Pleasedtomeetyou is taken to beat Clouded Hill in the clash of the young titans in the Sophomore Sprint at Durbanville tomorrow.
The Andre Nel runner, 12-10 favourite yesterday, was supremely impressive when winning on debut and looked a possible Guineas horse even though four of the six he beat were unraced. The third and fourth have franked the form by winning since.
Bernard Fayd’Herbe
Nel, who reported that the Querari colt was a gallop short and carrying a bit of condition on debut, sounded more cautious than confident when quizzed during the week but said: “He has been doing exceptionally well and, if he runs like he works, he should be hard to beat.”
The snag is his inexperience. At Kenilworth that wouldn’t matter so much but this is the country course with so much of the race on the turn and it is possible that Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount could become unbalanced or at least not gallop as freely as he would on a straight course. On the plus side he receives a kilo from the top three.
Clouded Hill, second favourite at 14-10, powered home as if he was something special when scoring on his second start and he was just as impressive when following up four weeks ago despite losing a front shoe.
Justin Snaith, bidding for his fifth Sophomore and his fourth in eight seasons, is in the sort of form where everything is possible but he did say last time that this horse is looking for further. “He is,” the champion trainer confirms. “But we just get the feeling that he is the most ready of my three-year-olds.” Can Richard Fourie’s mount beat the favourite? “For sure – Pleasedtomeetyou beat a bunch of unraced horses.”
Lanza has also won his last two starts and has Durbanville experience. He has not been as impressive as the big two but he could be one of those that only does just enough and Glen Kotzen, successful with Miller Time in 2007, knows exactly what is required. Ryan Munger’s mount is rated only a kilo behind Clouded Hill yet he is as big as 11-2.
Elusive Trader (13-2) is another who is on a hat-trick and Greg Ennion, who won this with Bulldozer 12 years ago, also runs the 22-1 outsider Sailor Sam. “Elusive Trader’s main mission is the Lanzerac Ready To Run but I have to make sure he gets qualified,” he says, adding: “Elusive Trader is the superior of the two but Sailor Sam is also doing well so I should be competitive.”
Top Of The Class is the only one of the six who went to Durban. He ran well in the Gold Medallion but was reported not striding out when disappointing in the Gatecrasher. “We gelded him after that,” says Vaughan Marshall whose most recent Sophomore success came with Lord Balmoral only two seasons ago. Does he give the 13-1 shot a chance? “Yes, I do.”
Whatever their fortunes with Lanza, the Kotzen-Munger combination should win the Tabonline Maiden with Herodotus who ran like a certain future winner on debut three weeks ago.
By Michael Clower
