Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Pocket needs his A game

David Thiselton
Pocket Power worked well in his fast work at Clairwood on Monday and is in good condition ahead of the defence of his Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge crown on Saturday. He has drawn widest of all in barrier 10 for the Clairwood 1 600m event. Trainer Mike Bass said, “The draw will make it that little bit more difficult. Bernard (Fayd’herbe) is not too concerned though.’’
“I just hope he’s still as competitive over the 1 600m as he was,’’ he continued. “He’s now seven-years-old so is getting on. He can’t just run okay to win, he will have to produce a performance of the highest level to beat horses like Mother Russia.’’ Bass said of Blue Tiger, who helped set up Pocket Power’s victory last year by setting a fast pace out in front, “He came out of his Golden Horse sprint run okay. He’s never a good work horse at home, so it's difficult to tell with him. He won't be a pacemaker as such, but he likes to be out in front and that will help Pocket.’’ Mike de Kock said of Mother Russia, “We have freshened her up, but I don’t think she will need the run, she's very well.’’ The yard also said Rudra had been working well, although the form shows that Mother Russia will likely be more effective over a mile than he would be. Stan Elley said of his charge Kapil, “His preparation has been difficult as he’s getting old now. It’s not just his legs now it’s his back, his stifles, all over. But he’s as well as we could have him.’’ Kapil receives physiotherapy three-times a week from Amy de Waal and is also worked on by chiropractor, Brendan O’Connor. Elley is happy with Kapil’s legs and felt fast going would not be a problem although he would prefer it if there were a couple of showers to take the sting out of the ground. Sean Tarry said that Regal Ransom would only be arriving at Clairwood on Friday.
He said, “He might need the run, it’s more of a prep run for him. But we hope he could surprise.’’ Duncan Howells said of his Drill Halls Stakes winner, Tropical Empire, “He’s very, very well. It's a competitive race and will be very hard to win. He is better at Greyville as he tends to run to the right, so if he finds the inside rail on the tight Greyville track it brings out the best in him.“But he did finish just 2,5 lengths back in the Champions Cup at Clairwood last year. That was over 1 800m, while this is over 1 600m, but on the other hand that was a sort of handicap which made it easier for him at the time than this Weight For Age event.” The Grade 3 Cup Trial over 1 800m will also be an interesting race and two with good chances will be the Michael de Beer-trained Red Rake and the Bass-trained Rushing Wind. Adam Marcus, De Beer’s Summerveld assistant, said that the yard’s Durban string had “come well” as is evidenced by Tassie Belle’s win in the Listed East Coast Handicap over 2000m at Clairwood followed by her fine second place in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000 at Greyville last Saturday. “Tassie Belle needed her first run at Scottsville,’’ he said. “Unlike in her case we have given Red Rake a gallop at Clairwood, so hopefully he won't need it at all on Saturday. He has natural early pace and I think he is better over 1 800m than the 2 000m of the J&B Met. In the Met they took him on up front and he pulled a bit so found no extra. He also returned with a joint niggle. But we’re hoping for a good run on Saturday.’’
Bass said that Rushing Wind pulled up very well after his fine second in the Grade 1 Golden Horse Casino Sprint over 1 200m at Scottsville and was currently “very well”. “I always said that the stiff Scottsville 1 200m would suit him,’’ said Bass. “It’s difficult to say which distance he's best at but he's won over 1 800m before and has run well at Clairwood.’’

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