Have faith in Twist Of Fate

PUBLISHED: 09 March 2018

Grant Van Niekerk (Nkosi Hlophe)

Joey Ramsden runs all his four two-year-old winners at Durbanville tomorrow and can be rewarded with success in the opener.

Three of the four contest this 1 000m race and the one that stands out is Twist Of Fate who had stable companion Temp The Tiger nearly three lengths back when fourth in the Met day Listed race. The colt opened 14-10 favourite and, with the eight-strong field including three newcomers, Grant van Niekerk should be able to make light of his outside draw.

Grant Van Niekerk (Nkosi Hlophe)

Grant Van Niekerk

The danger on form is the third Ramsden runner Lucky Dancer who returned not striding out – he had cuts on a hind pastern – when finishing fifth in the Kuda Sprint but the money so far suggests that the one to fear is the Vaughan Marshall newcomer Top Of The Class, a Var colt from a speedy family.

The World Sports Betting odds compilers thought they were taking no chances when they priced this one up at 5-2 on Wednesday but he was down to 18-10 yesterday morning. He receives a useful 3kg from the previous winners.

Ramsden’s Carioca has already been nibbled at 33-10 for the 1 250m fillies race. Donovan Dillon rides this one and she followed up her decent run in the Met Day Listed race with a convincing win three weeks ago.

However Marshall’s Crusade’s Promise, receiving 3kg, is favourite at 5-2 and gets marginal preference. She lost ground at the start when third at 50-1 on debut but still finished in front of Valderrama (4-1). And don’t overlook 9-2 chance Twin Falls. She won first time and was badly interfered with in the Met Day Listed race.

Miss Smarty Pants (3-1) should win the Tabonline.co.za Maiden on form and ratings and she looks better than Ladysmith who has so far been preferred in the market and was down to 28-10 yesterday.

The Boston Rose has been expensive and frustrating to follow – second or third in all her last five races and favourite in three of them – but Durbanville takes a lot less getting than Kenilworth and suits some horses better. She could be one of them (although she has been here before) and is a decent price at 9-2.

Above Eleven failed on Met day but she finished in front of Make It Raine and she may reverse with Sun At Midnight in the Betting World Handicap.

Bwana apparently can be difficult but he has won two out of three and has effectively only gone up two points for his last win. He can collect again in the St Patrick’s Day Handicap.

Adam Marcus may extend his recent good run by winning the next two with Brave Move (12-10) and Bridal Party (2-1).

By Michael Clower