The in-form Andrew Fortune rides at Durbanville for the second time in three weeks today and, as on his last visit, the former champion can kick off with a winner.
He has six rides but only one of them is a favourite and Betting World yesterday opened the well drawn Tumbles at 7-2 for the opening maiden. At that price the filly looks value.
This is the last meeting at the country course until February but, so far as Adam Marcus is concerned, the all-important factor is the fast going.
“Tumbles has a lot of natural speed and in her first two starts at Kenilworth the ground was very heavy,” says the Milnerton trainer. “She needs to be settled and Andrew has beautiful hands. I think she is going to be very competitive.”
She is drawn two whereas many of the form horses are drawn wide, notably 5-1 shot Gin For Genius who starts on the outside. Has she the gate speed to overcome that? “I don’t want her to have the speed early,” answers Eric Sands. “I want the speed to pull her along and I think she might be alright.”
Ichkeria, 100-1 on debut in a good Kenilworth maiden last month, ran well enough to suggest she could pose a threat here and she is a 4-1 chance but her 12 draw is hardly a positive.
Molly’s Chambers (14-1) has a bit of form but she failed to show it when making the running here last month. “It was her first time on the course,” explains Piet Steyn. “I think she has a place chance.”
Favourite at 3-1 is the Andre Nel-trained newcomer Skip A Beat, a daughter of Dynasty. This is not an easy course for a first timer and it will be interesting to see if she remains at the head of the market come race time.
Nel has made a sparkling start and his La Favourari is 18-10 favourite for the Soccer 10 Maiden Plate even though the colt’s debut second reads poorly with Roxy Babe (third) and Hammie’s Game (fifth) letting the side down on Saturday.
“La Favourari is a fairly decent horse,” says Andre Nel. “We thought he would win first time if there was nothing special among the other newcomers and he has come on since.”
The form of Heart Of Darkness’s fourth to March On, on the other hand, has been repeatedly boosted with the second, third and fifth all winning next time out and at 7-2 he makes more appeal despite not having raced for almost three months and being drawn seven out of ten. Knight Of Glory (5-1) looks best of the rest
Fortune’s mount Moment To Shine is 22-10 favourite for the All To Come Maiden Plate but she and last time’s runner-up Excellent (5-2) are drawn wide. The vote goes to Sky Fly whose 7-2 looks reasonable. The Geoff Woodruff-trained filly lost valuable ground at the start on her first run here last month and she is sure to have learnt from that.
Icy Trail is a stingy price at 6-10 in the Place Your Bets Maiden Plate but he looks the one they all have to beat. Bernard Fayd’Herbe’s mount had to drop back and switch when his path was blocked last time and he ran on as if he will be better suited by the extra distance here.
However if you don’t like betting odds-on, a good case can be made for Roman Silvanus at 5-1 after last Saturday – he was the meat in the sandwich between One Away and Avail on their previous start – and Accountability (28-10) is the one that comes out best on merit ratings.
By Michael Clower
Picture: Andrew Fortune (Nkosi Hlophe)
