Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Hawk Eagle to spread his wings

David Thiselton
Thankfully the eight-race meeting scheduled for Greyville on Saturday night coincides with a bout of sunshine in Durban. The going could, however, still be on the soft side though, with plenty of rain having fallen in the preceding days.
There are some good horses turning out including the promising three-year-old pair of Hawk Eagle and Orbison in the sixth, a Graduation Plate over 2 000m.
Alistair Gordon said that Hawk Eagle will be at his peak and is expecting a good run.
Herman Brown said the yard “think a lot of Orbision.”
The latter is a big horse and Brown admitted he would prefer to run him at Clairwood, although he didn’t think that the tighter Greyville course would effect his chances.
Hawk Eagle is given the verdict though, despite being one point lower rated, as he appears to love Greyville and is not drawn as wide as Orbison.
The Duncan Howells-trained Knight To Remember produced a very strong finish to cut down another promising Brown-trained horse, Governor General, last time out at Clairwood.
However Brown said he might have been flattered as Governor General had not pulled up well out of that race.
Nevertheless, Knight To Remember does get 2,5kg from Orbison and Hawk Eagle as he is only a one time winner.
On the upgrade
The Kumaran Naidoo-trained Dolomite is another with a chance as he appears to be on the upgrade.
The Adam Kethro-trained Savanah Park is an outsider to consider as, despite his below par recent runs for his new yard at Scottsville, he has proven ability and tries a step up in trip that might suit, being by Rakeen, albeit out of a National Emblem mare.
In the fourth, a Conditions Plate over 1 400m, Tropical Empire always runs well fresh and this could well be his favourite course and distance.
He finished second in the Drill Hall, beating River Jetez, and won a similar race to this over course and distance with consummate ease last October.
His wide draw is the only concern.
The Craig Eudey-trained Thandolwami is reported in good shape by the yard and shouldn’t be ignored with Raymond Danielson back aboard.
The gelding has the strange quirk of only getting going when the finish line is in sight, usually at roundabout the 200m mark, so needs to be pushed all the way until then. No jockey knows him better than Danielson, who has ridden him in his best performances.
Gordon reported that Lord London finished flat last time, so this highly regarded horse has been freshened up and the immediate aim is to build up his confidence and get him back to where he once was.
A “good run”, no matter where he finishes, is what is hoped for.
Lucky Boy and Don’t Tell Titch are course and distance suited, while the Glen Puller-trained Thanks Dad could be dangerous with his light weight and a 4kg claimer aboard.
In other races Paul Lafferty felt that Fort Noble would be “hard to beat” in the second.
Super Sunday, Enrichment and Minwa stand out in what should be a three-horse race in the third.
In the fifth, the Dennis Drier-trained Rise Again has excellent form and was given the thumbs up by the yard, the only concern being that owing to her massive size she “might just, just need it”.

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