Blarney Bay seems sure to give punters a run for their money in the Racing.It’s A Rush Handicap at Kenilworth today.
This free-running galloper loves to go off in front and the 1 400m is his ideal trip. True, he has to give weight all round and his task is made even harder by being raised 2kg for his last win.
That was in a Pinnacle over the same distance when he beat subsequent Green Point winner Captain America and had a string of other big names behind including last Saturday’s Premier scorer Paterfamilas and third-placed Helderberg Blue.
Of course such results need to be taken with a pinch of salt but Brandon May’s 4kg claim will help. “Heavelon van der Hoven (who rode him last time) is going on holiday and, as Brandon is still claiming 4kg, I thought why not give him a chance,” says Mike Robinson (pictured).
Blarney Bay opened at 9-2 with World Sports Betting yesterday and the improving Sheer Trouble, winner of three of his last four, is 16-10 favourite.
Robinson can also take the opening Welcome Maiden with 7-2 chance Prize Peg who drops in distance for this. But that, apparently, is not significant – “She is so well and showing me so much pace that I thought I should let her run,” her trainer explains.
On the book there is little in it between Donavan Mansour’s mount and Princess Jane (also 7-2) who is invariably right there at the death.
Artic Teon has a clear chance in the Summer Of Champions Maiden although the opening 7-10 is giving nothing away. But here the step-up in distance is relevant. “I’ve been waiting for a stayers’ maiden for some time,” says Andre Nel whose good run was temporarily halted last Wednesday when hot favourite Keep On Chooglin flopped and was reported coughing.
“We did have a lot of coughing but it’s mostly gone,” says Nel. “Keep On Chooglin coughs every time he runs and I think it was just a flat run. I may have run him too soon after his previous race.”
Exclusive Knight (9-2), attempting to win at the 34th attempt (he has been placed 19 times), also steps up in trip. “Competition is a bit weaker over this 2 500m. Over 1 800m you’ve got three-year-olds coming up all the time,” says Piet Steyn who has an interesting story about Money Surger with whom he won for the ninth time in 76 races on Saturday.
Nobody bid for her as a yearling and a float driver, picking up the yearlings after the sales, rang Steyn when found her on her own. Steyn told him to deliver her to him and rang breeder Dan de Wet. He wanted R5 000, they settled on R3 000 and Steyn named her Money Surger because he believes she would prove to be just that. She was won R557 000 so far.
Justin Snaith, now only three short of 2 000 winners, has a big chance with 15-10 favourite Sub Zero in race three but Mr Piscato is marginally preferred at 5-2.
By Michael Clower
