Deo Juvente (speed score 107) snuck in between hot favourite Legal Eagle and Nother Russia to score a dramatic victory in the Premier’s Champions Challenge at Turffontein on Saturday. This was a deserved change of fortune for Geoff Woodruff’s runner who succumbed in a knock down brawl with stable mate Master Sabina in the 2015 Summer Cup, and then saw Met 2016 hopes scuppered when badly cut after rolling on a broken bottle in the sand.
Rafeef (s/s 112) was very impressive winning the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint, and it was a smart move by the de Kock stable to bring him back to the short cuts using blinkers. The son of Redoubte’s Choice out of National Colour, and hence a full brother to impressive SA Nursery winner Mustaaqeem (s/s 96 +), was chased home by a resurgent Talktothestars (s/s 108) who suddenly regained his high level of form from a year ago.
Al Sahem (s/s 103) is most consistent and took advantage of a below- best Heavenly Blue to exact revenge on that rival and win the SA Derby. They were split by Pagoda (s/s 101), a small but game son of Mogok that stays well. The fillies equivalent was won by diminutive Wind Chill (s/s 99) who used her turn of foot and stamina to comfortably cruise home in the SA Oaks.
Interbet podcaster James Goodman continues to provide sharp insights on KZN racing. He wisely picked out Janoobi (s/s 103) as the value play in the Daisy Guineas, saying that the Greyville 1600m set up perfectly for this power galloper. That is exactly how the race unfolded with Janoobi dominating from the front to win untroubled, followed in by Secret Captain, Zodiac Ruler and Copper Force who all attained scores of 101.
Gimme Six won the Fillies Guineas using her acceleration to sprint away in mid-stretch. A last start figure of 100 suggested she could win at this level, which proved the case for this smart daughter of high class sprinter/miler Gimmethegreenlight.
Marinaresco (s/s 104 +) seems to do especially well at the tight Durban city track. The nimble gelding produced a swift closing burst to nab Victorious Jay with Saratoga Dancer and pace-setting Sail South (s/s 103) all close up in a nip and tuck finish to the Drill Hall Stakes. The Winter season is now underway in KZN so racing fans that enjoyed quality action up on the Highveld will now switch attention to the East coast for a succession of Graded contests.