Tap O’Noth has statistics as well as the form book on his side in the World Sports Betting Matchem Stakes at Durbanville tomorrow. Four-year-olds have won five of the last six runnings and the favourite has been successful in three of the last five.
Anton Marcus’s mount, who has drifted from 8-10 to a more realistic 12-10 with the sponsors, has not won a race since his Cape Guineas triumph last December but he made the frame in all three Durban starts and, while Vaughan Marshall says that this 1 400m is really too short, he has taken the precaution of fitting blinkers – not so much to sharpen the horse up but “because he tends to lose interest early on.” The main negative is that he has to give weight all round.
Tap O’ Noth (Liesl King)
The only other four-year-olds in the field are the 22-1 outsider Bernie and the unbeaten second favourite Rainbow Bridge who has not raced for over four months but has already been supported from 4-1 to 3-1. “I haven’t got him at his peak and he is not drawn well,” says Eric Sands who, even so, would not be all that surprised to see the gelding extend his unbeaten record.
If the stats end up proving irrelevant tomorrow the horse most likely to be the cause is 11-2 chance Fifty Cents who has a kilo to spare over the favourite on adjusted merit ratings. He is so effective here that he has won on all his four previous visits. Very much against the six-year-old is his 11 draw but Justin Snaith will not insist that Richard Fourie ‘gives him a chance’ – tactics which might work but which equally could prove fatal if Anton Marcus’s mount keeps up the gallop.
“I will leave all that to Richard,” says the champion trainer. “The horse is very well and he is a big runner but the draw is a problem and we will have our work cut out.”
Of the others Premier Trophy winner Milton has a better chance than his 25-1 price would suggest although Billy Prestage believes the trip is on the short side. Our Mate Art (10-1) won last year but it is hard to see him following up. Copper Force (14-1) has, theoretically anyway, as big a chance on ratings as the favourite but the latter should win.
Marcus’s mount Goodtime Gal is 3-1 favourite to become the first dual winner of the WSB Diana Stakes since Forest Ivory 17 years ago and Mike Robinson reports her on song – “I took her to Durbanville for a gallop last Thursday. She is fit and very well.”
Love To Boogie (11-2) is best on adjusted ratings. Lesedi La Rona (13-2) is the only unbeaten horse in the field and the only three-year-old. Candice Bass-Robinson is using this as a stepping stone to the Western Cape Fillies Championship.
But the vote goes to Angel’s Trumpet who might have little chance on ratings but she won hands and heels easing up over this course and distance last time and she really appeals despite being cut to 7-2.
By Michael Clower
