David Thiselton
Gavin Lerena has ridden eight winners in the last two meetings on the Highveld, a treble at Turffontein Inside last Thursday and a five-timer on Saturday at the Standside track, to pull four clear of Richard Fourie and seven clear of Craig Zackey in the thrilling three way battle for the title.
Craig Zackey had responded to Lerena’s treble on Thursday by riding a four-timer at Fairview on Friday, while Richard Fourie’s double at the latter meeting had seen him reclaim the lead by one at the close of play on Friday.
Zackey went within three of the lead when winning the third race on the smart Tony Peter-trained William Longsword first-timer Titan Of The Turf on Saturday.
However, Lerena then rattled off five wins in the last six races to roar into the lead.
His run began in the first leg of the Pick 6 when the big Clinton Binda-trained Season’s Greeting built on his good third place finish in his previous start, a race which had already seen the second-placed and fourth-placed horses coming out and winning. It was clear a long way out Season’s Greeting’s pace had left the Zackey-ridden favourite Wise Counsel with too much to do and so it proved as Season’s Greeting ran out a 2,10 length winner with the 33/1 chance first-timer, the Mark Khan-trained Queensland (Querari), running second and Wise Counsel, who should win when going over further, third.
In the fifth race over 1000m Lerena had a low draw on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Vercingetorix gelding Chieftain and although that is perceived to be the wrong side he was content to bide his time until the halfway mark at which stage he drove his mount forward. This turned out to be perfect timing as the 99-rated three-year-old ran on strongly to win the MR102 contest by a lengths from Troppo Veloce with the favourite Rodeo Drive once again disappointing and running a 2,25 length third.
In the sixth race over 1000m the Tony Peter-trained Rafa Bay looked to be the one to side with based on some good Cape Town form and a good Highveld debut and Lerena rode him with confidence to win by 2,70 lengths at 83/100 odds from the second favourite Hemisphere with Dontshootthebarman next best.
The Fabian Habib-trained Miss Hannigan with S’Manga Khumalo up spoilt the Lerena sequence by winning the seventh race over 1400m.
However, Lerena was back in the groove for the last two races, winning the eighth over 1400m on the 13/10 shot, the Fanie Bronkhorst-trained Pomodoro mare Princess Ilaria.
He then clinched the five-timer by winning the last over 1160m on the Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained topweight Ensuing, who carried 63kg to a one length victory having been backed in to 9/4. That was a second win for the underrated sire William Longsword.
Earlier in the day the unfashionable Jet Master sire Skit Skizzle produced the winner of the first race, the Robbie Sage-trained Valentina Balducci, who has high profile owners Larry Nestadt, “JJ” Van der Linden and M Lieveaux. She won at odds of 25/2 under Kaidan Brewer.
The second race saw a smart performance from the Paul Matchett-trained Duke Of Marmalade colt The Last Duke, who romped in over 1160m by 4,25 lengths. He looks to be one to follow.
Meanwhile, Lerena has given high praise to his Hollywoodbets Durban July runner Madison Valley. The Frank Robinson-trained Mambo In Seattle gelding put up a good gallop at the official Hollywoodbets Durban July gallops and Lerena said afterwards he felt he was a “massive runner”.
Madison Valley will be out to give Sid Moodley a dream win in the country’s biggest race with his first July runner.
Madison Valley shorted in from an opening final field call of 33/1 in to 20/1 after the Gallops. However, the biggest mover in the Hollywoodbets Durban July marker has been another horse who also opened at 33/1 after the final field announcement, On MY Honour, who has halved in price to 16/1.
