit encountered a terrible passage in the stretch having to zig-zag his way past much of the field without being able to be ridden out fully till too late. There was far more merit in the effort than the bare finishing position form will indicate, so he is one to keep safely on your side at his next assignment.

Erik the Red (also by Captain Al and, like Malmoos, bred at Varsfontein Stud) was handily weighted as last terms’ top juvenile sneaking in to the G2 Merchants carrying 52kg’s. He received a perfectly judged ride from Richard Fourie who was suitably rewarded for making a special effort to ride at a light weight.

Rio Querari completed a notable, Snaith Racing exacta. Grant van Niekerk regretted following the wrong horses, who fell away down the inside, feeling he might have win otherwise. Maybe the jock was being too harsh in his self -criticism as it was a sterling run by Rio Querari against a classy rival that has won six from nine starts, and could rate as high as 108 on my scale.

Dual G1 winner, Clouds Unfold (s/s 102 + has run 109 @ best) won a Conditions Plate as the masses expected at short odds, but the horse to monitor closely is runner-up, Capitana (s/s 101) who ran open lengths above her official merit rating and will probably come in favourably handicapped at her next start, depending on where the astute Brett Crawford places her. The very consistent pace-setter, Phil’s Dancer yet again ran a fig of 98, only good enough for third though, this time.

Seeking the Stars was another market fancy to get the job done on a day where a procession of favourites arrived to depress exotic dividends. This Vercingetorix colt has been transformed since blinkers were fitted. Last time he went start to finish getting a speed fig of 99 + in the Cape Classic at 33/1, and he performed a similar feat in the De Grendel CTS RTR Stakes, albeit at much shorter odds of 11/10, and in an even quicker 1400m performance this time round. His variant-adjusted speed score was a super-quick 105! Poorly drawn filly, Lemon Delight (s/s 94) emerged from the distant, chasing pack to get second.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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