If ever a horse deserved a win it is Forward Drive in the Racing. It’s A Rush Maiden Juvenile at Kenilworth tomorrow.
Five weeks ago he was coming with strong run when the leader, Eighth Wonder, swerved right across his path and caused Brandon Morgenrood to check. The momentum was lost and Forward Drive was unable to live up to his name.
Morgenrood promptly called for a race review and trainer Paul Reeves lodged an objection. As the colt only finished third, that looked optimistic – and the stipes ruled that he would not have beaten Eighth Wonder anyway – but had he finished second it just might have been a different story.
“He was unlucky. He got taken out quite badly,” recalls Reeves who is understandably hopeful about gaining compensation and adds encouragingly: “The horse is doing very well.”
Morgenrood was again offered the ride but decided to stay loyal to the Glen Puller-trained Auditorium who went close on debut and is an obvious danger. He was 7-2 favourite in the Betting World forecast yesterday while Forward Drive was an appealing 5-1. However the form of Cavallino (4-1) looks stronger than that of Auditorium and he could be the one for the exacta.
It’s unusual for a two-year-old to be asked to turn out again only a week after its debut but Entrechat ran so well the first time that the attacking policy could pay off in the opening fillies maiden. “We are running her because we saw an opportunity – it’s not one of the strongest fields,” says Justin Snaith. “We will give her a break after this.”
However Happy Avenue looks like posing a major threat, particularly as she is better than last time’s run would suggest. MJ Byleveld’s mount lost ground at the start, was hampered after a furlong and ran her race minus a front shoe. “She pulled it off as she jumped,” relates Vaughan Marshall.
Snaith took all three two-year-old races last Saturday and is bidding to win with at least one juvenile for the eighth consecutive Cape Town meeting. More Than Grand may land the Winter Solstice Maiden for him.
This Australian-bred has a huge home reputation but those who made him favourite in his last two starts are less enamoured. His stable, though, still believe in him – “He is a very nice horse, just immature,” comments his trainer.
Richard Fourie’s mount never really looked like winning when fourth to Lord Marshal and subsequent winner Schachar last time but he can prove too strong for the Langerman-entered Jeremy tomorrow.
With top-rated Jam Tart (16-10 favourite in the forecast) having been off for well over six months, Caprice Des Dieux and Andrew Fortune look the business at 5-2 in the Kenilworth Maiden while Marshall’s Victorious Jay should take the next.
By Michael Clower
Picture: Glen Puller
