Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Steyn’s yard holds the aces

BRENDAN PATHER
Piet Steyn’s yard has made a positive start to the new season, including a double last weekend, and the Milnerton-based yard hold a strong hand in the Kenilworth top liner on Saturday, a MR 93 Handicap run over a mile on the winter course. The yard will saddle three of the eleven carded runners with their best probably being recent winner Pergamon Alter.
The Doowaley gelding has been really consistent since leaving the maiden ranks and has now won four races and placed 11 times in 22 starts.
He was a comfortable winner two weeks back over 1 800m at Kenilworth when dropping in class and the subsequent three-point raise in the ratings may not be enough to keep him from following up.
Providing solid backup to Pergamon Alter in the exotics is the Graded Stakes-placed State Crown. The lightly-raced seven-year-old undoubtedly has his problems but has been showing more urgency in recent outings and is more than capable of winning a Handicap off his current mark.
The Count Dubois gelding just needs to find a length or two on recent efforts to get back into the winner’s enclosure.
The Steyn trio is rounded off by another lightly-raced and problem-plagued seven-year-old D’Vine Prince.
His best efforts to date have been over much further and the Royal Chalice gelding is likely to be in desperate need of this outing after a 458-day break.
The main danger to the Steyn coupling could be the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Druid’s Moon.
The four-year-old gelding has been mostly consistent over this sort of trip and is better than his latest effort when the slow pace did not suit.
The pace is expected to be on from the jump in this one and an improved effort is expected from Druid’s Moon.
The strong front-runner, Critic, is more than likely to be the one to ensure a fair early tempo but Glen Puller’s charge should not be taken lightly at this level. The five-time winner is dangerous when allowed an easy lead and should be more forward for his latest effort which followed a short break.
Top weight Jean Roi seems more genuine up to a mile and struggled to kick on over 1 800m last time. Justin Snaith’s five-year-old Pivotal entire warrants respect having won four of his ten starts but this could be run to suit the fast-finishing Pergamon Alter who is taken to follow-up.

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