KZN has two race meetings this weekend, tomorrow on the poly at Greyville and a feature meeting at Scottsville on Sunday.
On Sunday in the Listed Kwazulu-Natal Stakes over 100m Jo’s Bond can defend her crown as one with plenty of speed and the ability to kick on.
Vision To Kill can always be relied on to run well over this course and distance. Effortless Reward is a speedy sort who is able to stay on and she is only 1kg worse off with Neptune’s Rain having beaten her by 1,35 lengths here in January.
Jo’s Bond (Liesl King)
Neptune’s Rain is a class act and should be finishing strongly, although she has a big weight for a three-year-old and this is likely a preparation race for the SA Fillies Sprint.
Sommerlied is the course record holder but has to bounce back from an overall disappointing Cape Town campaign. Hashtag Strat is a speedy sort who can never be ignored. Those six make the most appeal and are selected in the order mentioned.
In the Sentinel Stakes over 1 000m Master Silva is by the exciting new sire Master Of My Fate and looks to have plenty of natural speed and acceleration.
He was unlucky on debut when slowly away, then short of room and then becoming involved in a bumping and barging match. He can make amends here.
Crown And Country is full of talent and won his second start convincingly over 1 200m on this course to be unbeaten in two starts. However, he has to give weight away all round.
Little Winter caught the eye in a barrier trial over 800m as a strapping sort with a lot of natural speed. Satara showed pace throughout on debut over course and distance to win impressively.
Across Seattle showed good cruising speed over course and distance second time out and then found extra to win cosily. Cavalry put up a good Barrier Trial over 800m at Scottsville when sitting behind Mr Bombastic and then keeping up with him when switched inward.
Van Halen won impressively on debut and has a big reputation, but he has disappointed twice since and finished lame last time.
Star Flyer found no extra over 1 000m at Turffontein last time when up with the pace so will likely have to be ridden more conservatively on this tougher track.
They are selected in the order mentioned.
Glen Kotzen has a high regard for Franking, a King Of Kings three-year-old filly who won by 6,25 lengths first time out the maidens when stepped up to 2 000m. She was unlucky last time over the same Kenilworth course and distance and jumps from pole position over 1 600m on Saturday in race five, a MR 87 fillies and mares handicap.
This rangy sort won her maiden easily over that trip, so has a shout despite having to carry topweight.
Marshall That
Ideal Winter is a typically progressive four-year-old daughter of
Ideal World and this hat-trick-seeker will be a big threat. She has won twice at Scottsville before, over 1 400m and 2 400m respectively, and her last win was over this trip at Greyville. Parabola came from the back to win well over course and distance last time so has a shout from a good draw off an effective four point higher mark and with the same 2,5kg claimer up.
The highlight tomorrow night is a MR 88 Handicap over 1 200m.
Ronnie Rocket is an enigmatic sort but if breaking well his good early pace can build him a lead and he is then hard to overtake.
He was unfortunately slow away last time but is now effectively three points lower in the merit ratings and drawn well again so can make amends.
However, Marshall That and La Ferrari must be included. The value bet on the night is Sail The Bay over 1 200m in race four. His form does not look too good at first sight, but he has faced some good sorts.
He caught the eye in a recent barrier trial when showing a good turn of foot and a long stride to make up ground from the back and he should be finishing well after likely being dropped out from a wide draw.
The sixth is a MR 85 Handicap over 1 600m and could be fought out by two sorts who look to have a touch of class and should start coming into their own, Kapen Pride and Volcanic Sunset.
By David Thiselton
