Frederico’s Dream (speed figure 103) is an up and coming young daughter of Gimmethegreenlight. She made a powerful mid race move to win a sprint handicap at the Vaal on Saturday and is worth following. The grey was chased home by Winter Watch (s/s 101)and Myfunnyvalentine (s/s 101) with La Bella Mia and Arissa both getting 99’s when dead-heating for fourth. These are very useful speed figures and all those mentioned could play a role in stronger races during the Highveld season.
The durable gelding Captain Aldo has previously run numbers of 106/107 and he stole a false-run Pinnacle Stakes from the front, just lasting over a late charging Will Pays. Karl Zechner did a good job to judge the fractions just right. Jockeyship is often behind the tiny margins which are the difference between winning and losing.
Richard Fourie’s ride on Commander Bond (s/s 98) at Kenilworth is another example to illustrate the point: The colt repeatedly runs figures in the mid 90’s which should yield around five wins in a major centre like Cape Town, yet going into Saturday’s race, Commander Bond was only a one time winner, with a frustrating history of often suffering narrow defeats. Again he took ages to get going, but a 35.4 600m to finish sectional and Fourie’s perfectly timed lunge helped to get the slim verdict this time. Earth Hour (s/s 98) suffered a tough beat second, and should be able to make amends off his current handicap mark of just 73.
On the topic of jockeys, it was good to welcome back Gavin Lerena, laid off due to the debilitating Epstein Barr virus for a couple of months. He duly won on his first three rides – Twice a Lady, Greenwood Drive and Secret Potion. Lerena consistently sports one of the highest strike rates in the country; 21% in 2017, 19% in 2016, and 20% in 2015, and horseplayers who have profited by banking on Lerena to get the job done, are heartened to see him return to the saddle.